ON HIS MAJESTIES Sending The RIGHT HONOURABLE Henry Earl of CLARENDON To the Government of Ireland in January 1685.  

WHen Man was made Vice-gerent here below,  
The King of Heaven nobly did bestow  
Perfections on Him, numerous and great,  
To answer all the ends of Regal State:  
And now, our Earthly God, a Man has sent  
completely qualified for Government:  
A man so like Himself, in Him we see  
Great James's Wisdom, Love and Clemency:  
So the rich Works of an Almighty hand  
Declare that Power which does them all command.  
As many Stars can never make a Sun,  
But grow into a Constellation;  
The brightest Virtues which adorn a Throne  
Happily meet and shine in Clarendon,  
Tho Majesty resides in James alone.   

No wonder that our King so long delayed;  
The work deserved the wisest Council's aid:  
Great Projects need the most delib'rate thought,  
And are, unto Perfection, slowly brought.  
heaven seems to have consulted, when 'twas said,  
Let Us make Man; a man to be obeyed  
By all that fill the Air, the Sea and Land;  
As wide o'er Us is Clarendon's Command:  
And in this State may He securely stand;  
Supported by his Mighty Maker's Hand.  
If Innocency can his fall prevent,  
He must stand firm and long in Government.   

Long lay our bodeing minds 'twixt Hope and Fear,  
But when the Royal Pleasure did appear  
For Clarendon, to Rule and save our State;  
blessed was the Issue of the Grand Debate:  
The God-like work we saw and understood,  
And could not but confess, 'twas very good.   

The world must own that Kings are Gods below,  
So opportunely Blessings they bestow:  
The Nation do's not wish( since Ormond's gone)  
A nobler Vice-Roy here than Clarendon:  
Our King and Providence together move  
Both in our saddest state express their love;  
Both suddenly our biggest Hopes destroy;  
And both as seasonably improve our Joy:  
When Charles( our Dearest Monarch) was no more,  
heaven in a Brother did our Bliss restore;  
And th' loss which We, in Ormond, did sustain,  
Our King, in Clarendon, makes up again.  
A greater New-years-gift, we can't receive,  
Nor can a generous King a Greater give.  
Long may we have from James's Royal Hand  
This Gift continued to our grateful Land:  
And on his Sacred Head may heaven repeat  
The Joys of Peaceful James and Charles the Great.  
Thrice happy Prince! well hast thou understood  
To join thy Honour with the Kingdoms good:  
Our Clarendon must Peace and Plenty bring,  
And keep all Subjects Loyal to their King:  
More glorious still, thro Him, our King shall grow,  
Till James triumphs above, and James triumphs below.    

DUBLIN, Printed by Andrew Crook and Samuel Helsham, and are to be Sold by Andrew Crook at the King's Printing-House on Ormond-Key, and by Samuel Helsham at the Colledge-Arms in Castle-street.