STELLA MERIDIANA CAROLI Secundi Regis, etc. VERSES Written 31 years since, upon the Birth and Noonday Star of CHARLES, born Prince of Great Britain; the 29. of May 1630. Our now Miraculously Restored, and Gloriously Crowned, CHARLES' the Second of Great Britain, France and Ireland KING, etc. By several Persons of Honour. LONDON, Printed for T. Basset in S. Dunstan's Church yard in Fleetstreet. 1661. Upon the 29. of May 1630. being our Gracious King CHARLES the Second his happy Birthday, being a Feria, and no Commemoration of any Saint for that Day. THe Holy Ghost, which guides the Church her Way, Admits no Saint an Office on this Day. But by Divine foresight reserved this room To be supplied by one that was to come; Which is fulfilled, for now the thankful Earth Shall keep it holy for this Prince his Birth. By the Lord Windsor. HE that observed this Day's Nativity, Had sure the Spirit in't of Prophecy, Divining above thirty years before, It should be kept for Holy evermore. And now by Parliament confirmed appears A Holy Office for this Day all years. What in this Calendar before was blank Shall bear a Rubric from hencefore to thank Almighty God, honour our KING, and pray, In His blessed Reign to Centuply this Day: A Day whose Blessings none too high can sing; That brought us first our Prince, and next our King; And with him came to three ●orn Kingdom's Peace, Whose Name and presence did our Woes Release: For which Te Deum, and all praise be given; Let Hymns and Authems echo up to Heaven. james Parry. KING CHARLES' the First (of ever blessed Memory) went to S. Paul's Church the 30. day of May 1630. to offer there, and to give praise and thanks to God for the Birth of his Son, our now most Gracious King Charles the Second, (born the 20. of the same May) attended with all his Peers, and a most Royal Train, where a bright Star appeared at High Noon in the presence and sight of all. Sir William jones sitting in the same seat with Sergeant Hoskins, and both of them beholding the Star with admiration; Sir William jones, said Judge Hoskins, (who was a very learned and ingenuous Poet) Brother, here is a fair Subject for you to write some thing upon. Who then composed these Verses following, which were presented to the King's Majesty the same day at Dinner. DVm Rex Paulinas accessit gratus ad Aras, Emicuit medio, lucida stella Die. Die mihi Divinus tractans AEnigmata preco, Hac nobis hodie, Quid sibi stella velit? Magnus in Occiduo, Princeps modo nascitur Orbe Crasque sub * An Eclipse of the Sun next day. Eclipsin Regna Orientis erint. Jo. Hoskins Servi. ad Legem. Englished. WHilst to the Altar of Saint Paul the KING Approached with a grateful Offering, A Star at Noon appeared; tell me Divine, That preachest Riddles, why it then did shine? I'th' Western World a * Magnus Princeps, here he was styled Great at his Birth. Great Prince newly born; And th' East to morrow in Eclipse shall mourn. Some further Observations on the same Subject, written the same time by James Parry, Esq 'tIs not fit any should conceal What God from high doth here reveal, When by strange language of the Skies He Thunders Ears, and Stars our Eyes; For by most high Prognostics God Forewarns his Mercies and his Rod. A Star appearing at High Noon, And in Highest glory face the Sun. For Doctor Don says, The Stars be (By light he lends) his Com'naltie. And in the presence of his Rays Appear not but in Ecliptic days. This Noon-bright Star doth therefore show Somethng above what man can know. King, Church, Peers, Citizens discerned This Star at once, and all concerned. Pray God no fiery spirits high Disturb our peaceful Monarchy. God's Tabernacle's in the Sun, As clears his Truth, when some Stars run Erring in Opposition, ill Aspects That oft produce as ominous Effects; But God's true Church shall be in sight By him maintained whilst Sol hath light, Against which Hell Gates shall ne'er prevail: Who promised it can never fail. Pray Heaven th' Eclipse that doth attend, No future troubles may portend. Clouds cause dark days. Eclipses fears, When past the Sun more bright appears. But gracious CHARLES (best King on earth) Here gives God praise for his Son's birth, Who sends his Star at Noon to shine, And pose the riddleing Divine. The Sun's height than makes me presage, This Prince at his Meridian Age Shall shine in Glory most renowned, And in his perfect Age be Crowned Great Brittain's King, and all restore That Church, Peers, Gentry lost before. B'ing * Hactenus Anglorum nulli was the Motto on the Medals, made in memory of Prince CHARLES his Birthday the 29. of May 1630. upon them, etc. And since Cadwallader, the last King of the Britain's, none born Prince of Great Britain, but only this our now most great and gracious King CHARLES the Second, whom God bless and preserve with long and most happy Reign. Amen. first born Prince of Britain since The blessed Cadwallader went hence. And this the Nation to advance, Be second Charlemagne of France. Somewhat more on the Text and Eclipse observed. TH' Eclipse followed the Birth too near, wherefore Some wished it had been thirty years before, That the Saturnian malevolence Might have been wasted, and quite vanished hence. The Text was Sampsons' Riddle intricate, And puzzled with his Audience too great State, In Scruples of his Text the man was mazed, And with the presence daunted as he gazed. The King commanding no new Text should be, Nor other preach that day but only He Appointed was before, and be content At that time with the Pulpits Accident. The business fraught with much dark mystery Of a dead Lion, Sampsons' Riddle. a strange History, In which a Commonwealth of Bees did build, Their waxed Garrison with Honey filled, Sucked from the flowery Meads, and seemed to thrive, Having that Princely Carcase for their Hive, And armed with stings Levellers seemed to be Their Houses equal, all of like degree. But had not there their Parliament enjoyed, Had not Mis●haur the Lion King destroyed, But were at last discovered in full season, And lost their lives, and all they got for Treason. I.P. THere was a Lawdress had imbezzled a Jewel (that had been Queen Annes,) and had got it altered, and sold it to our Queen. The late King Charles of blessed memory (who had an excellent judgement in all things) knew the precious Stone. The Woman was dismissed; and in further fear of danger, she got this Petition put into our then Prince Charles his hand, being an Infant before he could speak. REad Royal Father, mighty King, What my little hand doth bring. ay, whose happy birth imparts Joy to all true Subject's hearts, Though an Infant, dod not break Nature's Laws, if now I speak By this Interpreter, for one Whose face doth blush and heart doth groan For her acknowledged offence, Who only found my Innocence To gain her Mercy; she is bold, O may it some proportion hold; If to the Father she doth run By mediation of the Son. To whom a Star God also gave In token I was born to save. If therefore, O my Royal Sir, My first request may purchase her Restoring to your Grace, to me (Though young) it will an honour be When in my Cradle it was said, I Master of Requests was made. ja. Shirley. I Herd it credibly reported by a Person of Quality, that King Charles the first, of blessed memory; (the Mirror of Princes for Piety and Patience) being in his bed in Christ church in Oxford, and a Candle burning in the Chamber, as the Order was; the King being awake, (who did meditate much, and sleep little) saw that the Candle was gone out of a sudden; whereupon the King calls to a Great Peer of eminent office, that lodged in the Chamber, and told him the Candle was gone out, and it was so, and all dark; the Lord wondered at it, and said, he would call to have it lighted again; but His Majesty bade him let it alone and take his rest: a good while after the King wakens him again, and showed him the Candle lighted again of itself. The Lord suspected some Witchcraft; but the King said, I see I shall suffer detriment, but Charles my Son shall shine again. And His Majesty commanded the Nobleman not to speak of it whilst the King lived. A remarkable strange light seen about the time of the King's Martyrdom. ABout the time King Charles was hence ensphered, A wonderful strange Light that Mouth appeared, Six miles from Hereford, where is a Park, Through which the Owner riding in the dark, And his man with him: from the Earth did rise A Light that with amazement did surprise The two Beholders, and in quantity Like the Moon Orbed in full serenety, And from the ground ascended to the sky, Which there received it up immediately. They were not frighted with the glorious shine, But home they rid, and told what they had seen. The name of Morehampton the place doth bear, I'th' Golden Valley, and my Neighbour near. A person wise and grave, of honesty, Not to report or speak but verity. To kill a King is Deicide, Cristicide, Regicide, Parricide, and Homicide. J. Speed, in his Chron. Blood is a Crying sin; but that of Kings Cries loudest, and to certain ruin brings. ja. Howell, in his Inquisition after blood. And till his Murderers come to Justice hand, The stain and scandal lies on all this Land; Though those that signed and sealed his blessed blood spilt, Yet on the Nation they laid all the guilt. He was the Common Father of us all: And Duty bids us loud for justice call. Let some Lords, Priests, Cits, Lawyers, men o'th' Blade, Of all sorts some be now a Victim made. I. P. FINIS.