THE LOYAL SPEECH OF Sir Richard Stott RECORDER of the Ancient TOWN of BARWICK upon TWEED.  
SPOKEN To His Royal Highness the Duke of YORK, upon his Entrance into Barwick.  
May it please your Royal Highness,  
WE humbly and hearty congratulate your coming to this poor but Ancient Town, a place more considerable for its situation than its fortune, yet happier now then in former times when it was made a Butt for the two Kingdoms to shoot at: Without our Walls (Great Sir) you may see those Hills, where that Royal blood which runs (happily united) in your Princely veins, whilst it was divided between your English and Scottish Ancestors, did contend for Empire and for glory; and it is our happiness that this place which was once the utmost limits of two great Kingdoms, is now the middle of our Sovereign's Dominions: We of this Corporation were the most ingrateful of Subjects, and the unworthiest of men, if we did not pay all Duty and Obeysanee to your Princely Person. Your Royal Grandfather (whose Sacred Name you bear) was our Founder; He gave us not only our Privileges (which are great) but our subsistence which supports us: And he tells us plainly in his most munificent Charter, that he did it to oblige us to pay the greater Duty and Loyalty to him, and his Posterity for ever: Your Royal Father (the Mirror of Kings) was our Benefactor, and our Gracious Sovereign hath largely extended his Bounty to us, and we know that we cannot better express our Duty and Loyalty to him, then in giving Testimony of it to you (Great Sir) his only Brother. We have yet powerful motives from yourself: Your Noble and Heroic Actions have been the wonder of Europe, nor can any Loyal heart forget how boldly and prodigally you ventured your Life for the Honour and Prosperity of his Majesty and these Kingdoms, when in the Year (63.) by the blessing of God upon your incomparable Valour and Conduct, you overthrew and vanquished the Greatest Fleet that ever the Sea bore: Then it was that you made Neptune's Trident bow and pay homage to the English Sceptre. Let the Ancient Romans tell us of their great Sea-Fight at Actium, between Augustus and Mark Anthony. Let our own Histories relate the famous Victory of your Glorious Progenitor King Edward the 3. at Scluse. Let the Modern Histories of Europe declare that Celebrated Victory of Don John of Austria at the Battle of Lepanto, those must all strike sail, and veil to your Glorious Triumph. If we search the Annals of Former Ages, we can find no thing like it; and it is more than probable that the Times to come may not produce a Parallel. What shall we then render to you (Great Prince) for such inimitable Actions and Merits? All we can say is, that next after our Prayers for the long Life and Happy Reign of our most Gracious Sovereign, we ardently wish all increase of Honour, Renown, and Happiness to the Glorious JAMES his most Princely Brother.  
FINIS.