A DISCOURSE Unto His ROYAL HIGHNESS JAMES, DUKE of ALBANY and YORK: When Intending from SCOTLAND.  
Presented by a Loyal Hand  
EDINBURGH, Printed by William Charon, and are to be sold by John Calderwood Stationer, over against the Main Guard. Anno Dom. 1680.   

Most High Born, and Gracious Prince,  
WELL may Mortals and the lower World concelebrate by, Anthems, so Heroic in all things, and Illustrious a Potentate; You, Royal Sir, being by Providence and Birth only acquainted with Greatness and Virtue: the Lineal Descendant of an Hundreth and Nine Monarches: Thrice Happy and Princely Child of a most Glorious Saint, and Incomparable Martyr: the Son and Brother of the best of Kings: and Royal Heir apparent of three Dominions, and the British Crown. Which Quaternio and fair Contexture of Glory, evincing Grandour beyond example, impregnat with Matchless Goodness and Hereditary by a Right Filial and Fraternal, doth (therefore) farther also securely Prognosticate both Completion and Reward; as the appointment of obliged Fate, and by you deserved from all your Stars. For, as to the Series and Pompous Line of all those unparaleed and Regal Contingencies, the Prerogative certainly and more individual interest of an Excellent Merit (entirely, Sir, your own) do most powerfully confirm Nature to have been in her Courtesy egregiously Wise, and the Disposals of Heaven admirably just; their remaining Engagements must therefore in accomplishment, be uniform: Diadems being for you disposed down in an undoubted Successive Right from your Great Progenitor Fergus, and that Royal Centurie of His Sons. The circled Glories of whose Virgin Crown, have thorough Ages been kept intemerate, and never touched by a Foreign Brow. That, Sir, you (Caledonia's Chiefest Hopes and second Joy) may in an untainted native Honour, together with the happy Investure of its Conjugate and Sister Royalties, the more Augustly be inornate with that her most Ancient and uncontaminate Wreath of Kings. Whereof the Sparkling Gems and Gold are but the mean and darkest things; Diamonds, though therein chequered by richest files, being the last and least of the Conspicuities of its Honour. Seeing that for a Chilead of years again repeated, the Regal Watchmen of our Country, completing now one Decad, beyond the number of Argus Eyes: most of them by genius bravely Warlike, and through signal Success Renowned Victors: of all the then known Princes of the Earth, they only free, and checking the Power of the Awful Caesar's: but with the first of Kings, yielding up their Glory and early gathered unto Shiloh; They (attended with the millions of their People) being soon after the Displaying of the Cross, reckoned among the honorary Incomes of the Nations: four score and four Christians; many of whom for Sanctity admirable: A part, by Choice, persisting long in purest Celibat and dying Virgins: Some Martyrs; severals Enrolled Saints: the plurality most Nursing Fathers of the Church; Munificent by Pious Erogations, even to Proverb and a Wonder: By Providence therefore (in Reward and Peace) enjoying to day the entire Patrimony, and United Royalties of fourteen distinct, of old, and coetaneous entitled Kings; besides the British Interest in the more late discovered Occidental Isles, and other Lands: Again, respectively at the birth of them the Cheerful and Teeming Sky also bringing forth, to Salute their blessed Ingress to the World, by an embassy of Recent Lights: Others, when Babes renunciat Monarches, and enthronized from the Cradle: eleven from Parent to Child, immediate of one Cognomination: all of one Family: The improven Dignity of the whole concentred in the Hopes of your Succession, are the more precious, being matchless, Jewels of that Unconquered Royal Apex. Sir, the Arbitration like ways of Martial Fortune hath, by Sea and Land equally, conferred its happy Symbol to advance the Trophies of your Renown. So that had Nature's Just and Peaceful Titles all been silent in the Anthem of your Glory, yet, through Conduct of auspicious and approven Fates, could the Princely Valour of your Highness have Sceptres, and a Regal Dowry unto you quickly propined, by the  Hand of Conquest: You, Mighty Sir, being (personally also) Victorious often, and in Arms Famous by many Triumphs, and a Frequent Laurel; While wonderfully, amidst a thousand Chances, declared the Friend of Destiny, and sacredly preserved. Moreover, by Character of a twofold Honour, to avouch the Great Regality of your Charter, Sir, in you Magnanimous and Princely Features, highly argues Pregnancy of Soul, and a true Cognation to all the Heroes. Whence Spheres, Wind, and Flying Cherubs, halt ye in your interrupted Courses, to admire so Glorious a Concatenation and Train of all Royal Perfections: Wherein exemplar and a Mighty probity, being matched with Regal Honour, becomes exceeding beneficial unto Mankind; white in its instructive powerful Influences, that great regular and accomplished Idea, Sir, of your most Princely and untainted Converse, stands ready to be transcribed, as the public Standard of Morality, and a Rectifying Mean for all the World. that so the prevailing Integrity of your Highness, refining every where, and enamouring men into a speedy and universal practice of what is upright, may (in this incurvat State and Senior evening of Mortality) regain Astrea and her Age of Gold. Then full happy Nation, guarded by such ample Power and Skill, whose amiable Centre is only Goodness: and when, Sir, your great Will shall think fit thence to divert their more immediate watchful Beams; Yet seeing a kind of Royal Ubiquity is due to Princes, may we then (at least) enjoy by Icon, and not wholly be benighted. Beseeching therefore, and most zealous always to entertain some residing Aspect of your presence; were it only through a certain Apostrophie of its Proxy Rays, still direct and vertical to our Nation, by a constant Solstice of Princely Favour; graciously vouchsafed as an unitenerant delegat of yourself, to make us Happy; and perpetuating from all Eclipse, the Wearmth and Vigorous Lustres, of the Kingdom its present Oecumenick Joy, in all ranks of people, deeply rooted and imparted by the powerful reflexes and condescendency of your Highness' visit, Exorient to our northern Clime: Which, as by the numerous and public Congratulations of all Estates therein solemnly welcomed and received, hath most dutifully also been resented by this loyal and ancient Metropolis of the Land. Sir, upon your Royal Entry, the Noble Consul of the City, (accompanied with all the Honourable Fathers of that Senate, orderly appointed in their Robes) having in submissive Alacrity and Oblation, joyfully delivered up the Keys and security of her Gates, into the Safe Protection of your Highness Princely Hand; as the Tutelar Genius of the Place. Then in most costly Viands and the richest Blood of Grapes, (much like the Ambrosial Repasts of Jove, and Weet of Nectar, filled in Gems) they sumptuously entertaining, Sir, you their High Ahasuerus, and your Royal Esther (as) with the Banquet of a King; profusely also, in purpured Floods, and a Tide of Bacchus, the Conduits overflowing in the street. Those rich Alluviums again drunk up by the Hilarous Passion (Sir, thus carousing to your welcome) of an innocent but mighty flame. The innumerous and most raging ardent piles being, by contiguity of their Structures, and the Omen of your peaceful Name, gladly disarmed and accumulate into one great Rosy Volume of Harmless and United Fires plenteously, thus as a Thicket of inoffensive Aetna's, flourishing thorough all the Lanes; thence by intervene and the crimson Aids of a powerful artificial Day, dislodging Vesper and the Night. Thus, and by all other Festival Indications have, Sir, for You (in profoundest Veneration) their Indelible Respects, signally been attested by the Loyal City. With whom no less obsequious at Your intended progress hence, Sir, the whole Nation doth, unto Your Royal Highness (with bowed Knee, and Loyal Minds) chearfuly at once repay and offer a Debit and most willing Tribute of the sincerest affections of us all, from Southern Tweed, to the utmost Thule, knit together as one man. And for Certificate of Obysance (Sir, at the Call and Whispers of Your Imperial Eye) lo, ready Armed by Faithful Hearts, with bravest Courage, in a Thick and Flaming Cloud of many Thousands brandished Swords, to do You Service: most Resolute also, thereby keenly (thorough the Heart and Bowels of Opposition) to cut, for You, the Way and Ingress to a Throne; if Affairs did so require. But through a more Serene and Happy Juncture, the Divine Goodness, great in the Privilege of Your Birth, Humane Equity exemplified by the Law of Nations and Constitution of these Realms, together also the indispensible Precepts of Christianity, ratified by Severe and Holy Sanctions have (jointly all to remunerate the Innate Excellencies of Your person) Sir, for You most powerfully preingaged a Triad of Kingdoms, on a most Righteous, amiably quiet, and Indisputable Claim. It rests therefore only the peaceful Task (as it is the Practised Duty) of every Loyal Subject and all truly Christian (though perhaps otherwise, about an Umbrage of a few Opinions and little things, they somewhat distinguish among themselves; yet altogether unanimous and passionately cordial to promove all the Hopes and Honour of Your Highness) within this most Ancient Dominion of that Kingly Hundreth of Your Fathers, by a Ready and Universal Harmony of all our Votes, earnestly to supplicat and uncessantly implore that Almighty Stay of Jacob and the GOD of Princes, that Your Highness may continually, against all the Attempts and Nocive Power of Sinistrous Fate, be secured by Heaven and Crowned with Felicity, in a constant Tenor: The prosperous Glory of Your Princely Name, being, in the loudest joyful Call and Voice of Fame, resounded by Aquilo, and the Bounds of the World. Thus still Gilded with Tranquillity, may Perpetuity be Your years; Or when of old (here satiate with Durance and Happy Days) from out such Royal Dust, the Soul, journeying thorough the Sun, shall enter these Thrones of Absolute Fortune, be ever Your Actions encircled with Stars. Yea, thorough out the State and Interval of Separation, may there be allowed some bright Locality and more select Orb to Treasure up, Sir, Your Ashes, all uncommon. Which sure, are also then to be illustrate from the Applausive Choir of all the Echoed Reports of perfected Virtue: by Allision (as it were) and the sporting Accents of their Breath and Song, dextrously conflicting, till so begetting they do enkindle, into an immarcessible Radiance, a Live Memorial of Your Name: That so, together with the sumptuous Splendour and Vicinage of the Meridau Day, there the Body being Lodged and Trimmed (in a kind of Elementar Apotheosis) cheerfully may await the Return and Fellowship of Your all Divine and better half. In sum, may all the Matter of Kingly Things be rescued from the Lot of Vulgar Dust, and still conspicuous. And seeing, Sir, the Seraphic constitution of Your inextinguishable heavenly part is also fairly Legible and Displayed, in that brave and sweet composure of all its corporary outward Veil; at Divesture therefore, may so princely a casket, as the Transcript of Your Mind, (whence ennobled by a kind of consanguinity with Deathless and Intellectual Beings) powerfully be secured from the bosom of a humble Grave: While suitably enshryned in a Lucide Repose among the Orbs. And that the Bounty of this Royal Phasis, may ever dignify our Horizon, who are exceeding emulous, by whatsoever imaginable way, still over us to affix You the Desired Object of our Heart and Eyes; let it then splendidly be contrived where sits Arcturus, and his neighbouring Charlewain: the Equivocal Notice, and somewhat Nominal twin of one and an other of Your Ancestors, being in the Beauty and number of the stars, there effigiat and interwoven, as a goodly fore-obsignature of Your own fairer appointed Constellation, to exceed whatsoever Astral Hieroglyphic doth already shine depicted both on the South and Borean side of Phoebus' Walls. By all these premises stands now colligible an Energy and power of Virtue, to make a Monarch, and Immortal; The goodly Efficient then of both, seeing your Highness doth so marveilously own by candid possession, and a tenor of Increase, we therefore, in the Hopes and Wish of each these its glorious, and by You already promerited Events, do by supernumerary Votes, and a Mighty Loyalty, again, unto all what is sacred and irresistibly powerful, most fervently present and reiterate our Devotions, that Your Highness (most Royal Sir) having (for a circuit of years long and prosperous, like to a patriarchal Age, or the stay of Nestor) in this earthly state, and humane schene of affairs, still purely tasted of Felicity in its deepest prelibations, and attainable symbols, may hereafter, thorough out the whole course and line of Beatitude, eternally reap the full and most Happy Retributions of an unparalleled and excellent Virtue. Mean while, may the Benediction and Strength of him, who prospered Jacob in his Journey, most graciously still attend Your Royal Highness, and make You a prevailing prince.  
FINIS.