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ANNUS MIRABILIS:

THE YEAR OF WONDERS,

MDCLXVI.

I.

IN

N thriving arts long time had Holland grown, Crouching at home and cruel when abroad: Scarce leaving us the means to claim our own; Our king they courted, and our merchants aw'd.

II.

Trade, which like blood fhould circularly flow,
Stopp'd in their channels, found its freedom loft:
Thither the wealth of all the world did go,

And feem'd but shipwreck'd on fo base a coast.
III.

For them alone the heavens had kindly heat ;
In eastern quarries ripening precious dew:
For them the Idumæan balm did sweat,
And in hot Ceilon fpicy forefts grew.

IV.

The fun but feem'd the labourer of the year;

Each waxing moon fupply'd her watery store, To fwell thofe tides which from the line did bear Their brim-full veffels to the Belgian fhore.

V. Thus,

V.

Thus, mighty in her fhips, ftood Carthage long,
And fwept the riches of the world from far;
Yet ftoop'd to Rome, less wealthy, but more strong:
And this may prove cur fecond Punic war.

VI.

What peace can be, where both to one pretend? (But they more diligent, and we more strong) Or if a peace, it foon must have an end;

For they would grow too powerful were it long.

VII.

Behold two nations then, engag'd fo far,"

That each seven years the fit must shake each land: Where France will fide to weaken us by war,

Who only can his vaft defigns withstand.
VIII.

See how he feeds th' Iberian with delays,
To render us his timely friendship vain:
And while his fecret foul on Flanders preys,
He rocks the cradle of the babe of Spain.
IX.

Such deep designs of empire does he lay

O'er them, whofe caufe he feems to take in hand; And prudently would make them lords at fea, To whom with ease he can give laws by land.

X.

This faw our king; and long within his breast
His penfive counfels balanc'd to and fro :
He griev'd the land he freed should be opprefs'd,
And he lefs for it than ufurpers do.

XI. His

XI.

His generous mind the fair ideas drew

Of fame and honour, which in dangers lay; Where wealth, like fruit on precipices, grew, Not to be gather'd but by birds of prey.

XII.

The loss and gain each fatally were great;
And ftill his fubjects call'd aloud for war:
But peaceful kings, o'er martial people fet,
Each other's poize and counterbalance are.

XIII.

He firft furvey'd the charge with careful eyes,
Which none but mighty monarchs could maintain;
Yet judg'd, like vapours that from limbecs rife,
It would in richer fhowers defcend again.

XIV.

At length refolv'd t' affert the watery ball,
He in himself did whole Armadoes bring:
Him aged feamen might their master call,
And chufe for general, were he not their king.
XV.

It seems as every ship their fovereign knows,
His awful fummons they fo foon obey;

So hear the fcaly herd when Proteus blows,
And fo to pasture follow through the fea.
XVI.

To fee this fleet upon the ocean move,

Angels drew wide the curtains of the skies; And heaven, as if there wanted lights above,

For tapers made two glaring comets rise.

XVII. Whe

XVII.

Whether they unctuous exhalations are,
Fir'd by the fun, or seeming so alone ;
Or each fome more remote and flippery ftar,
Which lofes footing when to mortals fhewn.
XVIII.

Or one, that bright companion of the fun,
Whofe glorious afpect feal'd our new-born king;
And now, a round of greater years begun,

New influence from his walks of light did bring.
XIX.

Victorious York did firft with fam'd fuccefs,
To his known valour make the Dutch give place :
Thus heaven our monarch's fortune did confefs,
Beginning conqueft from his royal race.

XX.

But fince it was decreed, aufpicious king,

In Britain's right that thou fhouldft wed the main, Heaven, as a gage, would cast some precious thing, And therefore doom'd that Lawfon fhould be flain. XXI.

Lawion amongst the foremost met his fate,

Whom fea-green Sirens from the rocks lament:
Thus as an offering for the Grecian state,
He first was kill'd who first to battle went.
XXII.

Their chief blown up in air, not waves, expir'd,
To which his pride prefum'd to give the law:
The Dutch confefs'd heaven present, and retir'd,
And all was Britain the wide ocean faw.

XXIII. To

XXIII.

To nearest ports their fhatter'd fhips repair,
Where by our dreadful cannon they lay aw'd:
So reverently men quit the open air,

When thunder fpeaks the angry gods abroad.

XXIV.

And now approach'd their fleet from India fraught,
With all the riches of the rifing fun :

And precious fand from fouthern climates brought,
The fatal regions where the war begun.

XXV.

Like hunted caftors, confcious of their store,

Their way-laid wealth to Norway's coafts they bring : There firft the North's cold bofom fpices bore, And winter brooded on the eastern spring.

XXVI.

By the rich scent we found our perfum'd prey,
Which, flank'd with rocks, did clofe in covert lie:
And round about their murdering cannon lay,
At once to threaten and invite the eye.
XXVII.

Fiercer than cannon, and than rocks more hard,
The English undertake th' unequal war:
Seven ships alone, by which the port is barr'd,
Befiege the Indies, and all Denmark dare.

XXVIII.

These fight like husbands, but like lovers those :

These fain would keep, and thofe more fain enjoy: And to fuch height their frantic paffion grows,

That what both love, both hazard to destroy.

VOL. I.

F

XXVIII. Amidft