Consecrated To The Glorious Memory Of His Most Serene And Renowned Highness, Oliver, Late Lord Prote Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCD D EFGF HIHI JKJK LMLM NBNO KPQK RSRS TNTN UQUQ VQWQ XYXY NZNZ NNNN HKHK NNNN A2XA2X B2NB2N VNC2N D2E2F2P G2NG2N H2ZH2Z KG2KG2 NNNN NKNK F2NF2N G2NG2N NG2NG2 PNPN NXNX NNNN VI2VI2 G2PG2P J2G2J2G2 HH2HH2 NNNN B2G2B2J NPNP

Consecrated to the Glorious Memory of HisA
Most Serene and Renowned Highness OliverB
Late Lord Protector of This Commonwealth etcC
Oliver CromwellD
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Written After the Celebration of his FuneralD
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And now 'tis time for their officious hasteE
Who would before have borne him to the skyF
Like eager Romans ere all rites were pastG
Did let too soon the sacred eagle flyF
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Though our best notes are treason to his fameH
Join'd with the loud applause of public voiceI
Since Heav'n what praise we offer to his nameH
Hath render'd too authentic by its choiceI
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Though in his praise no arts can liberal beJ
Since they whose Muses have the highest flownK
Add not to his immortal memoryJ
But do an act of friendship to their ownK
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Yet 'tis our duty and our interest tooL
Such monuments as we can build to raiseM
Lest all the world prevent what we should doL
And claim a title in him by their praiseM
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How shall I then begin or where concludeN
To draw a fame so truly circularB
For in a round what order can be shew'dN
Where all the parts so equal perfect areO
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His grandeur he deriv'd from Heav'n aloneK
For he was great ere fortune made him soP
And wars like mists that rise against the sunQ
Made him but greater seem not greater grownK
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No borrow'd bays his temples did adornR
But to our crown he did fresh jewels bringS
Nor was his virtue poison'd soon as bornR
With the too early thoughts of being kingS
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Fortune that easy mistress of the youngT
But to her ancient servant coy and hardN
Him at that age her favorites rank'd amongT
When she her best lov'd Pompey did discardN
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He private mark'd the faults of others' swayU
And set as sea marks for himself to shunQ
Not like rash monarchs who their youth betrayU
By acts their age too late would wish undoneQ
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And yet dominion was not his designV
We owe that blessing not to him but HeavenQ
Which to fair acts unsought rewards did joinW
Rewards that less to him than us were givenQ
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Our former chiefs like sticklers of the warX
First sought t'inflame the parties then to poiseY
The quarrel lov'd but did the cause abhorX
And did not strike to hurt but make a noiseY
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War our consumption was their gainfull tradeN
We inward bled whilst they prolong'd our painZ
He fought to end our fighting and assay'dN
To stanch the blood by breathing of the veinZ
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Swift and resistless through the land he pass'dN
Like that bold Greek who did the east subdueN
And made to battles such heroic hasteN
As if on wings of victory he flewN
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He fought secure of fortune as of fameH
Till by new maps the island might be shownK
Of conquests which he strew'd where'er he cameH
Thick as a galaxy with stars is sownK
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His palms though under weights they did not standN
Still thriv'd no winter could his laurels fadeN
Heav'n in his portrait shew'd a workman's handN
And drew it perfect yet without a shadeN
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Peace was the prize of all his toils and careA2
Which war had banish'd and did now restoreX
Bologna's walls thus mounted in the airA2
To seat themselves more surely than beforeX
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Her safety rescu'd Ireland to him owesB2
And treacherous Scotland to no int'rest trueN
Yet bless'd that fate which did his arms disposeB2
Her land to civilize as to subdueN
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Nor was he like those stars which only shineV
When to pale mariners they storms portendN
He had his calmer influence and his mienC2
Did love and majesty together blendN
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'Tis true his count'nance did imprint an aweD2
And naturally all souls to his did bowE2
As wands of divination downward drawF2
And points to beds where sov'reign gold doth growP
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When past all offerings to Feretrian JoveG2
He Mars depos'd and arms to gowns made yieldN
Successful councils did him soon approveG2
As fit for close intrigues as open fieldN
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To suppliant Holland he vouchsaf'd a peaceH2
Our once bold rival in the British mainZ
Now tamely glad her unjust claim to ceaseH2
And buy our friendship with her idol gainZ
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Fame of th' asserted sea through Europe blownK
Made France and Spain ambitious of his loveG2
Each knew that side must conquer he would ownK
And for him fiercely as for empire stroveG2
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No sooner was the Frenchman's cause embrac'dN
Than the light monsieur the grave don outweigh'dN
His fortune turn'd the scale where it was castN
Though Indian mines were in the other laidN
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When absent yet we conquer'd in his rightN
For though some meaner artist's skill were shownK
In mingling colours or in placing lightN
Yet still the fair designment was his ownK
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For from all tempers he could service drawF2
The worth of each with its alloy he knewN
And as the confidant of Nature sawF2
How she complexions did divide and brewN
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Or he their single virtues did surveyG2
By intuition in his own large breastN
Where all the rich ideas of them layG2
That were the rule and measure to the restN
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When such heroic virtue Heav'n sets outN
The stars like Commons sullenly obeyG2
Because it drains them when it comes aboutN
And therefore is a tax they seldom payG2
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From this high spring our foreign conquests flowP
Which yet more glorious triumphs do portendN
Since their commencement to his arms they oweP
If springs as high as fountains may ascendN
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He made us freemen of the continentN
Whom Nature did like captives treat beforeX
To nobler preys the English lion sentN
And taught him first in Belgian walks to roarX
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That old unquestion'd pirate of the landN
Proud Rome with dread the fate of Dunkirk heardN
And trembling wish'd behind more Alps to standN
Although an Alexander were here guardN
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By his command we boldly cross'd the lineV
And bravely fought where southern stars ariseI2
We trac'd the far fetch'd gold unto the mineV
And that which brib'd our fathers made our prizeI2
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Such was our prince yet own'd a soul aboveG2
The highest acts it could produce to showP
Thus poor mechanic arts in public moveG2
Whilst the deep secrets beyond practice goP
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Nor di'd he when his ebbing fame went lessJ2
But when fresh laurels courted him to liveG2
He seem'd but to prevent some new successJ2
As if above what triumphs earth could giveG2
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His latest victories still thickest cameH
As near the center motion does increaseH2
Till he press'd down by his own weighty nameH
Did like the vestal under spoils decreaseH2
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But first the ocean as a tribute sentN
That giant prince of all her watery herdN
And th' isle when her protecting genius wentN
Upon his obsequies loud sighs conferr'dN
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No civil broils have since his death aroseB2
But faction now by habit does obeyG2
And wars have that respect for his reposeB2
As winds for halycons when they breed at seaJ
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His ashes in a peaceful urn shall restN
His name a great example stands to showP
How strangely high endeavours may be blestN
Where piety and valour jointly goP

John Dryden



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