Threnodia Augustalis: Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A A BCCDECCE FAAGFHHIJKLMLNNNOOPQ RSTUTVV A WXWXWYIZYA2A2A2B2C2C 2D2D2VEEE2SSE2F2G2F2 H2I2H2I2J2C2C2J2K2L2 CCM2CM2 A FN2N2O2P2DFBQ2CQ2CR2 R2R2S2ST2SS2U2S2V2R2 R2W2HIIX2X2X2Y2Y2Z2Z 2A3XY2XY2 E B3B3WWWC3C3P2N2KKD3E ED3D3E3VVE3GHHH2H2H2 HH2CCCF3G3VB2EERREE G D3D3D3D3D3H3H3I3I3W2 HD3D3J3J3J3D3D3D3HHG GGK3K3EK3EL3L3HHM3HM 3 E D3D2VD3N3D3D3C2C2C2E E E D3D3O2J3DI2I2O3BR2D3 D3D3D3D3D3VD2P3P3D3D 3J3J3J3OD3D3D3Q3O E D3GGD3GXXD3D3K3R3CCD 3D3D3D3D3S3ES3ED3D3T 3T3D3D3D3D3ED3D3EED3 D3D3CCD3 T3 D3D3D3D3I2I2N3VD2U3U 3U3 T3 D3D3D3D3D3D3D3EEEGGT 3GT3GHHGD3V3V3D3D3G3 G3D3D3D3GGC3C3W3X3 G XT3T3XT3T3T3D3D3D3T3 T3EEEY3Y3T3T3 T3 J3D3O2D3D3HH2H2N3HD3 D3D3D3T3T3U3U3 T3 H2H2J3J3Z3Z3A4B4B4J3 HJ3HJ3Y3Y3Y3D3D3T3T3 T3EED3D3T3C4T3C4D3D3 D3D3D3 E T3T3T3D3D3T3T3T3T3D4 D4T3T3T3D3T3D3D3T3A4 A4T3E4Z3H2H2J3J3Y3Y3 Y3 D3D3D3D3D3D3T3T3D3D3 D3D3D3D3R2T3T3 Y3 R2V3V3V3D3D3D3D3D3D3 D3D3D3T3T3T3D3Y3Y3 Y3 J3D3O2D3D3T3T3T3T3T3 T3D3D3T3T3T3T3D3T3D3 D3D3D3J3J3J3 T3 C3T3T3T3T3C3T3D3D3T3 D3D3D3T3T3T3J3T3J3T3 D3T3D3D3O2T3J3

A FUNERAL PINDARIC POEM SACRED TO THE HAPPY MEMORY OF KING CHARLES II	A
	-
I	A
	-
Thus long my grief has kept me dumb	B
Sure there's a lethargy in mighty woe	C
Tears stand congeal'd and cannot flow	C
And the sad soul retires into her inmost room	D
Tears for a stroke foreseen afford relief	E
But unprovided for a sudden blow	C
Like Niobe we marble grow	C
And petrify with grief	E
	-
Our British heaven was all serene	F
No threatening cloud was nigh	A
Not the least wrinkle to deform the sky	A
We lived as unconcern'd and happily	G
As the first age in Nature's golden scene	F
Supine amidst our flowing store	H
We slept securely and we dreamt of more	H
When suddenly the thunder clap was heard	I
It took us unprepared and out of guard	J
Already lost before we fear'd	K
The amazing news of Charles at once were spread	L
At once the general voice declared	M
Our gracious prince was dead	L
No sickness known before no slow disease	N
To soften grief by just degrees	N
But like a hurricane on Indian seas	N
The tempest rose	O
An unexpected burst of woes	O
With scarce a breathing space betwixt	P
This now becalm'd and perishing the next	Q
As if great Atlas from his height	R
Should sink beneath his heavenly weight	S
And with a mighty flaw the flaming wall	T
At once it shall	U
Should gape immense and rushing down o'erwhelm this nether ball	T
So swift and so surprising was our fear	V
Our Atlas fell indeed but Hercules was near	V
	-
II	A
	-
His pious brother sure the best	W
Who ever bore that name	X
Was newly risen from his rest	W
And with a fervent flame	X
His usual morning vows had just address'd	W
For his dear sovereign's health	Y
And hoped to have them heard	I
In long increase of years	Z
In honour fame and wealth	Y
Guiltless of greatness thus he always pray'd	A2
Nor knew nor wish'd those vows he made	A2
On his own head should be repaid	A2
Soon as the ill omen'd rumour reach'd his ear	B2
Ill news is wing'd with fate and flies apace	C2
Who can describe the amazement of his face	C2
Horror in all his pomp was there	D2
Mute and magnificent without a tear	D2
And then the hero first was seen to fear	V
Half unarray'd he ran to his relief	E
So hasty and so artless was his grief	E
Approaching greatness met him with her charms	E2
Of power and future state	S
But look'd so ghastly in a brother's fate	S
He shook her from his arms	E2
Arrived within the mournful room he saw	F2
A wild distraction void of awe	G2
And arbitrary grief unbounded by a law	F2
God's image God's anointed lay	H2
Without motion pulse or breath	I2
A senseless lump of sacred clay	H2
An image now of death	I2
Amidst his sad attendants' groans and cries	J2
The lines of that adored forgiving face	C2
Distorted from their native grace	C2
An iron slumber sat on his majestic eyes	J2
The pious duke Forbear audacious Muse	K2
No terms thy feeble art can use	L2
Are able to adorn so vast a woe	C
The grief of all the rest like subject grief did show	C
His like a sovereign did transcend	M2
No wife no brother such a grief could know	C
Nor any name but friend	M2
	-
III	A
	-
O wondrous changes of a fatal scene	F
Still varying to the last	N2
Heaven though its hard decree was past	N2
Seem'd pointing to a gracious turn again	O2
And death's uplifted arm arrested in its haste	P2
Heaven half repented of the doom	D
And almost grieved it had foreseen	F
What by foresight it will'd eternally to come	B
Mercy above did hourly plead	Q2
For her resemblance here below	C
And mild forgiveness intercede	Q2
To stop the coming blow	C
New miracles approach'd the ethereal throne	R2
Such as his wondrous life had oft and lately known	R2
And urged that still they might be shown	R2
On earth his pious brother pray'd and vow'd	S2
Renouncing greatness at so dear a rate	S
Himself defending what he could	T2
From all the glories of his future fate	S
With him the innumerable crowd	S2
Of armed prayers	U2
Knock'd at the gates of Heaven and knock'd aloud	S2
The first well meaning rude petitioners	V2
All for his life assail'd the throne	R2
All would have bribed the skies by offering up their own	R2
So great a throng not Heaven itself could bar	W2
'Twas almost borne by force as in the giants' war	H
The prayers at least for his reprieve were heard	I
His death like Hezekiah's was deferr'd	I
Against the sun the shadow went	X2
Five days those five degrees were lent	X2
To form our patience and prepare the event	X2
The second causes took the swift command	Y2
The medicinal head the ready hand	Y2
All eager to perform their part	Z2
All but eternal doom was conquer'd by their art	Z2
Once more the fleeting soul came back	A3
To inspire the mortal frame	X
And in the body took a doubtful stand	Y2
Doubtful and hovering like expiring flame	X
That mounts and falls by turns and trembles o'er the brand	Y2
	-
IV	E
	-
The joyful short lived news soon spread around	B3
Took the same train the same impetuous bound	B3
The drooping town in smiles again was dress'd	W
Gladness in every face express'd	W
Their eyes before their tongues confess'd	W
Men met each other with erected look	C3
The steps were higher that they took	C3
Friends to congratulate their friends made haste	P2
And long inveterate foes saluted as they pass'd	N2
Above the rest heroic James appear'd	K
Exalted more because he more had fear'd	K
His manly heart whose noble pride	D3
Was still above	E
Dissembled hate or varnish'd love	E
Its more than common transport could not hide	D3
But like an eagre rode in triumph o'er the tide	D3
Thus in alternate course	E3
The tyrant passions hope and fear	V
Did in extremes appear	V
And flash'd upon the soul with equal force	E3
Thus at half ebb a rolling sea	G
Returns and wins upon the shore	H
The watery herd affrighted at the roar	H
Rest on their fins awhile and stay	H2
Then backward take their wondering way	H2
The prophet wonders more than they	H2
At prodigies but rarely seen before	H
And cries A king must fall or kingdoms change their sway	H2
Such were our counter tides at land and so	C
Presaging of the fatal blow	C
In their prodigious ebb and flow	C
The royal soul that like the labouring moon	F3
By charms of art was hurried down	G3
Forced with regret to leave her native sphere	V
Came but awhile on liking here	B2
Soon weary of the painful strife	E
And made but faint essays of life	E
An evening light	R
Soon shut in night	R
A strong distemper and a weak relief	E
Short intervals of joy and long returns of grief	E
	-
V	G
	-
The sons of art all medicines tried	D3
And every noble remedy applied	D3
With emulation each essay'd	D3
His utmost skill nay more they pray'd	D3
Never was losing game with better conduct play'd	D3
Death never won a stake with greater toil	H3
Nor e'er was fate so near a foil	H3
But like a fortress on a rock	I3
The impregnable disease their vain attempts did mock	I3
They mined it near they batter'd from afar	W2
With all the cannon of the medicinal war	H
No gentle means could be essay'd	D3
'Twas beyond parley when the siege was laid	D3
The extremest ways they first ordain	J3
Prescribing such intolerable pain	J3
As none but C sar could sustain	J3
Undaunted Csesar underwent	D3
The malice of their art nor bent	D3
Beneath whate'er their pious rigour could invent	D3
In five such days he suffer'd more	H
Than any suffer'd in his reign before	H
More infinitely more than he	G
Against the worst of rebels could decree	G
A traitor or twice pardon'd enemy	G
Now art was tried without success	K3
No racks could make the stubborn malady confess	K3
The vain insurancers of life	E
And they who most perform'd and promised less	K3
Even Short and Hobbes forsook the unequal strife	E
Death and despair were in their looks	L3
No longer they consult their memories or books	L3
Like helpless friends who view from shore	H
The labouring ship and hear the tempest roar	H
So stood they with their arms across	M3
Not to assist but to deplore	H
The inevitable loss	M3
	-
VI	E
	-
Death was denounced that frightful sound	D3
Which even the best can hardly bear	D2
He took the summons void of fear	V
And unconcern'dly cast his eyes around	D3
As if to find and dare the grisly challenger	N3
What death could do he lately tried	D3
When in four days he more than died	D3
The same assurance all his words did grace	C2
The same majestic mildness held its place	C2
Nor lost the monarch in his dying face	C2
Intrepid pious merciful and brave	E
He look'd as when he conquer'd and forgave	E
	-
VII	E
	-
As if some angel had been sent	D3
To lengthen out his government	D3
And to foretell as many years again	O2
As he had number'd in his happy reign	J3
So cheerfully he took the doom	D
Of his departing breath	I2
Nor shrunk nor stepp'd aside for death	I2
But with unalter'd pace kept on	O3
Providing for events to come	B
When he resign'd the throne	R2
Still he maintain'd his kingly state	D3
And grew familiar with his fate	D3
Kind good and gracious to the last	D3
On all he loved before his dying beams he cast	D3
Oh truly good and truly great	D3
For glorious as he rose benignly so he set	D3
All that on earth he held most dear	V
He recommended to his care	D2
To whom both Heaven	P3
The right had given	P3
And his own love bequeathed supreme command	D3
He took and press'd that ever loyal hand	D3
Which could in peace secure his reign	J3
Which could in wars his power maintain	J3
That hand on which no plighted vows were ever vain	J3
Well for so great a trust he chose	O
A prince who never disobey'd	D3
Not when the most severe commands were laid	D3
Nor want nor exile with his duty weigh'd	D3
A prince on whom if Heaven its eyes could close	Q3
The welfare of the world it safely might repose	O
	-
VIII	E
	-
That king who lived to God's own heart	D3
Yet less serenely died than he	G
Charles left behind no harsh decree	G
For schoolmen with laborious art	D3
To salve from cruelty	G
Those for whom love could no excuses frame	X
He graciously forgot to name	X
Thus far my Muse though rudely has design'd	D3
Some faint resemblance of his godlike mind	D3
But neither pen nor pencil can express	K3
The parting brothers' tenderness	R3
Though that's a term too mean and low	C
The blest above a kinder word may know	C
But what they did and what they said	D3
The monarch who triumphant went	D3
The militant who staid	D3
Like painters when their heightening arts are spent	D3
I cast into a shade	D3
That all forgiving king	S3
The type of Him above	E
That inexhausted spring	S3
Of clemency and love	E
Himself to his next self accused	D3
And asked that pardon which he ne'er refused	D3
For faults not his for guilt and crimes	T3
Of godless men and of rebellious times	T3
For an hard exile kindly meant	D3
When his ungrateful country sent	D3
Their best Camillus into banishment	D3
And forced their sovereign's act they could not his consent	D3
Oh how much rather had that injured chief	E
Repeated all his sufferings past	D3
Than hear a pardon begg'd at last	D3
Which given could give the dying no relief	E
He bent he sunk beneath his grief	E
His dauntless heart would fain have held	D3
From weeping but his eyes rebell'd	D3
Perhaps the godlike hero in his breast	D3
Disdain'd or was ashamed to show	C
So weak so womanish a woe	C
Which yet the brother and the friend so plenteously confess'd	D3
	-
IX	T3
	-
Amidst that silent shower the royal mind	D3
An easy passage found	D3
And left its sacred earth behind	D3
Nor murmuring groan express'd nor labouring sound	D3
Nor any least tumultuous breath	I2
Calm was his life and quiet was his death	I2
Soft as those gentle whispers were	N3
In which the Almighty did appear	V
By the still voice the prophet knew him there	D2
That peace which made thy prosperous reign to shine	U3
That peace thou leavest to thy imperial line	U3
That peace oh happy shade be ever thine	U3
	-
X	T3
	-
For all those joys thy restoration brought	D3
For all the miracles it wrought	D3
For all the healing balm thy mercy pour'd	D3
Into the nation's bleeding wound	D3
And care that after kept it sound	D3
For numerous blessings yearly shower'd	D3
And property with plenty crown'd	D3
For freedom still maintain'd alive	E
Freedom which in no other land will thrive	E
Freedom an English subject's sole prerogative	E
Without whose charms even peace would be	G
But a dull quiet slavery	G
For these and more accept our pious praise	T3
'Tis all the subsidy	G
The present age can raise	T3
The rest is charged on late posterity	G
Posterity is charged the more	H
Because the large abounding store	H
To them and to their heirs is still entail'd by thee	G
Succession of a long descent	D3
Which chastely in the channels ran	V3
And from our demi gods began	V3
Equal almost to time in its extent	D3
Through hazards numberless and great	D3
Thou hast derived this mighty blessing down	G3
And fix'd the fairest gem that decks the imperial crown	G3
Not faction when it shook thy regal seat	D3
Not senates insolently loud	D3
Those echoes of a thoughtless crowd	D3
Not foreign or domestic treachery	G
Gould warp thy soul to their unjust decree	G
So much thy foes thy manly mind mistook	C3
Who judged it by the mildness of thy look	C3
Like a well temper'd sword it bent at will	W3
But kept the native toughness of the steel	X3
	-
XI	G
	-
Be true O Clio to thy hero's name	X
But draw him strictly so	T3
That all who view the piece may know	T3
He needs no trappings of fictitious fame	X
The load's too weighty thou mayest choose	T3
Some parts of praise and some refuse	T3
Write that his annals may be thought more lavish than the Muse	T3
In scanty truth thou hast confined	D3
The virtues of a royal mind	D3
Forgiving bounteous humble just and kind	D3
His conversation wit and parts	T3
His knowledge in the noblest useful arts	T3
Were such dead authors could not give	E
But habitudes of those who live	E
Who lighting him did greater lights receive	E
He drain'd from all and all they knew	Y3
His apprehension quick his judgment true	Y3
That the most learn'd with shame confess	T3
His knowledge more his reading only less	T3
	-
XII	T3
	-
Amidst the peaceful triumphs of his reign	J3
What wonder if the kindly beams he shed	D3
Revived the drooping Arts again	O2
If Science raised her head	D3
And soft Humanity that from rebellion fled	D3
Our isle indeed too fruitful was before	H
But all uncultivated lay	H2
Out of the solar walk and Heaven's highway	H2
With rank Geneva weeds run o'er	N3
And cockle at the best amidst the corn it bore	H
The royal husbandman appear'd	D3
And plough'd and sow'd and till'd	D3
The thorns he rooted out the rubbish clear'd	D3
And bless'd the obedient field	D3
When straight a double harvest rose	T3
Such as the swarthy Indian mows	T3
Or happier climates near the line	U3
Or Paradise manured and dress'd by hands divine	U3
	-
XIII	T3
	-
As when the new born Phoenix takes his way	H2
His rich paternal regions to survey	H2
Of airy choristers a numerous train	J3
Attends his wondrous progress o'er the plain	J3
So rising from his father's urn	Z3
So glorious did our Charles return	Z3
The officious Muses came along	A4
A gay harmonious quire like angels ever young	B4
The Muse that mourns him now his happy triumph sung	B4
Even they could thrive in his auspicious reign	J3
And such a plenteous crop they bore	H
Of purest and well winnow'd grain	J3
As Britain never knew before	H
Though little was their hire and light their gain	J3
Yet somewhat to their share he threw	Y3
Fed from his hand they sung and flew	Y3
Like birds of Paradise that lived on morning dew	Y3
Oh never let their lays his name forget	D3
The pension of a prince's praise is great	D3
Live then thou great encourager of arts	T3
Live ever in our thankful hearts	T3
Live blest above almost invoked below	T3
Live and receive this pious vow	E
Our patron once our guardian angel now	E
Thou Fabius of a sinking state	D3
Who didst by wise delays divert our fate	D3
When faction like a tempest rose	T3
In death's most hideous form	C4
Then art to rage thou didst oppose	T3
To weather out the storm	C4
Not quitting thy supreme command	D3
Thou held'st the rudder with a steady hand	D3
Till safely on the shore the bark did land	D3
The bark that all our blessings brought	D3
Charged with thyself and James a doubly royal fraught	D3
	-
XIV	E
	-
Oh frail estate of human things	T3
And slippery hopes below	T3
Now to our cost your emptiness we know	T3
For 'tis a lesson dearly bought	D3
Assurance here is never to be sought	D3
The best and best beloved of kings	T3
And best deserving to be so	T3
When scarce he had escaped the fatal blow	T3
Of faction and conspiracy	T3
Death did his promised hopes destroy	D4
He toil'd he gain'd but lived not to enjoy	D4
What mists of Providence are these	T3
Through which we cannot see	T3
So saints by supernatural power set free	T3
Are left at last in martyrdom to die	D3
Such is the end of oft repeated miracles	T3
Forgive me Heaven that impious thought	D3
'Twas grief for Charles to madness wrought	D3
That question'd thy supreme decree	T3
Thou didst his gracious reign prolong	A4
Even in thy saints' and angels' wrong	A4
His fellow citizens of immortality	T3
For twelve long years of exile borne	E4
Twice twelve we number'd since his blest return	Z3
So strictly wert thou just to pay	H2
Even to the driblet of a day	H2
Yet still we murmur and complain	J3
The quails and manna should no longer rain	J3
Those miracles 'twas needless to renew	Y3
The chosen stock has now the promised land in view	Y3
	-
XV	Y3
	-
A warlike prince ascends the regal state	D3
A prince long exercised by fate	D3
Long may he keep though he obtains it late	D3
Heroes in Heaven's peculiar mould are cast	D3
They and their poets are not form'd in haste	D3
Man was the first in God's design and man was made the last	D3
False heroes made by flattery so	T3
Heaven can strike out like sparkles at a blow	T3
But ere a prince is to perfection brought	D3
He costs Omnipotence a second thought	D3
With toil and sweat	D3
With hardening cold and forming heat	D3
The Cyclops did their strokes repeat	D3
Before the impenetrable shield was wrought	D3
It looks as if the Maker would not own	R2
The noble work for His	T3
Before 'twas tried and found a masterpiece	T3
	-
XVI	Y3
	-
View then a monarch ripen'd for a throne	R2
Alcides thus his race began	V3
O'er infancy he swiftly ran	V3
The future god at first was more than man	V3
Dangers and toils and Juno's hate	D3
Even o'er his cradle lay in wait	D3
And there he grappled first with fate	D3
In his young hands the hissing snakes he press'd	D3
So early was the deity confess'd	D3
Thus by degrees he rose to Jove's imperial seat	D3
Thus difficulties prove a soul legitimately great	D3
Like his our hero's infancy was tried	D3
Betimes the Furies did their snakes provide	D3
And to his infant arms oppose	T3
His father's rebels and his brother's foes	T3
The more oppress'd the higher still he rose	T3
Those were the preludes of his fate	D3
That form'd his manhood to subdue	Y3
The Hydra of the many headed hissing crew	Y3
	-
XVII	Y3
	-
As after Numa's peaceful reign	J3
The martial Ancus did the sceptre wield	D3
Furbish'd the rusty sword again	O2
Resumed the long forgotten shield	D3
And led the Latins to the dusty field	D3
So James the drowsy genius wakes	T3
Of Britain long entranced in charms	T3
Restive and slumbering on its arms	T3
'Tis roused and with a new strung nerve the spear already shakes	T3
No neighing of the warrior steeds	T3
No drum or louder trumpet needs	T3
To inspire the coward warm the cold	D3
His voice his sole appearance makes them bold	D3
Gaul and Batavia dread the impending blow	T3
Too well the vigour of that arm they know	T3
They lick the dust and crouch beneath their fatal foe	T3
Long may they fear this awful prince	T3
And not provoke his lingering sword	D3
Peace is their only sure defence	T3
Their best security his word	D3
In all the changes of his doubtful state	D3
His truth like Heaven's was kept inviolate	D3
For him to promise is to make it fate	D3
His valour can triumph o'er land and main	J3
With broken oaths his fame he will not stain	J3
With conquest basely bought and with inglorious gain	J3
	-
XVIII	T3
	-
For once O Heaven unfold thy adamantine book	C3
And let his wondering senate see	T3
If not thy firm immutable decree	T3
At least the second page of strong contingency	T3
Such as consists with wills originally free	T3
Let them with glad amazement look	C3
On what their happiness may be	T3
Let them not still be obstinately blind	D3
Still to divert the good thou hast design'd	D3
Or with malignant penury	T3
To starve the royal virtues of his mind	D3
Faith is a Christian's and a subject's test	D3
O give them to believe and they are surely blest	D3
They do and with a distant view I see	T3
The amended vows of English loyalty	T3
And all beyond that object there appears	T3
The long retinue of a prosperous reign	J3
A series of successful years	T3
In orderly array a martial manly train	J3
Behold even the remoter shores	T3
A conquering navy proudly spread	D3
The British cannon formidably roars	T3
While starting from his oozy bed	D3
The asserted Ocean rears his reverend head	D3
To view and recognise his ancient lord again	O2
And with a willing hand restores	T3
The fasces of the main	J3

John Dryden

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