A congratulatory poem humbly offered to the King, upon His return home, after the taking of Namur. By Mr. Manning.

To the KING , UPON His Return Home after the Taking of NAMUR . AT length bright Day succeeds the Shades of Night , And Sol appears in his own Orb of Light . Propitious Heaven with an indulgent Care , Sends home a Monarch to dispel our Fear . A Fear , we might so justly entertain , For where 's our Union , when you cease to reign ? Not us alone your sacred Life secures , The Fate of Europe is concern'd in Yours . All other Lives but single Comforts be , You live to save the World from Tyranny . Such Theseus was , and such Alcides aim , The fall of Tyrants was their rise in Fame . Such the brave MAURICE , of late Memory , That wondrous Man , who made his Country free . No wild Ambition urges them to War , No Thirst of Blood , or Profit makes the jar : 't is Vertues self , that ne're Repulse admits , And in untainted Honours firmly sits ; Nor ever has respect to Dignities , Exalted with the Noise of Vulgar Cries . If to restore one's Country to its Peace , And all its Freedoms nobly to increase , Be made a Height of Vertue and Renown , As none will ever make a doubt to own : What must yours be , and what proportion bear , That has been active in a larger Sphere ? Not singly to your own you Safety send , Your Charity doth far beyond extend : Your prudent Care and Vigilance of State , Has freed your Neighbours from approaching Fate . Great Race ! when Both such Preservations bring , The Prince saves Holland , but the World the King . Then live ( Great Sir ) your Lawrels to advance , Go on to curb the towring Pride of France : Namur reduc'd by your Victorious Hand , Shews all things possible , where You command . A stronger Fort not Alexander won , Nor could he boast his Work more bravely done . All Arts of War he to Perfection knew , His Courage steady , and his Conduct true , Great force of Soul ! The same appears in You . A nobler Prize no History can find , Obtain'd with utmost Gallantry of Mind . Whilst the proud Foe , concern'd to save the Town , With a puissant Army marches on : Collecting all his Strength , and coming near , Confess'd his Weakness , and agreed to Fear . Since Victory to be attested loves , Great reason 't was , he should his Motto prove . Secure of Time , of Numbers , and of Place , He saw your Conquest , and his own Disgrace . Proceed , my Muse , and with unspotted Truth , Rehearse their Names , who signaliz'd their Youth , And such , whose Ages are yet more advanc'd , Give each that Praise , which Valour has inhanc'd . Next to the King , whose Courage is supream , Whom first of Men all Nations do esteem : Bavaria , the Generous and Great , The Empire's Safety , and the Spanish Fate . See Vaudemont too , a valiant Prince , and Wife , Famous in War , and skill'd in Victories . His late Retreat , so very finely done , At least is equal to a Battel won . The brave Athlone , so well his Errand wrought , That he possess'd those Avenues he sought : In great Attempts so happy , that his Name , Suffices to communicate his Fame . Holstein and Wirtemberg are seen from far With Overkirk , all mighty Men in War . Among the English Hero's Cutts appears , Forward in Dangers , and the last in Fears : Observe his Air , how fiercely he disdains The Canon's Fury , and the Lodgment gains . Ormond the Bold , the Generous , and Wise , Lays a just Title to his share of Praise : And Portland too , whose Goodness all commend , That faithful Man , and most unequall'd Friend . Let Cohorn , Ramsey , Swerin and La Cave , Compose the Rear of Hero's , whilst we leave The brave Rivera honour'd in his Grave . Your Pardon ( Sir ) if I presume to name Four more , no ways inferior in Fame , Who , tho' they acted in a lower Sphere , Do well deserve to be inserted here : Brave Webb and Windsor , Stanhope , Codrington , All young , all gallant Men , of high Renown , So Fought , that if old Homer had been there , To celebrate their Fame , had been his Care . Namur subdued to all the World is spread , What Bays are wanting to adorn your Head ? This was a finish'd Stroak , a sure Presage Of coming Glory , and of conquer'd Rage . Let Boileau now , that Parasite of Gain , Bend all the force and beauty of his Brain , Consult his Gods with Legs and Arms across , To know the cause of this unhappy Loss . Such Walls they built no Human Art could frame , Impregnable was the least fitting Name : But see ! the Gods do their own Work decline , And fifteen thousand Men the Town resign . Neptune and Sol deserve his Trust no more , They run in Debt , but never pay the Score Boileau , next Year on safer Gods rely , Or Dinant shares the fatal Destiny . You ( Sir ) a better Deity implore , Great Providence you wisely put before All Human Wisdom , frail in every part : You conquer Towns with a Religious Dart . Let Louis boast of exquisite Vauban , Megrigny too get all the Praise he can : Let Mareschals of France his Armies lead , With hopes of Conquest his Ambition feed : Des-Preaux unite the Sambre and the Maes , And still deserve for Flattery the Bays : Both shall your Armies pass , such Pow'r is given To th' cause of Nations , and the cause of Heaven . When Villeroy upon discretion takes Two small unvalued Dixmuyde and Deynse . Garrisons , and breaks The common Use and Articles of War , Abusing those , who are bereft of Power , Methinks I see a great , impending change , For , Honour gone , no Accident is strange . When once a Foe makes use of mean Designs , His own Affairs in poor condition finds . The Forts thus taken by this wondrous Chief , Justice and Art combine for their Relief . Your Conduct ( Sir ) so opportunely shewn , Obtains their Liberty and safe Return . Where Valour and true Policy are joyn'd , What may we not expect from such a Mind ? The one directs to great and useful things , Whilst t'other executes th' advice it brings . In You these happy Qualities are found , Where Royal Grace and Clemency abound : Where every Vertue has its residence , And each Misfortune a secure defence : Born to oblige and recommend this Age , In spite of Malice , and in spite of Rage . You reign o'er those , whom Sense and Honour tye , The Beast will have a Brutal liberty : But if exorbitant and wild he grows , You know your Power and can see your Foes . No Government was ever half so mild , Your Mercy doth above your Justice weild . So smooth each Path , and so serene its Course , So just your Limits , without Fraud or Force , That all confess their Happiness is true , And see the Golden Age renew'd by You . Excellent Prince ! who dost ascribe each Praise To him , who can reduce , and great ones raise . His Angel 't was , who did before you move , And helpt you to subdue the Wall of The King of France , whom Boileau compares to Jupiter . Jove . Tam'd savage Hearts , and made Affections bend , As Osiers do , saluted by the Wind . You nothing own but Heaven's Instrument , No Godhead You , but to assert One sent : Such Grandeur , in the height of Victory , Is scarcely seen with so much Modesty . What now remains , or can we wish for more , Since you are landed on the British Shore ? The Darling's Life , secur'd from any fear , Is not more welcome to a Mother's Ear . The common People Acclamations bring , Accost your Chariot , and bless the King . The Citizen remov'd from all his Frights , Now decorates each spacious Street with Lights . The Merchant too his grateful Joy relates , And gives You Thanks for Russel in the Streights . The busy Man of Law suspends a while His Application , and consents to smile . The Priest , whose Mind a sacred Fury burns , Sings Hallelujahs for your Return . The Courtier with obsequious Duty bows , And gladly pays those Services he owes . But most of all , Apollo's humble Train Revive their Numbers , and exert their Brain . Your safe Return's so powerful a Theme , That Silence is interpreted a Crime . But when you add such store of Argument , And Valour's answer'd by so just event , What Man is able to delay your Bays , Or not declare so merited a Praise ? Thrice happy Monarch ! whom thy Subjects love , Whose equal Government they daily prove . Thrice happy Isle ! secure from War 's alarms , Thy Prince's absence , and intestine harms . Your fuller Praise let DORSET's Pen rehearse , And undertake a Song in juster Verse . He ( Sir ) can represent with noble Fire A Hero , whom I reach but to admire . FINIS .