"^4175 ^B6o' m 1 0— .^ ""1 1 ■1 ^g-^t^ THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES ■|i|e3 'uo4>|:>Ois ^^— HJONia lUHdWVd ■'^PS" O D FOR THE CENTENARY ANNIVERSARY OF THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION, M DC LXXXVIII. B Y WILLIAM BROWN, Esq, F. R. S, BARRISTER AT LAW. Dis amicum SiBCulo feftas referente luces Reddidi carmen. HOR. THE following Ode was fent by the Author td ThoiMAs Brand Hollis, Efq; with a requeft: that he would prefent it to the Meeting of the REVOLUTION SOCIETY at the London- Tavern, on Tuefday the 4th of November, 1788, (at which Meeting the Author much wifhed to have been prefent) -an d where i - tw as a c cordi . ngly reck e d . A few alterations have been made, principally in the Notes, which the Author hopes will not need an apology. — — If the Dis amicum carmen, in the motto, fhould feem to require any, the Author will reply to the objedion in the words a celebrated poet, " 77) e caufe of Freedom is the caufe of God.^\ O D E FOR THE ■CENTEN.A.Rr ANNIVERSARY OF THE REVOLUTION. TORN from the friends I love, From thofe who celebrate the glorious day When freedom's friendly ray On Britain's fhore appear'd more bright, And filed a kindly light, After pale flavery's blackeft night. Torn .^^.S720 ( 4 ) Torn from the friends whofe purpofe I approve^ To celebrate great William's natal day, His landing on our jObore, Fair freedom to affirm, And all the joys in liberty's great ftore On Britain to confirm. Torn from the friends, whofe purpofe I approve, This tribute I refign At Liberty's fair fhrine, To which with honour and with pride I move. Now for a cent'ry's fpace, Religion, Laws, and Liberty Have hail'd Britannia free ; Through many a changing race ; A Naffau Glory, and the pride Of this renowned day, O'er fubjefts free maintain'd his fway, Whilft law and jufticc did decide. Ev'n ( 5 ) Ev'n a Stuart's impious name, In Anne was brook'd by honeft fliamc. Who, though a brother fhe approv'd, Ne'er flrove againft the liberty fhe lov'd. * For this in yon illuftrious plain, -f- Where Liberty's fair claim Firft rofe triumphant o'er John's wicked reign, A column J foon fliall rear it's hallow'd head^ In honour of the Patriot dead, Of Patriot Barons and a Patriot King, Whofe bloodlefs |1 hands crown'd law's refped:ful name. And gain'd a Charter truly great^ (Whofe * Which fhe fhewed (while Princcfs Anne) by refigning her claim to the throne during the life of William^ in order to reconcile him to the acceptance of the crown. •f Runny-Mede. \ Alluding to the column to be erefted by the Whig Club. The author approves much of this propofal, but thinks there fliould be two columns, one at Runny-Mede, the other at Torbay, wliere King William landed, erected in a ftile of great magnificence, and with infcriptions fuitable to the refpeftive events wliich happened in tliofe places. II It was intended to have introduced a ftanza, compsring King William to the ancient heroes of liberty j but thofe cafes were noc ( 6 ) (Whofe praife the mufe enamour'd dares to fing) By liberty and rights § declar'd, A glorious way prepar'd, To reign, at length, for Brunfwick's glorious race. Oh not thought fo parallel to the Revolution as that of King John. Harmodius and Ariftogeiton killed Hipparchus ; Brutus embrued his dagger in die blood of Csfar ; and Cromwell beheaded the unfortunate Charles ; but the revolutions we allude to were perfefted without the blood of either of the degraded kings ; for the daftard James ran away from the arms of William. § Magna Charta, and the Declaration of Rights, taken together, form the nobleft altar that ever was raifed to publick liberty : They are ihe principal exifting inftances of that focial compad between Prince and People which the beft philofophers and politicians have made the foundation of government. All the nations of Europe once had fimilar compaifis, as, for inftancc, the celebrated Coronation Oath of the kings of Cafi;ile j but in Spain, in France, and other nations, every trace of thefe has been long obliterated ; England alone has been blefh by the continuance of them to the prelent time. The l^eclaration of Rights, it is true, is not fo pert'ecfl as might have been wiflied : Frequent Parliaments fhould have been made more explicit, by the addition of cither annua!, or, at moft, triennial ; and the right of the fubjeft to poflefs and bear arms has been greatly abridged by the Game Laws, wliich have been much enlarged during the prefcnt reign. Under a Patriot King and a Patriot Minister it is to be hoped, it is even to be expected, that thefe grievances fhould be redrefled. The autlior widies that his prefent Majefly and his pofler;ty may long govern this countiy, according to the principles of our liappy conftitution : Of that conftitution he can only apply the celebrated, p'.oiis, an i patriotic prayer of Tadier Paul, " ESTO P£RI'£TUA." ( 7 ) Oh may a Brunfwick.*s glorious race Such bright examples ne'er difgracc : May Liberty, Religion, Laws, Find them their friends in every caufe ; May Popery's fordid reign Or Superftition's gloomy power Their freedom ne'er reftrain, Ne'er break their focial hour : But Liberty, ferene and free,. Their guide, their guardian ever be, And all his fubje