| A / Serenata Theatrale. / To be Represented on the / BIRTH-DAY / Of the Most Serene / ANNA, / By the Grace of God, / QUEEN of / GREAT-BRITAIN, &c. / AT THE / Castle of Dublin. / The Sixth Day of February, 1712. / By Their Excellencies the Lords Justices Command. / Set by Mr. John Sigismond Cousser, / CHappel-Master of Trinity-College. / DUBLIN: Printed by Edwin Sandys, at the Cu- / stom-House Printing-House in Essex-Street, 1712.
A / SERENATA.
PERSONS.
Britain in a Royal Throne. The Thames encircled with Najades. Apollo with the Nine Muses. Glory and Zeal in Trionsant Carrs.
Thro’ all the Race of rowling Time, when ever
This happy Day returneth,
My Brave and Pious Britons
For ever mindful of Immortal ANNA
Will keep it Sacred: So the zealous Persian Adores the radiant beams of Day returning;
So Vestals keep their Fire for ever burning.
Aria.
God of Day, renew the Tear,
Nature change, produce us Flowers:
Days of happy and renowned
Ought to be with Garlands crowned
Warm’d with gleams and wet with flowers.
God of &c.
Tha. My sympathizing Flood, thro’ winding Valleys
Receives the Cannons Din with founding Ecchoes,
And swells with Joy. A throng of listning Najad’s,
With joyful cries redouble.
The loud applauses of th’ Exatick Nation;
No Nilus Streams reflect th’exalting raptures
Of Egypt’s Hinds, when Apis their adored,
Loft in Osyris is again restored.
Aria.
Ye num’rous watry Powers,
That in the deep reside
Or wanton on the Tide;
Forsake to day your undiscover’d oozy Bowers
Display your graceful Pride,
And dance along my Banks adorn’d with Wreaths (of Flowers.
Choir of Nymphes.
Heaven w smiles, and Earth rejoyceth,
All the waves their Voice have raised:
There’s not any kind of Creature
In the spacious Realms of Nature,
But at ANNA’s birth is pleased. Heaven, &c.
Tha. But, who’s that glorious She, serene as Heaven
That fills the Throne, from who’s bright eyes reflecteth
A light, that gives the day a double lustre!
’Tis matchless ANNA, that transcendent Heires,
Of Her Illustrious Grandfires num’rous Virtues,
Obey’d in ev’ry thing, that She commandeth,
Whose pow’rful Charms and arms there’s none withstandeth.
Aria à 2.
Brit. Tha. a 2. Virtue, Fortune, blazing
In this Happy Queen conspire;
These are Charms so much amazing,
Greater Mortal can’t desire.
Tha. My Nymph’s, continue Her deserv’d applause,
And may the favou’ring Heaven Continue still its blessings
As great as those it has already given.
Choir of Nymphes.
Tides of Joys shall flow among us
While the Fates preserve this Treasure;
Late, when She to Skies returneth,
We’ll partake of their displeasure.
Tides, &c.
Ap. From the fourth Circle of th’ Etherial Regions,
From whence I guild the Swarthy Orbs, and cherish
The World with heat, I visit
This joyful Court intent on ANNA’s praises.
She, who Her Bounty to the World diffuses,
Shall e’re be celebrated
By Apollo, and his Sacred Choir of Muses.
Aria.
ANNA for ever shall grow in Renown,
Let he Her Glorious Actions shan’t drown;
A Monument lasting as Nature we’ll rear Her,
Only dissolvable by the last Fire,
When both the Heaven and Earth shall expire;
ANNA, &c.
CHACONNE.
Zeal. Unerring Prudence still presides
In all the various Schemes, She lays;
Not one, in whom She e’re confides,
The Secret of Her Breast betrays.
Brit. She holdeth Justice all Divine,
And keeps inviolate Her Laws;
Nor less the Balance e’re decline,
But as the weight of Merit draws.
Glory Tha. à 2. Serene as Heav’n is ANNA’s Breast
Devoid of groundless Hope, or Fear:
These Phantoms ne’re Her Soul infest,
For Fortitude is lodged there.
Ap. Where only fear to offend prevails
Each other fear in vain assails.
Chorus. Few Pleasures She procures from Tast,
Her Temperance is so resind;
Her most delicious repast,
Is in the pleasures of the Mind.
The. In sacred Wisdom’s deep abyss
Her vast desires for Knowledge found;
She wraps Herself in pleasing bliss,
When she pretious Gemm has found.
Zeal. Her Providence th’ effect foreknows
That may from such a cause arise:
This baffles Her intriguing Foes
And Guards Her Fate from all surprise.
1. of the Choir. She none but worthy Ends pursues,
And ever chooses lawful means;
Hence Her Prosperity ensues
And She belov’d, in Glory reign.
Brit. Tha. Apol. a3. Religion graven in Her Breast
does all those Holy Thoughts suggest.
1. of the Choir, Tho’ as a Lamb or Galless Dove
Her gentle Nature’s most sedate;
Yet Sh’ill a daring Lyon prove
To ward of Dangers from Her State.
Brit. Glory à 2. That Harmony that sways Her Soul,
Is peaceful as the Spheres above;
The strongest Rhetr’ik to controul,
And teach Her Subjects mutual Love.
1. of the Choir. Her Piety so far transcends
She does’nt only extend Her care;
To Her Country and Her nearest Friends,
But all Mankind does of it share.
Apol. Those Pow’rs,She deigns to make Her Friends
Are in Her Friendship greatly blest;
Not one of them for Succours sends,
But has His Grieveances redrest.
Chorus. Her Gratitude with watchful Eye
All kind of Services regards;
Done by a Subject or Alley,
And bounteously the fame rewards.
Tha. Hail! bright Virtue, thy Lustre most clearly does shine
Thee great Anna adorns, and thou mak’st Her Divine.
1. of the Choir. Tho’ high in Her Majestick Sphere
She’s affable complaints to hear.
Zeal. Tho’ just Her Mercy does abound,
Nay, when She punishes, She grieves;
But, where true Penitence is found,
She willingly the Fault forgives.
Tha. Let a Momus or Zoilus now, if he can,
Find a fault in our Perfect and Gracious Queen Ann;
Let the envious casp, and consume with disgust,
Or the Worthless repine, all their Piques are unjust.
Apol. She conferreth Her Favours on those that deserve,
Who the Church and the Nation do Loyally serve.
1. of the Choir. Mount on the Pinnions Fame,
Thy brazen Trumpet found;
Proclaim aloud Her Name,
Where Seas on Earth are found.
The lifting World will hear
Her Story with surprise;
Think Her a Goddess here
Descended from the Skies.
Chorus. Such a Poet as Homer or Pinder sublime,
Or a Maro can equal Her Merits in Rhyme;
When a Genius inferior attempth Her Praise,
He but lessens Her Grandure, He meaneth to (raise.
Apol. Behold, with what unparalel’d advances,
She climbs the steep and rugged paths of Virtue!
Sh’ has past. Her happy projects
Of Peace and War susucceed; She lays the Basis
Of Pow’r, and lasting Empire;
She from the Church the largest Praises merits,
Who aws, without Effusion
Of Blood, the rage of discontented Spirits.
Aria.
Zeal. Allarm, Allarm, the Clarions call us,
Defends the Church, defend the state;
Delay not lest you come too late,
When harms uncurable befall us; Allarm,&c.
Chorus.
All. ye monarchs, that true greatness search,
of happy ANNA learn to Reign;
Your Subjects love, preserve their Church,
And then save sure your point you’ll gain.
Apol. Tha. Zeal.à 2. In ANNA ev’n the humblest find,
A tender Mother Love She shows;
To all degrees of Subjects kind,
On merit just rewards bestow.
All. Ye Monarchs, &c.
Brit. Glory à 2. The Seeds of Union, by Her sown,
So much are Cherish’d by Her cares;
that they are ripe already grown,
In spite of Blasts or Civil Farrs.
Ye Monarch,&c.
Zeal. Incessant cares Her Royal Breast embarrass;
She thinks Herself not not happy,
If any Danger threaten
The Church and safety of Her Loyal Britons.
Her piercing Genius, and abyss of Wisdom
She thro’ the secret Schemes of plodding traytors,
Blast their Designs, and battle their Abettors.
Aria.
For thee, ’tis vain, Pretender,
T’oppose Her stronger Fate:
For m’yriads of Loyaltists e’er will defend Her,
And powerful Allies Abroad will befriend Her.
From Foreign Invasions, or Foes in Her State.
For thee, &c.
Tha. The series of Her happy Enterprizes,
Will leave but little for succeeding Monarchs;
Known Lands and Seas are now become too narrow,
To bound Her spreading Glories.
The Billows groan beneath Her num’rous Navies,
Into the South dispatched,
To joyn new Kingdoms to the British Empire;
That South as well as North may Homage pay Her,
And all the Isles from East to West obey Her.
Aria.
Great Britain, Queen of Isles,
Bid Aged Neptune say:
Did ever Fleets so glorious.
Or Captains so Victorious.
Their Streames in his Watry World display? Great,&c.
Brit. Shou’d ANNA cease to stop th’encroaching Torrent.
Of Gallick Pow’r, the Flood would soon o’erwhelm us;
And swallow Europe in the rapid Deluge.
She like another Wise and Pow’rful Pallas,
This raging Mars with mighty Force represses,
And all the Wrongs of Neighbouring States redresses.
Aria.
Your Hellring Allarmers
Are never Performers,
True Courage is gentle, and scorneth to boast:
But once, if you wrong Her,
She’ll be so no longer,
Her Anger you’ll find, you’ve provok’d to your cost. Your, &c.
Zeal. Was She not in expensive Wars engaged
What might not Britains Church expect from ANNA?
Such mighty Pledges of Her Love already
And Piety Sh’has given!
Each Sacred Fabrick, that Her Bounty raises,
To future Times will carry down Her Praises.
Aria.
No Traytrous Designer,
Or Sly Underminer,
Shall e’er bring their Politick Practice to bear.
Her Actions do prove
The greatness and truth of Her Love
Which daily She makes you deserving to share.
Glory. What higher Pyrami of lasting Glory,
Can Mortal climb, than that, where ANNA’s seated?
Like some refulgent Angel,
That o’re a Sphere Presides or Guards an Empire
From wafting Demons Malice;
She checks the will of Tyrants, that wou’d ravish
The Rights of others on their Pride to lavish.
Aria.
Blenheim, Ramily, Mons and Dender,
France’s Minacesvain did render;
Britains Lyons in Belgia roaring,
Crowns, and Captive Trophies send Her.
Blenheim, &c.
Apol. Her Virtues, Glory, Merits and good Fortune,
May justly claim at future Coronations,
When joyful shouts salute the New-Crown’d (Monarch,
These most pathetic Wishes
That they may be as Great and Good, as She is.
Grand Chorus.
Late may She return to Heaven,
Crown’d with Vict’ry and applause;
To the spacious World may Laws,
By Her e’re She goes, be given.
FINIS.
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