These his eminent parts preferr’d him to be Rhetorick Reader, which he performed with great Applause; and indeed, what was it in which he did not excel?  This alone may suffice for his Honour, that after the Oration which he addressed to that incomparable Prince of Blessed Memory, Charles the First; His Majesty called for him, gave him his hand to Kiss, and (with great expressions of kindness) commanded a Copy to be sent after him, whither he was hasting that night.

Such who have Clevelandiz’d, that is, endeavoured to imitate his Masculine stile, yet could never go beyond his Poem of the Hermaphrodite; which though inserted into Mr. Randolphs Poems (one of as high a tow’ring Wit as most in that age;) yet is well known to be Mr. Clevelands; it being not only made after Mr. Randolph’s death, but hath in it the very vein and strain of Mr. Cleveland’s Writing, walking from one height to another, in a constant Level of continued Elevation.  And indeed so elaborate are all his other pieces of Poetry, as to praise one were to detract from the rest, and are not to be the less valued by the Reader, because most studyed by the Writer:  Take but a taste of the Loftiness of his stile, in those verses of his called Smectymnuus.

Smectymnuus! the Goblin makes me start, I’th’name of Rabbi Abraham, what art? Syriack? or Arabick? or Welsh? what skilt?  Ap all the Brick-layers that Babel built.  Some Conjurer translate, and let me know it; Till then ’tis fit for a West-Saxon Poet.  But do the Brother-hood then play their prizes, Like Mummers in Religion with Disguizes?  Out-brave us with a name in rank and file, A name which if’t were train’d would spread a mile; The Saints Monopoly, the zealous Cluster, Which like a Porcupine presents a Muster.

Thus he shined with equal Light and Influence, until that great defection of Loyalty over-spread the Land, and Rebellion began to unvizard it self; of which no Man had more sagacious Prognosticks, of which take this one instance; when Oliver Cromwell was in Election to be Burgess for the Town of Cambridge, as he ingaged all his Friends and Interests to oppose it; so when it was passed, he said with much passionate zeal, That single vote ruined both Church and Kingdom; such fatal events did he presage from his bloody Beak:  For no sooner did that Harpey appear in the University, but he made good what was predicted of him, and he amongst others, that were outed for their Loyalty, was turned out of his Fellowship at St. Johns; out of which Loyal Colledge was then ejected Dr. Beal the Master, thirteen Batchellors of Divinity, and fourteen Masters of Art, besides Mr. Cleveland.

And now being forced from the Colledge, he betook himself to the Camp, and particularly to Oxford the Head quarter of it, as the most proper and proportionate Sphere for his Wit, Learning, and Loyalty; and added no small Lustre to that famous University, with which it shined before.