XVI.

The auncient dame they do Avara call,

And much she hobbled as fhe trod the ground;
Yet many angels in her crumenal,

If fair report speaks true, were always found.
Where riches flow there virtues too abound.
Her pannikel was as a badger grey,

And, as fhe walk'd the company around,
It nodded with fuch force, that, by my fay,

I thought it meant to fly from her old crag away.
XVII.

The lofty roof was fretted o'er with gold,
And all around, the walls depeinten were
With many hiftories of times of old,

Which brought not muchel credit to the fair.
There Leda held her fwan, with fhoulders bare,
And here the dame of Ephefus was found,

Lick other dames, whom my kind tongue shall spare, And here ftood Helen for her charms renown'd, Who foon her lord forfook, when she a leman found. XVIII.

And many a beauteous dame and courtly knight
Came there the nuptials to celebrate :

Some vers'd to wing from bow the nimble flight,
Some the near foe with brondir'n to amate;

Me

Me too they welcome to the hall of state;
With bel accoil they wished me to take

A round or two, and choose me out a mate:

But my fond love which nothing could aslake, Caus'd me to flight them all, for Columbella's fake. XIX.

And now to artful steps the floor rebounds,
In graceful ease the shining beavys move,
The noice like thunder at a distance founds.
Mean time I fat beneath a proud alcove,
And told Avara gentle tales of love.
Thought I, in eld the paffions are more tame,
And here by craft I may fuccefsful prove;

For fhe perforce must now be void of blame
As wife Ulyffes' wife, Penelopé by name.

XX.

Ne wants fhe gelt, which oft the mind misleads To actions which it otherwife would fhun. The courtier lythe, if right report areeds, Will unawhap'd to feize his vantage run; And fo will moft men underneath the fun, Or be they patriot call'd, or bard, or knight; But when they once the gilded prize have won, They feek to clear their name, with fhame bedight: Befits to scour the fteel, when ruft offends the fight.

XXI. At

XXI.

At every word I faid fhe look'd afkaunce,

Then faid, in unfoot whispers, Fye! Sir, fye!
And turn'd as though fhe feem'd to mind the daunce,
Nathlefs on me fhe caft a languid eye:

Blift by thy form, my liefeft life, quoth I,
Caft your belgards upon an humble flave;
From love, alass! in vain my heart would fly;
Then with a word thy quailing leman save,
For if you frown, perdie, you doom me to the
XXII.

It hap'd by chaunce fhe faw a golden heart
With flaming diamonds around befet;

grave.

This, the whole guerdon of my tedious fmart,
I, on a time, from Columbel did get.

As fimple birds are caught in fowler's net,
And 'cause they see no danger none they fear,
Ev'n fo Avara her eyen here did fet,

And turned round and whisper'd in mine ear,

Give me that di'mond heart, and be mine leman dear,
XXIII.

I started from the couch where I was pight,
And thus I her befpake with muchel rage,
Avaunt, thou faytor false, thou imp of night!
I hate myself that I fhould thus engage,

On

On any terms to treat with wrizled age.

So, forth I flung, and left the frowy witch
To fhare her bed with coachman, groom or page;
The caftle too I quit, mine ire was fich,

And out I fet again, though night was dark as pitch.
XXIV.

But did I here relate, fir Satyrane,

The many weary miles I've travelled,

What dangers I've affoil'd, yet all in vain,
(For, by my truth, but ill my days I've sped)
Your hair would ftand upright upon your head.
Three hundred virtuous females, fide by fide,
By me to Columbella must be led :

Can you direct me where for fuch to ride?

I cannot, in good footh, the courteous knight reply'd. XXV.

The Squire purfu'd his tale; 'Tis now three years

Since curft Avara's visage first I saw;

Convents I've try'd, but there the luscious freers

The fair-fac'd nuns to fornication draw;

Nor palaces are free from Cupid's law;
His darts are fiercer than the levin-brond;
Few, very few, there 'fcape his mighty paw;
And thofe in golden palls, who proudly ftond,

Had lever kifs their love's, than Kefar's royal hond.
XXVI. Fair

XXVI.

Fair Jenny of the mill I ftrove to win,
And her benempt Paftora of the dale;

But they bilive agreed with me to fin;

One afk'd an owch, and one a watchet veil.
Some wish o'er every female to prevail;

My hope, my conqueft is to be deny’d.

The stage I've try'd, but there my projects fail;

For there is scarce a single wedded bride

But doth her husband's noul with horns of ront provide.
XXVII.

As couthful fishers at the benty brook,

By various arts affot the feely fry,

Now wriggling worms, now paste conceals the hook,
And now they hide it with a colour'd fly;

This takes the perch, and that the tench's eye:
So diff'rent nymphs a diff'rent charm invites,
Some yield for vantage, fome for vanity,

A fong this one, a daunce that maid delights:
Man throws the wimble bait, and greedy woman bites.
XXVIII.

With forrow overhent, the other day

I laid my weary limbs adown to rest,

Where a tall beech o'erfpread the dusky way;
My noyous thoughts a dream awhile fupprefs'd,

VOL. IV.

K

Oft