With thofe himself he ftrengthened mightily,
That fear he need no force of enemy:
Then 'gan he rule and tyrannize at will,
Like as the Fox did guide his graceless skill,
And all wild beafts made vaffais of his pleasures,
And with their spoiles enlarg`d his private trefures,
No care of justice, nor no rule of reason,
No temperance, nor no regard of season,
Did thenceforth ever enter in his mind;
But cruelty, the fign of currish kind,

And 'fdainful pride and wilful arrogaunce;

Such follows thofe whom Fortune doth advaunce:
But the falfe Fox most kindly plaid his part,
For whatsoever mother-wit or art

Could work, he put in proof; no practise fly,
No counterpoint of cunning policy,

No reach, no breach, that might him profit bring,
But he the fame did to his purpose wring.
Nought fuffred he the Ape to give or graunt,
But through his hand alone must pass the fiaunt.
All offices, all leafes, by him lept,

And of them all what-fo he lik'd he kept.
Juftice he fold, injustice for to buy,
And for to purchase for his progeny.
might it profper that ill gotten was;
But fo he got it little did he pass.
He fed his cubs with fat of all the foil,
And with the fweet of others' fweating toil;
He crammed them with crums and benefices,
And fill'd their mouths with meeds of malefices;
He cloathed them with all colours, fave white,
And loaded them with lordships and with might,
much as they were able well to bear,

That with the weight their backs nigh broken were ;

de chaffred chairs in which churchmen were fet, And breach of laws to privy farm did let.

No ftatute fo eftablished might be,

Nor ordinance fo needful, but that he
Would violate, though not with violence,

det under colour of the confidence

The which the Ape repof'd in him alone,
And reckned him the kingdom's corner-stone;
And ever when he ought would bring to pals,
His long experience the platform was;
And when he ought not pleafing would put by,
The cloke was care of thrift and husbandry,
For to encrease the common treasure's ftore;
But his own treasure he encreased more,
And lifted up his lofty towres thereby,
That they began to threat the neighbour sky.
The whiles the prince's palaces fell faft
To ruin; (for what thing can ever last ?)`
And whilft the other peers for poverty
Were forc't their ancient houfes to let lie,
And their old caftles to the ground to fall,
Which their forefathers, famous over all,
Had founded for the kingdom's ornament,
And for their memories' long moniment.
But he no count made of nobility,

Nor the wild beafts whom arms did glorify,
The realm's chief ftrength, and girlond of the

Or made them dwell in darknes of disgrace,
For none but whom he lift might come in place.
Of men of arms he had but fmall regard,
But kept them low, and ftreightned very hard;
For men of learning little he esteemed;
His wifdom he above their learning deemed.
As for the rafcal commons, leaft he cared,
For not fo common was his bounty shared;
Let God, (faid he) if please, care for the many,
I for myself must care before else any.
So did he good to none, to many ill,

So did he all the kingdom rob and pill,
Yet none durft fpeak, nor none durft of him
plain,

So great he was in grace, and rich through gain:
Ne would he any let to have access

Unto the prince but by his own address:
For all that elfe did come were fure to fail;
Yet would he further none but for avail:
For on a time the fheep, to whom of yore
The Fox had promised of friendship store,
What time the Ape the kingdom first did gain,
Came to the court, her cafe there to complain,
How that the wolf, her mortal enemy,
Had fithence flain her larab moit cruelly,
And therefore crav'd to come unto the king,
To let him know the order of the thing.
Soft, Goody Sheep, (then said the Fox) not fo;
Unto the king fo rafh ye may not go;
He is with greater matter bufied
Than a lamb, or the lamb's own mother's hed;
Ne certes may I take it well in part
That ye my coufin wolf fo foully thwart,
And feek with flander his good name to blot;
For there was caufe, elfe do it he would not:
Therefore furceafe, good Dame, and hence depart;
So went the fheep away with heavy heart;
So many moe, fo every one was used,
That to give largely to the box refufed.

Now when high Jove, in whose almighty hand
The care of kings and power of empires stand,
Sitting one day within his turret hie,
From whence he views with his black-lidded eye,
What-fo the heaven in his wide vault contains,
And all that in the deepest earth remains,
And troubled kingdom of wild beasts beheld,
Whom not their kindly fovereign did weld,
But an ufurping Ape with guile fuborn'd,
Had all fubverft, he fdeignfully it fcorn'd
In his great heart, and hardly did refrain,
But that with thunderbolts he had him flain,
And driven down to hell, his dueft meed;
But him avifing, he that dreadful deed
Forbore, and rather chofe with fcornful fhame
Him to avenge, and blot his brutish name
Unto the world, that never after any
Should of his race be void of infamy;
And his falfe counsellor, the cause of all,
To damn to death, or dole perpetual,

From whence he never should be quit nor stall'd,
Forth with he Mercury unto him call'd,
And bade him fly with never-refting speed
Unto the forrest, where wild beafts do breed
And there enquiring privily, to learn

What did of late chance to the lion stearn,
That he rul'd not the empire as he ought?
And whence were all thofe plaints unto him
brought,

Of wrongs and spoils by falvage beasts committed?
Which done, he bade the lion be remitted
Into his feat, and those fame treachours vile
Be punished for their prefumptuous guile.
The fon of Maia, foon as he receiv'd

That word, ftraight with his azure wings he

cleav'd

The liquid clouds and lucid firmament,
Ne ftaid till that he came with steep defcent
Unto the place where his prefcript did fhow;
There ftouping, like an arrow from a bow,
He foit arrived on the graffie plain,
And fairly paced forth with eafy pain,
Till that unto the palace nigh he came :
Then 'gan he to himself new fhape to frame,
And that fair face, and that ambrofial hue,
Which wonts to deck the gods' immortal crew,
And beautifie the fhinie firmament,
He doft, unfit for that rude rablement.
So ftanding by the gates in ftrange disguize,
He 'gan inquire of fome, in fecret wize,
Both of the king and of his government,
And of the Fox, and his falfe blandishment;
And evermore he heard each one complain
Of foul abufes both in realm and raign;
Which yet to prove more true, he meant to see,
And an eye-witnefs of each thing to be:
Tho' on his head his dreadful kat he dight,
Which maketh him invifible to fight,

And mocketh the eyes of all the lookers on,
Making them think it but a vifion.
Through power of that he runs through enemies
fwerds;
[herds
Through power of that he paffeth through the
Of ravenous wild beafts, and doth beguile
Their greedy mouths of the expected spoil;
Through power of that his cunning thieveries
He wonts to work, that none the fame efpies; '
And through the power of that he putteth on
What shape he lift in apparition.

That on his head he wore, and in his hand
He took Cadduceus, his fnaky wand,
With which the damned ghosts he governeth,
And furies rules, and Tartare tempereth;
With that he caufeth fleep to feize the eyes,
And fear the hearts of all his enemies;
And when him lift, an univerfal night
Throughout the world he makes on every wight,
As when his fire with Alcumena lay.
Thus dight, into the court he took his way,
Both through the gard, which never him defcride,
And through the watchmen, who him never spide:
Thence forth he paft into each fecret part,
Whereas he faw (that forely griev'd his hart)
Each place abounding with foul injuries,
And fill'd with treasure rack'd with robberies;
Each place defil'd with blood of guiltless beafts,
Which had been flain to ferve the Ape's beheafts:
Gluttony, malice, pride, and covetize,
And lawlesness raigning with riotize;

Befides the infinite extortions

Done through the Fox's great oppreffions,
That the complaints thereof could not be told:
Which when he did with loathful eyes behold,
He would no more endure, but came his way,
And caft to feek the lion where he may,
That he might work th' avengement for his
fhame,

On those two caitives which had bred him blame;
And feeking all the forreft bufily,

At laft he found where fleeping he did lie.
The wicked weed, which there the Fox did lay,
From underneath his head he took away,
And then him waking, forced up to rise,
The lion, looking up, 'gan him avize,
As one late in a trance, what had of long
Become of him, for fantasie is strong.
Arife, (faid Mercury) thou fluggish beaft,
That here lieft fenfelefs, like the corps deceaft,
The whilst thy kingdom from thy head is rent,
And thy throne royal with dishonour blent;
Arife, and do thyself redeem from shame,
And be aveng'd on thofe that breed thy blame.
There-at enraged, foon he 'gan up-start,
Grinding his teeth, and grating his great hart,
And rouzing up himself, for his rough hide
He 'gan to reach, but no where it efpide:
There with he 'gan full terrible to roar,
And chauft at that indignity right fore;
But when his crown and fcepter both he wanted,
Lord how he fum'd, and fwell'd, and rag'd and

panted,

And threatned death, and thousand deadly do lours,

To them that had purloin'd his princely honours!
With that in hafte, difrobed as he was,
He towards his own palace forth did pass,
And all the way he roared as he went,
That all the forreft with aftonishment
Thereof did tremble, and the beasts therein
Fled faft away from that fo dreadful din.
At last he came unto his manfion,
Where all the gates he found fast lockt anon,
And many warders round about them stood:
With that he roar'd aloud, as he were wood,
That all the palace quaked at the found,
As if it quite were riven from the ground,
And all within were dead and heartless left;
And th' Ape himself, as one whose wits were
reft,

Fled here and there, and every corner fought,
To hide himself feared thought:

But the falfe Fox, when he the lion heard,
Fled closely forth, straightway of death afear'd,
And to the lion came full lowly creeping,
With fained face, and watry eyn half weeping,
T'excufe his former treafon and abufion,
And turning all unto the Ape's confusion:
Nath'lefs th' royal beast forbore believing
But bade him stay at eafe till further pricving.
Then when he faw no entraunce to him graunted,
Roaring yet louder, that all hearts it daunted,
Upon those gates with force he fiercely flew,
And rending them in pieces, felly flew

Thofe warders ftrange, and all that else he met,
But th' Ape ftill flying, he no where might get;
From room to room, from beam to beam he
fled,

All breathlefs, and for fear now almost ded:
Yet him at last the lion fpide and caught,
And forth with fhame unto his judgment brought.
Then all the beasts he cauf'd assembled be,
To hear their doom, and fad enfample fee.
The Fox, first author of that treachery,
He did uncafe, and then away let fly;

But th' Ape's long tail (which then he had) he quite

Cut off, and both cars parted of their behight;
Since which all apes but half their ears have left,
And of their tails are utterly bereft "

So Mother Hubberd her discourse did end,
Which pardon me if I amiss have pen'd;
For weak was my remembrance it to hold,
And bad her tongue that it fo bluntly told.

VOL. II.

Kk

OR,

Sweet-breathing Zephyrus did foftly play

A gentle fpirit, that lightly did allay

Hot Titan's beams, which then did glifter fair,
When I, whom fullen care,

Through difcontent of my long fruitless ftay
In princes' courts, and expectations vain
Of idle hopes, which ftill do fly away,
Like empty fhadows, did afflict my brain,
Walk'd forth to ease my pain

Along the fhore of filver streaming Thames,
Whofe rufhy bank, the which his river hems,
Was painted all with variable flowers,
And all the meeds adorn'd with dainty gems,
Fit to deck maidens' bowres,
And crown their paramours
Against the bridal-day, which is not long;
Sweet Thames! run foftly till I end my fong.

There in a meadow by the river's fide,
A flock of nymphs I chanced to espy,
All lovely daughters of the flood thereby,

As each had been a bride;

And each one had a little wicker basket,
Made of fine twigs, entrailed curiously,

In which they gather'd flowers to fill their flaf

ket,

And with fine fingers cropt full feateoufly

The tender ftalks on hie.

Of every fort which in that meadow grew
They gather'd fome; the violet, pallid blue,
The little dazie, that at evening clofes,
The virgin lillie, and the primrose true,
With ftore of vermeil rofes,
To deck their bridegroom's pofies
Against the bridal-day, which was not long;
Sweet Thames! run foftly till I end my fong.

With that I faw two fwans of goodly hue
Come foftly fwimming down along the lee;
Two fairer birds I yet did never fee;
The fnow which does the top of Pindus ftrew,
Did never whiter fhew,

Nor Jove himself, when he a fwan would be
For love of Leda, whiter did appear;
For Leda was (they fay) as white as he,
Yet not fo white as thefe, nor nothing near;
So purely white they were,

That even the gentle stream, the which them bare,

Scem'd foul to them, and bad his billows fpare
To wet their filken feathers, least they might
Soyl their fair plumes with water not so fair,
And mar their beauties bright,

That fhone as heaven's light,

Against their bridal-day, which was not long;
Sweet Thames! run foftly till I end my foug.

Eftfcons the nymphs, which now had flowers their fill,

Ran all in hafte to see that filver brood,
As they came floting on the crystal flood;
Whom when they faw, they flood amazed still,
Their wondring eyes to fill;

Them feem'd they never faw a fight so fair,
Of fowls fo lovely, that they fure did deem
Them heavenly born, or to be that same pair
Which through the sky draw Venus' silver teem ;
For fure they did not feem

To be begot of any earthly feed,

But rather angels, or of angels' breed;

Yet were they bred of fummer's-heat, they fay, In sweetest season, when each flower and weed The earth did fresh array;

So fresh they feem'd as day,

Even as their bridal-day, which was not long;
Sweet Thames! run foftly till I end my fong.

Then forth they all out of their baskets drew
Great ftore of flowers, the honour of the field,
That to the fenfe did fragrant odours yield,
All which upon those goodly birds they threw,
And all the waves did ftrew,

That like old Peneus' waters they did feem,
When down along by pleasant Tempe's fhore,
Scatter'd with flowers, through Theffaly they
ftreem,

That they appear, through lillies' plentious ftore, Like a bride's chamber-floore.

Two of those nymphs, mean-while, two garlands bound

Of fresheft flowers which in that meed they found,

The which prefenting all in trim array,
Their fnowy foreheads therewithall they crown'd,
Whilft one did fing this lay,
Prepar'd against that day,

Against that bridal-day, which was not long;
Sweet Thames! run foftly till I end my fong.

"Whose smile, they fay, hath Vertue to remove "All love's diflike, and friendship's faulty guile "For ever to affoil.

"Let endless peace your stedfast hearts accord, "And bleffed plenty wait upon your bord; "And let your bed with pleasures chaste abound, "That fruitful iffue may to you afford, "Which may your foes confound,

"And make your joys redound

"Upon your bridal-day, which is not long; "Sweet Thames! run foftly till I end my fong."

So ended fhe, and all the reft around
To her redoubled that her underfong,
Which faid their bridal-day should not be long,
And gentle Echo from the neighbour ground
Their accents did refound.

So forth thofe joyous birds did pafs along
Adown the Lee, that to them murmur'd low,
As he would fpeak, but that he lackt a tong,
Yet did by figns his glad affection fhow,
Making his ftream run flow,

And all the fowl which in his flood did dwell
'Gan flock about these twain, that did excell
The reft fo far as Cynthia doth fhend
The leffer stars. So they enranged well
Did on thofe two attend,

And their best service lend

Against their wedding-day, which was not long; Sweet Thames! run foftly till I end my fong.

At length they all to merry London came,
To merry London, my most kindly nurse,
That to me gave this life's first native fourse,
Though from another place I take my name,
An house of antient fame :

There when they came, whereas those bricky

towres

The which on Thames' brode aged back do ride, Where now the ftudious lawyers have their bowers,

There whilome went the Templer Knights to bide,
Till they decay'd through pride;

Next whereunto there ftands a stately place,
Where oft I gained gifts and goodly grace
Of that great lord which therein wont to dwell,
Whofe want too well now feels my friendless cafe ;
But ah! here fits not well
Old woes, but joys, to tell

Against the bridal-day, which is not long;
Sweet Thames! run foftly till I end my fung.

Yet therein now doth lodge a noble peer, Great England's glory, and the world's wide wonder,

Whofe dreadful name late thro' all Spain did thunder,

And Hercules' two Pillars ftanding near
Did make to quake and fear:

Fair branch of honour, flower of chevalry!
That filleft England with thy triumph's fame,
Joy have thou of thy noble victory,
And endless happinefs of thine own name
That promiseth the fame;