ame and danger us'd in field,
y knew he'd quickly make them yield : on affurance he was near, mber'd, faint, and dead with fear, y made with hurry towards the lakes; he his pinions o'er them shakes. y had not (with fuch horror fill'd) courage to let one be kill'd: y fled, and left no foe behind, efs it were the fleeting wind: y-a man by water took
o fine young merlins and a rook. 'he family had now repose: with the fun the eagle rofe; imperial bird purfu'd the foe, re toil than rest inur'd to know. wing'd his way to Latian land, ere firft was hatch'd this murdering band; darted death where'er he came, e of them dying at his name. ir mighty foe-a fatal pledge, ir bowels tore through every hedge: y flutter, shriek, and caw, and hils; ir ftrength decays, and fears increase: moft the chevaliers the geefe.. any flaughter'd fowl there was, ir carcafes block'd up the ways; reft he drove, half spent, pell-mell, te to the walls of Pontifell.
obin at home, though mad to hear hould fo conquer every where, oftulated thus with fear: ngrateful I, that so have stirr'd inft this generous, noble bird, t thou not first by him preferr'd? s leave him in his gall to burn, back to Pontifell return." here fome to chimney-tops afpire, turrets fome that could fly higher;
e 'bove a hundred miles were gone, rooft them at Byzantium.
sin vain was their pretence, broke through all their strong defence:
Down went their fences, wires, and all; Perches and birds together fall.
None hop'd his power to withstand, But gave the neft to his command: They told him of ten thousand more, In flocks along the Ganges' fhore, Safe in their furrows, free from trouble, Like partridges among the ftubble. He fpreads himielf, and cuts the air, And fteady flight foon brought him there. Lord, how deceiv'd and vex'd he was! To find they were but mere jackdaws. A hundred thousand all in light, They all could chatter, not one fight. "I'll deal by them as is their due: "Shough, cry'd the Eagle; off they flew." His flashing eye their hearts confounds, Though by their flight fecure from wounds, Which was a fignal, fatal baulk To a late fwift Italian hawk.
The Eagle would no rest afford, Till he had fent my lady word; Who when he heard the dear surprise, Wonder and joy food in he eyes.
My faithful eagle, haft thou then My mortal foes deftroy'd again? Return, return, and on me wait; Be thou the guardian of my gate; Thee and thy friends are worth my care, Thy foes (if any fuch there are) Sha'l my avenging anger share." So-left new ills fhould intervene, She turn'd the Robin out again. The Samians now, in vaft delight, Blefs their good lady day and night; Wish that her life might ne'er be done, But everlasting as the fun.
The eagle high again did foar; The lady was disturb'd no more, But all things flourish'd as before.
Taken out of an old Copy of Verfes, supposed to be writ by John Lidgate, a Monk of Bury,
ONE that had in her infant ftate, While playing at her father's gate, Scen and was most hugely fmitten With young dog and dirty kitten, Had took them up and lug'd them in, And made the fervants wash them clean *. When the to a fit age was grown, To be fole miftrefs of her own, Then to her favour and ftrange trust She rais'd thefe two: in rank the first The dog, who, with gilt collar grac'd, Strutted about. The car was plac'd O'er all the houfe to domineer, And kept each wight of her in fear; While he o'er all the plains had power, That favage wolves might not devour
Her flocks. She gave him charge great care To take: but beafts uncertain are!
Now fee by thefe what troubles rife To those who in their choice unwife Put truft in fuch; for he soon join'd With beaft of prey the dog combin'd, Who kill'd the sheep, and tore the hind; While he would stand, and grin, and bark, Concealing thus his dealings dark. A wolf, or fo, fometimes he'd take; And then, O what a neife he'd make! But with wild beafts o'er-run yet are The plains: fome die for want of fare, Or torn, or kill'd; the fhepherds find Each day are loft of every kind.
Thy filly fheep lament in vain ;
Of their hard fate, not him, complain.
The political drift of this pretended prophecy is fill more evident than that of the preceding poem; the fatire being abundantly more perfonal.
The shepherds, and the fervants all, Against the traitor loudly hawl: But there was none that dar'd to tell Their lady what to them befel; For pufs a fox of wondrous art Brought in, to help, and take their part, By whofe affiftance to deceive, She made her every lie believe.
One lucky day, when she was walking In her woods, with fervants talking, And stopp'd to hear how very well A red-breaft fung, then him to dwell With her the call'd: he came, and took His place next to a favourite rook; Where Robin foon began to fing Such fongs as made the house to ring: He fung the lofs and death of sheep, In notes that made the lady weep: How for his charge the dog unfit, Took part with foes, and thepherds bit; Ev'n from his birth he did him trace, And fhew him cur of fhabby race; The first by wandering beggars fed, His fire, advanc'd, turn'd fpit for bread; Himfelf each trust had still abus'd; To fleal what he fhould guard, was us'd From puppy: known where'er he came Both vile and bafe, and void of fhame.
The cat he fung, that none could matt For venom'd fpite, or cruel feratch; That from a witch transform'd she came, Who kitten'd three of equal fame: This first, one dead, of tabby fur The third furvives, much noife of her Had been a cat well known, with cafe On errands dark, o'er land and feas,
She'd journies take to cub of bear,
From these intriguing beafts, who swear They'll bring him to defend the wrong That they have done. Again he fung, How Tabby once, in moon-light night, Trotted with letter fox did write; Jn which he fends his beft refpects To the fhe-bear, and thus directs: "Madam, faid he, your cub fafe send, "None fhall his worship foon offend; "It's all I can at prefent do
"To serve him, as his friends well know." At this the beafts grew in fuch rage, That none their fury could affuage; Nay, pufs her lady would have fcratch'd, And tore her eyes, but fhe was watch'd; For fhe'd fet up her back, and mew, And thrice ev'n in her face fhe flew.
The dog, like an ungrateful fpark, At her would dare to fnarl and bark. Her tenants wondering stood to hear That the their infolence would bear; And offer'd their affiftance to
Soon make them better manners know: But fbe, to avoid all farther rout, Her window opening, turn'd Bob out; Hoping that then her beafts would live In peace, and no disturbance give.
Yet nothing she can do avails, Their rage against her still prevails; Though pufs was warn'd to fear their fate In lines (by old prophetic cat Writ before her transformation, When she was in the witch's ftation) Foretelling thus: "When beasts are grown "To certain heights, before unknown "Of human race, fome fhall aloud
Inflame and arm a dreadful crowd, "Who in vaft numbers shall advance, "And to new tunes fhall make them dance: "When this begins, no longer hope, "For all remains is ax and rope."
But, not deterr'd by this, they dar'd, With fome who of their plunder fhar'd,
T'affront their lady, and confpire To many with her money hire; Contemning her, to pay undue Regards unto this beftial crew: Though these resembled human shapes, They were indeed no more than apes; Who fome in house, and some in wood, And others in high boxes stood, That chattering made fuch noife and stir, How all was due to fox and cur; Till, by their falfe deluding way, She found her flocks begin to ftray.
Still Robin does for her his care And zeal exprefs; on whom yet are His thoughts all fix'd. On her he dreams Each night. Her praises are his themes In fongs all day. Now perch'd on tree, Finding himself fecure and free, He pertly shakes his little wings, Sets up his throat: again he fings, "That fhe had left no other way To fave her flocks, and end this fray, But foon to her affiftance take One who could make thefe monsters shake; A well-known huntsman, who has skill The fiercest beafts to tame or kill: At her command he'd come; and he Would make her great, and fet them free; That, fhould these beafts fome evil day Bring cub into her grounds, she may Depend that not herself they'll fpare, Since to infult her now they dare: All the at beft can hope for then, Is to be fafe fhut up in den; Since by fure figns all these ingrate Are known to bear her deadly hate.”
He ends his fong, and preys to Heaven That she may have the wisdom given, Before it be too late, to take Such refolutions as may make Her fafe, and that these beafts no more To ravage in the plains have power.
LORD BOLINGBROKE'S WELCOME FROM FRANCE*.
"Et thure, et fidibus juvat
"Placare, et vituli fanguine debito "Cuftodes Numidæ Deos."
HOR. lib. I. Od. xxxvi. ad Pep Numidam, ob cujus ex Hipaa redditum gaudio exultat.
WHAT noife is this, that interrupts my fleep? What echoing fhouts rife from the briny deep? Neptune a folemn festival prepares,
And peace through all his flowing orb declares: That dreadful trident, which he us'd to shake, Make earth's foundations and Jove's palace quake, Now, by his fide, on ouzy couch reclin'd, Gives a smooth surface and a gentle wind: Innumerable Tritons lead the way, And crowds of Nereids round his chariot play, The ancient fea-gods with attention wait, To learn what's now the laft refult of fate; What earthly monarch Neptune now decrees Alone his great vicegerent of the feas.
By an aufpicious gale, Britannia's fleet On Gallia's coaft this fhining triumph meet: These pomps divine their mortal fense surprise, Loud to the ear, and dazzling to the eyes: Whilft fcaly Tritons, with their fhells, proclaim The names that muft furvive to future fame; And nymphs their diadems of pearl prepare For monarchs who, to purchase peace, make war:
Lord Bolingbroke fet out for France (accompanied by Mr. Hare, one of his under-fecretaries, Mr. Prior, and the Abbe Gaultier) Aug. &; and arrived again in London, Aug. 21, 1712.
Then Neptune his majestic filence broke, And to the trembling failors mildly spoke: "Throughout the world Britannia's flag d ""Tis my command, that all the globe ober: "Let British streamers wave their heads on th "And dread no foe beneath Jove's azure ky: "The reft let Nereus tell"
"If I have truth," fays Nereus, "and friz "The intricate defigns of Deftiny; "I, that have view'd whatever fleets have rode "With sharpen'd keels to cut the yieluing it. "I, that could weigh the fates of Greece
"Phoenician wealth, and Carthaginian dorm; "Must furely know what, in the womb of time, "Was fore-ordain'd for Britain's happy came: "How wars upon the watery realm shall reais, "And Anna give the world a glorious passi "Reftore the fpicy traffic of the east, "And stretch her empire to the distant weft: "Her fleets defery Aurora's purple bed, "And Phœbus' steeds after their labours fed "The fouthern coafts, to Britain fcarcely know "Shall grow as hofpitable as their own: "No monsters shall be feign'd, to guard their fort, "When British trade fecures their golden ere i
"The fleecy product of the Cotswold field "Shall equal what Peruvian mountains yield: "Iron fhall there intrinsic value show, "And by Vulcanian art more precious grow. "Britannia's royal fishery fhall be Improv'd by a kind guardian deity: "That mighty task to Glaucus we affign, "Of more importance than the richest mine: He fhall direct them how to ftrike the whale, How to avoid the danger, when prevail; * What treasure lies upon the frozen coast Not yet explor'd, nor negligently loft. "In vaft Acadia's plains, new theme for "fame,
Towns fhall be built, facred to Anna's name: The filver fir and 1. fty pine shall rife From Britain's own united colonies, Which to the maft fhall canvafs-wings afford, And pitch, to ftrengthen the unfaithful board; Norway may then her naval ftores withhold, And proudly farve for want of British gold. "O happy ifle! to fuch advantage plac'd, That all the world is by thy counfels grac'd; Thy nation's genius, with industrious arts, Renders thee lovely to remotest parts. Eliza first the fable scene withdrew, And to the ancient world difplay'd the new; When Burleigh at the helm af ftate was feen, The trueft-fubject to the greatest queen; The Indians, from the Spanish yoke made free, Bleft the effects of English liberty; Drake round the world his fovereign's honour "spread, [convey'd; Through straights and gulfs immenfe her fame Nor refts inquiry here; his curious eye Defcries new constellations in the sky, In which vast space, ambitious mariners Might place their names on high, and choose "their ftars.
Raleigh, with hopes of new difcoveries fir'd, And all the depths of human wit infpir'd, Rov'd o'er the western world in fearch of fame, Adding fresh glory to Eliza's name; Subdued new empires, that will records be Immortal of a queen's virginity f.
"But think not, Albion, that thy fons decay Or that thy princes have lefs power to sway; Whatever in Eliza's reign was seen, With a redoubled vigour fprings again: Imperial Anna fhall the feas control, And spread her naval laws from pole to pole: Nor think her conduct or her counfels lefs, In arts of war, or treaties for a peace; In thrifty management of Britain's wealth, Embezzled lately, or purloin'd by ftealth. No nation can fear want, or dread surprise, Where Oxford's prudence Burleigh's lofs fup- plies:
On him the public moft fecurely leans, To eafe the burthen of the best of queens; On him the merchants fix their longing eyes, When war fhall ceafe, and British commerce "rife.
Annapolis, the capital of Nova-Scotia. Alluding to the first fettlement of Virginia,
"Alcides' ftrength and Atlas' firmer mind "To narrow ftreights of Europe were confin'd. "The British failors, from their royal change, "May find a nobler liberty to range. "Oxford fhall be their pole-ftar to the south, "And there reward the efforts of their youth: "Whence, through his conduct, traffic fhall in"crease, [ peace", "Ev'n to thofe feas which take their name from "Peace is the found must glad the Britons' ears: "But fee the noble Bolingbroke appears; "Gefture compos'd and looks ferene declare "Th' approaching iffue of a doubtful war. "Now my cœrulean race, fafe in the deep, "Shall hear no cannons' roar difturb their fleep; "But fmoothest tides and the most halcyon gales "Shall to their port direct Britannia's fails.
"Ye Tritons, fons of gods! 'tis my command, "That you fee Bolingbroke in safety land; "Your concave fhells for fofteft notes prepare, "Whilft Echo fhall repeat the gentlest air; "The river gods fhall there your triumphs meet. "And, in old Ocean mix'd, your hero greet; "Thames fhall ftand wondering, Ifis fhall rejoice,
"And both in tuneful numbers raife their voice; "The rapid Medway, and the fertile Trent, "In fwifteft ftreams, confefs their true content; Avon and Severn fhall in raptures join, "And fame convey them to the Northern Tyne; "Tweed then no more the Britons fhall divide, "But peace and plenty flow on either fide; "Triumphs proclaim, and mirth and jovial feafts, "And all the world invite for welcome guests."
Faction, that through the land fo fatal spread, No more fhall dare to raife her Hydra's head; But all her votaries in filence mourn The happiness of Bolingbroke's return; Far from the common pitch, he shall arife, With great defigns, to dazzle envy's eyes; Search deep, to know of whiggifh plots the fource, Their ever-turning fchemes, and restless course. Who fhall hereafter British annals read, But will reflect with wonder on this deed? How artfully his conduct overcame
A ftubborn race, and quench'd a raging flame; Retriev'd the Britons from unruly fate, And overthrew the Phaetons of itate! Thefe wife exploits through Gallia's nation ran, And fir'd their fouls, to fee the wondrous man: The aged counsellors, without surprise, Found wit and prudence sparkling in his eyes; Wisdom that was not gain'd in courfe of years, Or reverence owing to his hoary hairs, But ftruck by force of genius; fuch as drove The goddess Pallas from the brain of Jove. The youth of France, with pleafure, look'd to fee His graceful mien and beauteous fymmetry: The virgins ran, as to unufual fhew, When he to Paris came, and Fontainbleau; Viewing the blooming minifter defir'd, And ftill, the more they gaz'd, the more admir'd. Nor did the court, that beft true grandeur knows, Their fentiments by leffer facts disclose,
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