THE

POE

O F

M S

LORD LANSDOW N E.

On the Earl of PETERBOROUGH's happy Negotiation of the Marriage between his Royal Highnefs and the Princess MARY D'ESTE of Modena.

HIS Juno barren, in unfruitful joys

Our British Jove his nuptial hours employs.
So fate ordains, that all our hopes may be,
And all our fafety, gallant York, in thee.

By the fame with afpiring queens are led,
Each languishing to mount his royal bed;
His youth, his wifdom, and his early fame,
Create in every breast a rival flame:
Remoteft kings fit trembling on their thrones,
As if no diftance could fecure their crowns;
Fearing his valour, wifely they contend
To bribe with beauty fo renown'd a friend :
Beauty the price, there need no other arts,
Love is the fureft bait for heroes hearts :

Nor

Nor can the fair conceal as high concern

To fee the prince, for whom, unfeen, they burn.
Brave York, attending to the general voice,

At length refolves to make the wifh'd-for choice;
To noble Peterborough, wife and just,

Of his great heart he gives the facred truft :

Thy eyes, faid he, thall well direct that heart,
"Where thou, my best belov'd, hast such a part;
"In council oft', and oft' in battle try'd,
"Betwixt thy mafter, and the world decide."
The chofen Mercury prepares t' obey

This high command. Gently, ye winds, convey,
And with aufpicious gales his fafety wait,
On whom depend Great Britain's hopes and fate.
So Jafon, with his Argonauts, from Greece
To Calchos fail'd, to fetch the golden fleece.
As when the goddeffes came down of old
On Ida's hill, fo many ages told,

With gifts their young Dardanian judge they try'd,
And each bad high to win him to her side;

So tempt they him, and emulously vie

To bribe a voice that empires would not buy:
With balls and banquets his pleas'd fenfe they bait,
And queens and kings upon his pleasures wait.
Th' impartial judge furveys, with vaft delight,
All that the fun furrounds of fair and bright:
Then, ftrictly juft, he, with adoring eyes,
To radiant Efte gives the famous prize.
Of antique stock, her high defcent fhe brings,
Born to renew the race of Britain's kings :

Who

Who could deferve, like her, in whom we fee
United, all that Paris found in three?

O equal fair! when both were fet above
All other merit, but each other's love.

Welcome, bright princefs, to Great Britain's fhore,
As Berecynthia to high heaven, who bore
That fhining race of goddeffes and gods,

Who rul'd the world, and fill'd the bleft abodes :
From thee, my Mufe expects as noble themes,
Another Mars and Jove, another James;
Our future hopes all from thy womb arise,
Our prefent joy and fafety from your eyes;
Thofe charming eyes that fhine, to reconcile,
To harmony and peace, our stubborn Isle :
On brazen Memnon, Phoebus cafts a ray,
And the tough metal fo falutes the day.

The British dame, fam'd for refiftlef's grace,
Contends not now, but for the fecond place;
Our love fufpended, we neglect the fair

For whom we burn'd, to gaze adoring here :
So fang the Syrens, with enchanting found,
Enticing all to liften and be drown'd,

Till Orpheus ravish'd in a nobler strain,
They ceas'd to fing, or finging charm'd in vain.
This bleft alliance, Peterborough, may

Th' indebted nation bounteously repay ;
Thy ftatues, for the Genius of our land,
With palm adorn'd, on every threshold stand.

Spoken