Rather forgive what my first transport said : May all the blood, which fhall by woman's fcorn be shed, Lie upon you and on your childrens' head! For you (ah! did I think I e'er fhould live to fee Have ev'n increas'd their pride and cruelty. Which 'tis a fhame to fee how much of late And with fuch fcanty wages pay The bondage and the flavery of years. Let the vain fex dream on; the empire comes from us, And, had they common generofity, They would not use us thus. Well-though you 've rais'd her to this high degree, Curselves are rais'd as well as fhe; And, fpite of all that they or you can do, "Tis pride and happinefs enough to me XI. Alas, how fleeting and how vain, Is ev'n the nobler man, our learning and our wit! As at the clofing of an unhappy scene Of Of fome great king and conqueror's death, Stays but to catch his utmost breath. I grieve, this nobler work moft happily begun, Which ftill the fooner it arrives, And by one mighty hero carried to its height, It loft fome mighty pieces through all hands it past, Nor e'er call back again), The body, though gigantic, lies all cold and dead. XII. And thus undoubtedly 'twill fare, Shall (I foresee it) foon with Gothic fwarms come forth And with blind rage break all this peaceful government: Yet fhall these traces of your wit remain, Like a juft map, to tell the vaft extent Of conqueft in your short and happy reign; How ftrange a paradox is true, That men who liv'd and dy'd without a name Are the chief heroes in the facred lift of Fame. Written in a Lady's Ivory Table-book, 1699. PERUSE my leaves through every part, And think thou feeft my owner's heart, Scrawl'd o'er with trifles thus, and quite In power of fpittle and a clout, MRS. HARRIS'S PETITION. 1699. To their Excellencies the Lords Juftices of Ireland*, the humble petition of Frances Harris, Who must starve, and die a maid, if it miscarries; Humbly fheweth, That I went to warm myfelf in lady Betty's † chamber, because I was cold; And I had in a purfe feven pounds, four fhillings, and fix pence, befides farthings, in money and gold: So, because I had been buying things for my Lady last night, I was refolved to tell my money, to fee if it was right. * The earls of Berkeley and of Galway. C 3 Now, Now, you must know, because my trunk has a very bad lock, Therefore all the money I have, which, God knows, is a very small flock, I keep in my pocket, ty'd about my middle, next to my fmock. So when I went to put up my purse, as God would have it, my fmock was unript, And, inftead of putting it into my pocket, down it flipt; Then the bell rung, and I went down to put my Lady to bed; And, God knows, I thought my money was as fafe as my maidenhead. So, when I came up again, I found my pocket feel very light: But when I fearch'd, and mifs'd my purfe, Lord! I thought I fhould have funk outright. Lord! Madam, fays Mary, how d'ye do? Indeed, fays I, never worse : But pray, Mary, can you tell what I have done with my purfe? Lord help me! faid Mary, I never ftirr'd out of this place: Nay, faid I, I had it in Lady Betty's chamber, that's a plain cafe. So Mary got me to bed, and cover'd me up warm: However, fhe stole away my garters, that I might do myself no harm. So I tumbled and tofs'd all night, as you may very well think, But hardly ever fet my eyes together, or flept a wink. |