Whom, thus perfisting, when she could not bring
To leave the Wolf, and to believe her king,
She gave her up, and fairly with'd her joy
Of her late treaty with her new ally:
Which well the hop'd would more fuccessful prove,
Than was the Pigeon's, and the Buzzard's love.
The Panther afk'd, what concord there could be
Betwixt two kinds whofe natures difagree?
The dame reply'd; 'Tis fung in ev'ry street,
The common chat of goffips when they meet;
But, fince unheard by you, 'tis worth your while
To take a wholesome tale, tho' told in homely ftile.
A plain good man, whose name is understood,
(So few deferve the name of plain and good)
Of three fair lineal lordships ftood poffefs'd,
And liv'd, as reafon was, upon the best.
Inur'd to hardships from his early youth,
Much had he done, and fuffer'd for his truth;
At land, and fea, in many a doubtful fight,
Was never known a more advent'rous knight,
Who oftner drew his fword, and always for the
right.
As Fortune would (his fortune came, tho' late) He took poffeffion of his just estate;
Nor rack'd his tenants with encrease of rent;
Nor liv'd too fparing, nor too largely spent;
But overlook'd his hinds; their pay was just,
And ready, for he fcorn'd to go on trust:
Slow to refolve, but in performance quick;
So true, that he was aukward at a trick.
For little fouls on litttle fhifts rely,
And cowards arts of mean expedients try;
The noble mind will dare do any thing but lye.
Falfe friends, his deadlieft foes could find no way,
But fhows of honeft bluntnefs, to betray:
That unfuspected plainness he believ'd;
He look'd into himfelf, and was deceiv'd.
Some lucky planet fure attends his birth,
Or heav'n would make a miracle on earth;
For profp'rous honefty is feldom feen
To bear fo dead a weight, and yet to win.
It looks as fate with nature's law would strive,
To fhew plain dealing once an age may thrive :
And, when fo tough a frame she could not bend,
Exceeded her commiffion to befriend.
This grateful man, as Heav'n increas'd his store,
Gave God again, and daily fed his poor.
His houfe with all convenience was purvey'd ;
The rest he found, but rais'd the fabric where he pray'd; And in that facred place his beauteous wife
Employ'd her happiest hours of holy life.
Nor did their alms extend to thofe alone,
Whom common faith more strictly 'made their own;
A fort of Doves were hous'd too near their hall,
Who cross the proverb, and abound with gall.
Tho' fome, 'tis true, are paffively inclin'd,
The greater part degenerate from their kind;
Voracious birds, that hotly bill and breed,
And largely drink, because on falt they feed.
Small gain from them their bounteous owner draws;
Yet, bound by promife, he supports their caufe,
As corporations privileg'd by laws.
That houfe, which harbour to their kind affords,
Was built, long fince, God knows, for better birds;
But flutt'ring there they neftle near the throne,
And lodge in habitations not their own,
By their high crops, and corny gizzards known.
Like Harpies they could fcent a plenteous board;
Then to be fure they never fail'd their lord:
The reft was form, and bare attendance paid;
They drunk, and eat, and grudgingly obey'd.
The more they fed, they raven'd still for more;
They drain'd from Dan, and left Beersheba poor.
All this they had by law, and none repin'd;
The pref'rence was but due to Levi's kind:
But when fome lay-preferment fell by chance,
The gourmands made it their inheritance.
When once poffefs'd, they never quit their claim;
For then 'tis fanctify'd to Heav'n's high name;
And, hallow'd thus, they cannot give confent,
The gift should be profan'd by worldly management.
Their flesh was never to the table serv'd;
Tho' 'tis not thence inferr'd the birds were starv'd;
But that their mafter did not like the food,
As rank, and breeding melancholy blood.
Nor did it with his gracious nature fuit,
E'en tho' they were not Doves, to perfecute:
Yet he refus'd (nor could they take offence)
Their glutton kind thould teach him abftinence.
Nor confecrated grain their wheat he thought,
Which new from treading in their bills they brought:
But left his binds each in his private pow'r,
That thofe, who like the bran, might leave the flow'r.
He for himself, and not for others, chofe,
Nor would he be impos'd on, nor impose;
But in their faces his devotion paid,
And facrifice with folemn rites was made,
And facred incenfe on his altars laid.
Befides thefe jolly birds, whofe corpfe impure
Repaid their commons with their falt-manure;
Another farm he had behind his house,
Not overstock'd, but barely for his ufe:
Wherein his poor domestic poultry fed,
And from his pious hands receiv'd their bread.
Our pamper'd Pigeons, with malignant eyes,
Beheld these inmates, and their nurseries:
Tho' hard their fare, at ev'ning, and at morn,
A cruise of water, and an ear of corn;
Yet ftill they grudg'd that modicum, and thought
A fheaf in ev'ry fingle grain was brought.
Fain would they filch that little food away,
While unreftrain'd those happy gluttons prey.
And much they griev'd to fee fo nigh their hall,
The bird that warn'd St Peter of his fall;
That he should raise his mitred crest on high,
And clap his wings, and call his family
To facred rites; and vex th' etherial powers
With midnight mattins, at uncivil hours:
Nay more, his quiet neighbours fhould moleft,
Juft in the sweetness of their morning rest,
Beaft of a bird, fupinely when he might
Lie fnug and fleep, to rife before the light!
What if his dull forefathers us'd that cry,
Could he not let a bad example die ?
The world was fall'n into an easier way;
This age knew better, than to fast and pray.
Good fenfe in facred worship would appear
So to begin, as they might end the year.
Such feats in former times had wrought the falls
Of crowing Chanticleers in cloy fter'd walls.
Expell'd for this, and for their lands, they fled;
And fifter Partlet with her hooded head
Was hooted hence, because the would not pray a-bed.
The way to win the reftiff world to God,
Was to lay by the difciplining rod,
Unnatural fafts, and foreign forms of pray'r :
Religion frights us with a mien fevere.
'Tis prudence to reform her into cafe,
And put her in undress to make her please :
A lively faith will bear aloft the mind,
And leave the luggage of good works behind.
Such doctrines in the Pigeon-house were taught:
You need not ask how wond'roufly they wrought;
But fure the common cry was all for these,
Whofe life and precepts both encourag'd eafe.
Yet fearing thofe alluring baits might fail,
And holy deeds o'er all their arts prevail;
(For vice, tho' frontlefs, and of harden'd face,
Is daunted at the fight of awful grace)
An hideous figure of their foes they drew,
Nor lines, nor looks, nor fhades, nor colours true;
And this grotefque design expos'd to public view.
One would have thought it fome Egyptian piece,
With garden-gods, and barking deities,
More thick than Ptolomy has ftuck the skies.
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