TO THE LORD PRIVY SEAL.

CONTENDING kings and fields of death too long
Have been the subject of the British song.
Who hath not read of fam'd Ramilia's plain,
Bavaria's fall, and Danube chok'd with slain?
Exhausted themes! a gentler note I raise,
And sing returning Peace in softer lays.
Their fury quell'd, and martial rage allay'd,
I wait our heroes in the silvan shade.
Disbanding hosts are imag'd to my mind,

And warring powers in friendly leagues combin'd,
While ease and pleasure make the nation smile,
And Heav'n and Anna bless Britannia's isle.

Well sends our queen her mitred Bristol forth, For early councils fam'd and long-tried worth, Who thirty rolling years had oft withheld The Swede and Saxon from the dusty field,

Completely form'd to heal the Christian wounds, To name the kings, and give each kingdom bounds, The face of ravag'd Nature to repair,

By leagues to soften earth, and Heav'n by pray'r; To gain by love where rage and slaughter fail, And make the crosier o'er the sword prevail.

So when great Moses with Jehovah's wand Had scatter'd plagues o'er stubborn Pharoah's land, Now spread an host of locusts round the shore, Now turn'd Nile's fattening streams to putrid gore, Plenty and gladness mark'd the priest of God, And sudden almonds shot from Aaron's rod.

O Thou! from whom these bounteous blessings flow,

To whom, as chief, the hopes of Peace we owe,
(For next to thee, the man whom kings contend
To style companion, and to make their friend,
Great Strafford! rich in eve
With joyful pride accepts t
From Britain's isle, and Isi
One hour, oh! listen while
Though Ministers of migh
With beating hearts to le
One hour forbear to speal
Nor think the world, thy
The blissful prospects in
May lure the stubborn, th
Ev'n thou to Peace shalt s
And more be hasten'd by

Completely form'd to heal the Christian wounds, To name the kings, and give each kingdom bounds, The face of ravag'd Nature to repair,

By leagues to soften earth, and Heav'n by pray'r ; To gain by love where rage and slaughter fail, And make the crosier o'er the sword prevail.

So when great Moses with Jehovah's wand Had scatter'd plagues o'er stubborn Pharoah's land, Now spread an host of locusts round the shore, Now turn'd Nile's fattening streams to putrid gore, Plenty and gladness mark'd the priest of God, And sudden almonds shot from Aaron's rod.

O Thou! from whom these bounteous blessings flow,

To whom, as chief, the hopes of Peace we owe,
(For next to thee, the man whom kings contend
To style companion, and to make their friend,
Great Strafford! rich in every courtly grace,
With joyful pride accepts the second place)
From Britain's isle, and Isis' sacred spring,
One hour, oh! listen while the Muses sing.
Though Ministers of mighty monarchs wait
With beating hearts to learn their master's fate,
One hour forbear to speak thy queen's commands,
Nor think the world, thy charge, neglected stands;
The blissful prospects in my verse display'd
May lure the stubborn, the deceiv'd persuade;
Ev'n thou to Peace shalt speedier urge the way,
And more be hasten'd by this short delay.

ON THE

PROSPECT OF PEACE.

THE haughty Gaul in ten campaigns o'erthrown Now ceas'd to think the western world his own. Oft had he mourn'd his boasting leaders bound, And his proud bulwarks smoking on the ground. In vain with powers renew'd he fill'd the plain, Made timorous vows, and brib'd the saints in vain; As oft his legions did the fight decline,

Lurk'd in the trench, and skulk'd behind the line. Before his eyes the fancied javelin gleams,

At feasts he starts, and seems dethron'd in dreams; On glory past reflects with secret pain,

On mines exhausted, and on millions slain.

To Britain's queen the sceptred suppliant bends,
To her his crowns and infant race commends,
Who grieves her fame with Christian blood to buy,
Nor asks for glory at a price so high.

At her decree the war suspended stands,
And Britain's heroes hold their lifted hands;
Their open brows no threatning frowns disguise,
But gentler passions sparkle in their eyes.
The Gauls, who never in their courts could find
Such temper'd fire with manly beauty join'd,
Doubt if they're those whom dreadful to the view
In forms so fierce their fearful fancies drew;