125 But ficken'd, after all their baffled lies, 130 If our victorious Edward †, as they fay, Gave Wales a prince on that propitious day, 135 Why may not years revolving with his fate Produce his like, but with a longer date? One, who may carry to a diftant shore The terror that his fam'd forefather bore. But why should James or his young hero stay For flight prefages of a name or day? We need no Edward's fortune to adorn 141 That happy moment when our prince was born: Our prince adorns his day, and ages hence Shall with his birth-day for fome future prince. Virg. Æneid, 1. Original edition. Edward, the Black Prince, born on Trinity Sunday, Original edition. Ver. 144. Our prince adorns his day,] Original edition. TODD. * Great Michael, prince of all the ætherial 146 hofts, And whate'er inborn faints our Britain boasts; And thou, the adopted patron of our ifle, With chearful afpects on this infant smile: The pledge of Heaven, which, dropping from above, Secures our blifs, and reconciles his love. 150 Enough of ills our dire rebellion wrought, When, to the dregs, we drank the bitter draught; Then airy atoms did in plagues confpire, Nor did the avenging angel yet retire, 155 But purg'd our still increafing crimes with fire.) Then perjur'd Plots, the ftill impending Teft, And worfe-but charity conceals the reft: Here stop the current of the fanguine flood; 159 Require not, gracious God, thy martyrs' blood; But let their dying pangs, their living toil, Spread a rich harvest through their native foil: A harvest ripening for another reign, Of which this royal babe may reap the grain. Enough of early faints one womb has given ; Enough increas'd the family of heaven : Let them for his and our atonement go; 166 And reigning bleft above, leave him to rule below. • The motto of the poem explained. Original edition. + St. George. Original edition. 170 Enough already has the year foreflow'd His wonted courfe, the fea has overflow'd, The meads were floated with a weeping fpring, And frighten'd birds in woods forgot to fing: The ftrong-limb'd fteed beneath his harness faints, 175 And the same shivering sweat his lord attaints. When will the minister of wrath give o'er? Behold him, at Araunah's* threshing-floor : He ftops, and feems to sheath his flaming brand, Pleas'd with burnt incenfe from our David's hand. David has bought the Jebufite's abode, And rais'd an altar to the living God. Heaven, to reward him, makes his joys fin cere ; No future ills nor accidents appear, 180 To fully and pollute the facred infant's year. Let his baptifmal drops for us atone; 185 TODD. Alluding to the paffage in 1 Kings xxiv. 20. Orig. edit. + Original fin. Orig. edit. Let Confcience, which is Intereft ill disguis'd, In the fame font be cleans'd, and all the land baptiz'd. 191 195 * Unnam'd as yet; at least unknown to fame: Is there a ftrife in heaven about his name? Where every famous predeceffor vies, And makes a faction for it in the fkies? Or muft it be referv'd to thought alone? Such was the facred Tetragrammaton. Things worthy filence must not be reveal'd : Thus the true name of Rome was kept conceal'd, 200 To fhun the spells and forceries of those grown. 205 The prince chriften'd, but not named. Original edition. Ver. 197. the facred Tetragrammaton.] Jehovah, or the name of God, unlawful to be pronounced by the Jews.Original edition. Ver. 199. Thus the true name of Rome was kept conceal'd.] Some authors fay, That the true name of Rome was kept a fecret: Ne hoftes incantamentis deos elicerent. Original edition. + Candie, where Jupiter was born and bred fecretly. Orig. edition. As Jove's increafe *, who from his brain was born, 211 Whom arms and arts did equally adorn, 215 And, for his Eftian race, and Saxon ftrain, Thus far the furious tranfport of the news 220 225 And read the book which angels cannot read? *Pallas, or Minerva, faid by the poets to have been bred up by hand. Original edition. The fudden falfe report of the prince's death. Orig. edit. |