boon Yet how deserved I to make So ill a change who ever won Immortal praise for what I wrought Instructed by her Noble thought I that expressed her commands To mighty Lords and Princely Dames Always most welcome to their hands Proud that I would record their names Must now be taught an humble stile Some meaner Beauty to beguile So I the wronged Pen to please Make it my humble thanks express Unto your Ladyship in these And now 't is forced to confess That your great self did nere indite Nor that to one more Noble write On a Brede of divers Colours woven by four Ladies TWice Twenty slender Virgin fingers twine This curious Web where all their fancies shine As Nature Them so They this shade have wrought Soft as their hands and various as their thought Not Iuno's Bird when his fair train dispread He wooes the Female to his painted bed No not the bow which so adorns the Skies So Glorious is or boasts so many dies To my Lord of Northumberland upon the death of his Lady TO this great loss a Sea of Tears is due But the whole debt not to be paid by you Charge not your self with all nor render vain Those show'rs the eyes of us your servants rain Shall grief contract the largeness of that heart In which nor fear nor anger has a part Virtue would blush if time should boast which dries Her sole child dead the tender Mothers eyes Your minds relief where reason triumphs so Over all passions that they ne'r could grow Beyond their limits in your Noble breast To harm another or impeach your rest This we observ'd delighting to obey One who did never from his great self stray Whose mild example seemed to engage Th' obsequious Seas and teach them not to rage The brave Emilius his great charge laid down The force of Rome and fate of Macedon In his lost sons did feel the cruel stroke Of changing fortune and thus highly spoke Before Romes people we did oft implore That if the Heav'ns had any bad in store For your Emilius they would pour that ill On his own house and let you flourish â—till You on the barren Seas my Lord have spent Whole Springs and Summers to the publick lent Suspended all the pleasures of your life And shortned the short joy of such a wife For which your Countrey 's more obliged then For many lives of old less-happy men You that have sacrific'd so great a part Of Youth and private bliss ought to impart Your sorrow too and give your friends a right As well in your Affliction as Delight Then with Emilian courage bear this cross Since publick persons only publick loss Ought to affect and though her form and youth Her application to your Will and Truth That Noble Sweetness and that humble State All snatch'd away by such a hasty fate Might give excuse to any common Breast With the huge weight of so just grief opprest Yet let no portion of your life be stain'd With passion but your character maintain'd To the last Act it is enough her Stone May honoured be with Superscription Of the sole Lady who had power to move The Great Northumberland to grieve and love To my Lord Admiral of his late Sickness and Recovery WIth joy like ours the Thracian youth invades Orpheus returning from th' Elizian shades Embrace the Hero and his stay emplore Make it their publick suit he would no more Desert them so and for his Spouses sake His vanisht Love tempt the Lethean Lake The Ladies too the brightest of that time Ambitious all his lofty bed to clime Their doubtful hopes with expectation feed Who shall the fair Euridice succeed Euridice for whom his num'rous moan Makes listning Trees and salvage Mountains groan Through all the Air his sounding strings dilate Sorrow like that which touch'd our hearts of lateâ— Your piing sickness and your restless pain At once the Land affecting and the Main When the glad news that you were Admiral Scarce through the Nation spread 't was fear'd by all That our Great Charles whose wisdom shines in you Would be perplexed how to chuse a new So more than private was the joy and grief That at the worst it gave our souls relief That in our age such sense of virtue liv'd They joy'd so justly and so justly griev'd Nature her fairest lights eclipsed seems Her self to suffer in those sharp extremes While not from thine alone thy blood retires But from those cheeks which all the world admires The stemm thus threatned and the sap in thee Droop all the branches of that noble Tree Their Beauty they and we our Loves suspend Nought can our wishes save thy health intend As Lillies overcharg'd with Rain they bend Their beauteous heads with high Heaven contend Fold thee within their snowy Army and cry He is too faultless and too young to die So like immortals round about thee they Siâ— that they fright approaching death away Who would not languish by so fair a train To be lamented and restor'd again Or thus with-held what hasty soul would go Though to be blest o're her Adonis so Fair Venus mourn'd and with the precious showr Of her warm tears cherisht the springing Flow'r The next support fair hope of your great name And second pillar of that Noble frame By loss of thee would no advantage have But step by step pursues thee to the grave And now relentless fate about to end The line which back ward does so far extend That antick stock which still the world supplies With bravest Spirits and with brightest Eyes Kind Phoebus interposing bid me say Such storms no more shall shake that house but they Like Neptune and his Sea-born Neece shall be The shining Glories of the Land and Sea With Courage guard and Beauty warm our age And Lovers fill with like Poetick rage Ala Malade AH lovely Amoret the care Of all that know what 's good or fair Is Heaven become our Rival too Had the rich gifts conferr'd on you So ample thence the common end Of giving Lovers to pretend Hence to this pining sickness meant To weary thee to a consent Of leaving us no power is given Thy Beauties to impair for Heaven Sollicites thee with such a care As Roses from their stalks we tear When we would still preserve them new And fresh as on the bush they grew With such a Grace you entertain And look with such contempt on pain That languishing you conquer more And wound us deeper than before So lightnings which in storms appear Scorch more than when the Skies are clear And as pale sickness does invade Your frailer part the breaches made In that fair Lodging still more clear Make the bright guest your soul appear So Nymphs o're pathless Mountains born Their light Robes by the Brambles torn From their fair Limbs exposing new And unknown Beauties to the view Of following gods increase their flame And haste to catch the flying Game Of the
dwâ—llâ— And a 〈◊〉 Conscience mingling with their Joy Thoughts of Despair do's their whole Life annoy But Love appearing all those Terrors flie We live contented and contented die They in whose breast this sacred Love has place Death as a passage to their Joy embrace Clouds and thick Vapors which obscure the day The Suns victorious Beams may chase away Those which our Life corrupt and darken Love The Nobler Star must from the Soul remove Spots are observ'd in that which bounds the year This brighter Sun moves in a boundless Sphere Of Heav'n the Joy the Glory and the Light Shines among Angels and admits no Night CANTO V. THis Iron Age so fraudulent and bold Toucht with this Love would be an Age of Gold Not as they feign'd that Oaks should Honey drop Or Land neglected bear an unsown Crop Love would make all things easy safe and cheap None for himself would either sow or reap Our ready Help and mutual Love would yield A nobler Harvest than the richest Field Famine and Dearth confin'd to certain parts Extended are by barrenness of Hearts Some pine for want where others surfeit now But then we should the use of Plenty know Love would betwixt the Rich and Needy stand And spread Heav'ns bounty with an equal hand At once the Givers and Receivers bless Encrease their Joy and make their Sufferings less Who for himself no Miracle would make Dispens'd with Nature for the Peoples sake He that long Fasting would no wonder show Made Loaves and Fishes as they eat them grow Of all his Power which boundless was above Here he us'd none but to express his Love And such a Love would make our Joy exceed Not when our own but other mouths we feed Laws would be useless which rude Nature awe Love changing Nature would prevent the Law Tygers and Lyons into Dens we thrust But milder Creatures with their freedom trust Devils are chain'd and tremble but the Spouse No force but Love nor Bond but Bounty knows Men whom we now so 〈◊〉 and dang'rous see Would Guardian Angels to each other be Such wonders can this mighty Love perform Vultures to Doves Wolves into Lambs transform Love what Isaiah prophecy'd can do Exalt the Vallies lay the Mountains low Humblethe Lofty the Dejected raise Smooth and make strait our rough and crooked ways Love strong as Death and like it levels all With that possest the great in Title fall Themselves esteem but equal to the least Whom Heav'n with that high Character has blest This Love the Centre of our Union can Alone bestow complete Repose on Man Tame his wild Appetite make inward Peace And Foreign strife among the Nations cease No Martial Trumpet should disturb our rest Nor Princes Arm thô to subdue the East Where for the Tomb â—â—o many Hero's taught By those that guided their Devotion faught Thrice Happy we could we like Ardor have To gain his Love as they to win his Grave Love as he Lov'd a Love so unconfin'd With Arms extended would embrace Mankind Self-Love would cease or be dilated when We should behold as many Selfs as Men All of one Family in Blood ally'd His precious Blood that for our Ransom dy'd CANTO VI. THô the Creation so divinely taught Prints such a lively Image in our thought That the first spark of new Created light From Chaos struck affects our present sight Yet the first Christians did esteem more blest The day of Rising than the day of Rest That ev'ry week might new occasion give To make his Triumph in their memory live Then let our Muse compose a Sacred Charm To keep his Blood among us ever warm And singing as the Blessed do above With our last breath dilate this â—lame of Love But on so vast a Subject who can find Words that may reach th' Idea's of his mind Our Language fails or if it could supply What Mortal Thought can raise it self so high Despairing here we might abandon Art And only hope to have it in our heart But though we find this Sacred Task too hard Yet the Design th'endeavor brings Reward The Contemplation does suspend our Woe And makes a Truce with all the Ills we know As Saul's afflicted Spirit from the sound Of David's Harp a present Solace found So on this Theam while we our Muse engage No Wounds are felt of Fortune or of Age On Divine Love to meditate is Peace And makes all care of meaner things to cease Amaz'd at once and comforted to find A boundless Pow'r so infinitely kind The Soul contending to that Light to flie From her dark Cell we practise how to die Imploying thus the Poet 's winged Art To reach this Love and grave it in our heart Joy so complete so solid and severe Would leave no place for meaner Pleasures there Pale they would look as Stars that must be gone When from the East the Rising Sun comes on Floriferis ut Apes in saltibus omnia libant sic nos Scripturae depascimur aurea dicta Anrea perpetuâ semper dignissima vitâ Nam Divinus Amor cum coepit vociferari Diffugiunt Animi Terrores Lucr. Exul eram requiesque mihi non Fama petita est Mens intenta suis ne foret usque malis Namque ubi mota calent Sacrâ mea Pectora Musâ Altior humano Spiritus ille malo est De Trist. OF Divine Poesie TWO CANTOS Occasioned upon sight of the 53d Chapter of Isaiah turn'd into Verse by Mrs. Wharton CANTO I. POets we prize when in their Verse we find Some great employment of a worthy mind Angels have been inquisitive to know The Secret which this Oracle does show What was to come Isaiah did declare Which she describes as if she had been there Had seen the Wounds which to the Reader 's view She draws so lively that they Bleed a new As Ivy thrives which on the Oak takes hold So with the Prophets may her lines grow old If they should die who can the World forgive Such pious Lines When wanton Sapho's live Who with his Breath his Image did inspire Expects it should foment a Nobler fire Not Love which Brutes as well as Men may know But Love like his to whom that Breath we owe. Verse so design'd on that high Subject wrote Is the Perfection of an ardent Thought The Smoke which we from burning Incense raise When we complete the Sacrifice of Praise In boundless Verse the Fancy soars too high For any Object but the Deity What Mortal can with Heav'n pretend to share In the Superlatives of Wise and Fair A meaner Subject when with these we grace A Giants habit on a Dwarf we place Sacred should be the Product of our Muse Like that sweet Oil above all private use On pain of Death forbidden to be made But when it should be on the Altar laid Verse shows a rich inestimable Vein When dropt from Heav'n 't is thither sent again Of Bounty 't is that he admits our Praise Which does
Queen THe Lark that shuns on losty boughs to build Her humble Nest lies silent in the Field But if the promise of a cloudless day Aurora smiling bids her rise and play Then straight she shews 't was not for want of voicâ— Or power to climb she made so low a choice Singing she mounts her airy wings are stretcht Towards Heaven as if from Heaven her note she fetch So we retiring from the busie throng Use to restrain th' ambition of our Song But since the light which now informs our age Breaks from the Court indulgent to her râ—ge Thither my Muse like bold Prometheâ—s fliesâ— To light her Torch at Gloriana's eyes Those Sovereign beams which heal the wounded soul And all our cares but once beheld controul There the poor Lover that has long endur'd Some proud Nymphs scorn of his fond passion cur'd Fares like the man who first upon the ground A glow worm spy'd supposing he had found A moving Diamond a breathing Stone For life it had and like those Jewels shone He held it dear till by the springing day â—nform'd he threw the worthless worm away She saves the Lover as we Gangreens stay By cutting hope like a Iopt Limb away This makes her bleeding patients to accuse High Heaven and these expostulations use Could Natuâ—e then no private Woman grace Whom we might dare to love with such a face Such a complexion and so radiant eyes Such lovely motion and such sharp replies Beyond our reach and yet within our sight What envious power has plac'd this glorious light Thus in a Starry night fond Children cry For the rich spangles that adorn the Skie Which though they shine for ever fixed there With light and influence relieve us here All her affections are to one enclin'd Her bounty and compassion to Mankind To whom while she so far extends her grace She makes but good the promise of her face For Mercy has could Mercies self be seen No sweeter look than this propitious Queen Such guard and comfort the distressed find From her large power and from her larger mind That whom ill fate would ruine it prefers For all the Miserable are made hers So the fair Tree whereon the Eagle builds Poor Sheep from tempests their Shepherds shields The Royal Bird possesses all the bows But shade and shelter to the Flock allows Joy of our age aud safety of the next For which so oft thy â—ertile Womb is vext Nobly contented for the publick good To waste thy spirits and diffuse thy blood What vast hopes may these Islands entertain Where Monarchs thus descended are to reign Led by Commanders of so fair a Line Our Seas no longer shall our power confine A brave Romance who would exactly frame First brings his Knight from some immortal Dame And then a weapon and a flaming shield Bright as his mothers eyes he makes him wield None might the mother of Achilles be But the fair Pearl and glory of the Sea The man to whom great Maro gives such fame From the high bed of heavenly Venus came And our next Charles whom all the stars design Like wonders to accomplish springs from thine Vpon the Death of my Lady Rich. MAY those already curst â—ssexian plains Where hasty death and pining sickness reignâ— Prove all a Desart and none there make stay But â—â—vâ—ge Beast or men as wilde as they There the fair light which all our Island grac'd Like Hero's Taper in the window plac'd Such fate from the malignant air did find As that exposed to the boisterous wind Ah cruel Heaven â— to snatch so soon away Her for whose life had we had time to pray With thousand vows and tears we should have sought That sad decrees suspension to have wrought But we alass no whisper of her pain Heard till 't was sin to wish her here again That horrid word at once like Lightning spread Strook all our ears The Lady Rich is dead Heart rending news and dreadful to those few Who her resemble and her steps pursue That death should license have to rage among The fair the wife the vertuous and the young The Paphiam Queen from that sierce battle born With goared hand and veil so rudely torn Like terror did among th'immortals breed Taught by her wound that Goddesses may bleed All stand amazed but beyond the rest Th'heroique Dame whose happy womb she blest Mov'd with just grief expostulates with Heaven Urging the promise to the obsequious given Of longer life for ne'r was pious Soul More apt t' obey more worthy to controul A skilful Eye at once might read the Race Of Caledonian Monarchs in her Face And sweet Humility her look and mind At once were losty and at once were kind There dwelt the sorn of Vice and pity too For those that did what she disdain'd to do So gentle and severe that what was bad At once her hatred and her pardon had Gracious to all but where her Love was due So fast so Faithful Loyal and so True That a bold hand as soon might hope to force The rouling lights of Heaven as change her course Some happy Angel that beholds her there Instruct us to record what she was here And when this cloud of sorrow 's over-blown Through the wide world we 'l make her graces known So fresh the wound is and the grief so vast That all our Art and Power of speech is waste Here passion sways but there the Muse shall raise Eternal monuments of louder praise There our delight complying with her fame Shall have occasion to recite thy name Fair Sacharissa and now only fair To sacred friendship we 'l an Altar rear Such as the Romans did erect of old Where on a marble Pillar shall be told The lovely passion each to other bare With the resemblance of that matchless pair Narcissus to the thing for which he pin'd Was not more like than yours to her fair mind Save that you grac'd the several parts of life A spotless Virgin and a faultless Wife Such was the sweet converse 'twixt her and you As that she holds with her associates now How false is hope and how regardless fate That such a love should have so short a date Lately I saw her sighing part from thee Alas that such the last farewel should be So look 't Astraea her remove design'd On those distressed friends she left behind Consent in Vertue knit your hearts so fast That still the knot in spight of death does last For as your tears and sorrow-wounded soul Prove well that on your part this bond is whole So all we know of what they do above Is that they happy are and that they love Let dark oblivion and the hollow grave Content themselves our frailer thoughts to have Well chosen Love is never taught to die But with our nobler part invades the Skie Then grieve no more that one so Heavenly shap'd The crooked hand of trembling age escap'd Rather since we beheld her not decay But that she
Prodigy The water consecrate for Sacrisice Appears all black to her amazed eyeâ— The Wine to putrid Bloud converted flows Which from her none not her own sister knows Besides there stood as sacred to her Lord A marble Temple which she much ador'd With snowy Fleeces and fresh Garlands crown'd Hence every night proceeds a dreadful sound Her Husband 's voice invites her to his Tomb And dismal Owls presage the ills to come Besides the Prophesies of Wizards old Increast her terror and her fall forâ—told Scorn'd and deserted to her self she seems And finds Aeneas cruel in her dreams So to mad Pentheus double Thebes appears And Furies howl in his distempered ears Orestes so with like distraction toft Is made to flie his Mothers angry ghost Now grief and fury at their height arrive Death she decreâ—s and thus does it contrive Her grieved Sister with a chearful grace Hope well-dislembled shining in her face She thus deceives Dear Sister let us prove The Cure I have invented for my Love Beyond the Land of Aethiâ—pia lies The place where Atlas does support the Shies Hence came an old Magician that did keep Th' Hesperian Fruit and made the Dragon sleeps Her potent Charms do troubled Souls relieve And where she lists makes calmest minds to grieve The course of Rivers or of Heaven can stop And call Trees down from th' airy Mountains 〈◊〉 Witness ye Gods and thou my deatest part How loth I am to tempt this guilty Art Erect a Pile and on it let us place That Bed where I my ruine did embrace With all the reliques of our impious Guest Arms Spoils and Prâ—sents let the Pilâ— be 〈◊〉 The knowing-woman thus prescribes that we May 〈◊〉 the Man out of our 〈◊〉 Thus speaks the Queen but hides the fatal end For which she doth those sacred 〈◊〉 pretend Nor worse effects of Grief her Sister thought Would 〈…〉 murder wronghs Therefore obeys 〈◊〉 and now 〈◊〉 high The 〈◊〉 Oaks 〈…〉 Hung all with wreaths and 〈◊〉 garlands round So by her Self was her own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon the top the Trojan's Image lies And his sharp Sword where with anon the dies They by the Altar stand while with loose hair The Magick Propheress begins her Prayer On Chao's Eâ—ebus and all the Gods Which in the infernal shades have their abodes She loudly calls besprinkling all the Room With drops suppoâ—'d from Lâ—thes Lake to come She seeks the 〈◊〉 which on the forehead grows Of new-foal'd Colâ—â— and heâ—bs by moon-light mows A Cake of Leaven in her pions hands Holds the devoted Queen and barefoot stands One tender Foot was bare the other 〈◊〉 Her Robe ungiâ—â— invoking every God And every Power if any be above Which takes 〈…〉 Love Now was the tiâ—e when weary Mortals steep Theâ—â— careful Temples in the dew of sleep On Seas on Earth and all that in them dwell A death like quiet and deep silence fell But not on Dido whose untamed mind Refus'd to be by sacred night confin'd A double passion in her breast does move Love and fierce anger for neglected Love Thus she afficts her Soul What shall I do With Fate inverted shall I humbly wooe And some proud Prince in wild Numidiâ— born Pray to accept me and forget my scorn Or shall I with th' ungrateful Trojan go Quit all my State and wait upon my Foe Is not enough by sad experience known The perjur'd Race of false Lâ—oinedon With my Sidoniâ—â—i shall I give them chace Bands hardly forâ—ed from their native place No dye and let this Sword thy fury tame Nought but thy bloud can quenâ—h this guilty flame Ah Sister vanquisht with my passion thou Betrayd'st me first dispensing with my vow Had I been constant to Sycbaeus still And single-liv'd I had not known this ill Such thoughts torment the Queens inraged breast While the Dardaniâ—n does securely rest In his tall ship for sudden flight prepar'd To whom once more the Son of Iove appearâ—d Thus seems to speak the youthful Deity Voice Hair and Colour all like Mercury Fair 〈◊〉 Canst thou indulge thy sleep Nor better guard in such great danger keep Mad by neglect to lose so fair a wind If here thy ships the purple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt behold this hostile Harbor shine With a new Fleet and Fire to ruine thine She meditates Revenge resolv'd to dye Weigh Anchor quickly and her Fury flie This said the God in shades of Night retir'd Amaz'd Aeneas with the warning fir'd Shakes off dull sleep and rouzing up his men Behold the Gods command our flight agen Fall to your Oars and all your Canvas spread What God soe're that thus vouchsaf'st to lead We follow gladly and thy Will obey Assist us still smoothing our happy way And make the rest propitious With that word He cuts the Cable with his shining Sword Through all the Navy doth like Ardor reign They quit the Shore and rush into the Main Plac't on their banks the lusty Trojans sweep Neptune's smooth face and cleave the yielding deeps Of a War with Spain and a Fight at Sea Now for some Ages had the pride of Spain Made the Sun shine on half the world in vain While she bid War to all that durst supply The place of those her cruelty made dye Of Nature's bounty men forbore to taste And the best portion of the Earth lay waste From the new world her silver and her gold Came like a Tempest to confound the old Feeding with these the brib'd Elector's hopes Alone she gave us Emperors and Popes With these accomplishing her vast designs Enrope was shaken with her Indian Mines When Britain looking with a just disdain Upon this gilded Majesty of Spain And knowing well that Empire must decline Whose chief support and sinews are of coin Our Nations solid vertue did oppose To the rich troublers of the worlds repose And now some Months incamping on the Main Our Naval Army had besieged Spain They that the whole world's Monarchy design'd Are to their Ports by our bold Fleet confin'd From whence our Red-cross they triumphant see Riding without a Rival on the Sea Others may use the Ocean as their Road Only the English make it their aboad Whose ready Sails with every wind can flie And make a Cov'nant with th' unconstant Skie Our Oaks secure as if they there took root We tread on billows with a steady foot Mean while the Spaniards in America Near to the Line the Sun approaching saw And hop'd their European Coasts to sind Clear'd from our ships by the Autumnal wind Their huge capacious Gallions stuft with Plate The lab'ring winds drive slowly towards their â—ate Before St. Lucar they their Guns discharge To tell their joy or to invite a Barge This heard some Ships of ours though out of view And swift as Eagles to the Quarry â—lew So heedless Lambs which for their Mothers bleat Wake hungry Lions and become their meat Arriv'd they soon begin that Tragique play And with their smoaky Cannons banish day Night
the Day behind Describe their Fleet abandoning the Sea And all their Merchants left a wealthy Prey Our first success in War make Bacchus Crown And half the Vintage of the Year our own The Dutch their Wine and all their Brandy loâ—â— Disarm'd of that from which their Courage growâ— While the glad Englsh to relieve their toil In Healths to their great Leader drink the spoil His high Command to Africks Coast extend And make the Moors before the English bend Those barbarous Pirates willingly receive Conditions such as we are pleas'd to give Deserted by the Dutch let Nations know We can our own and their great business do False Friends chastise and common Foes restrain Which worse than Tempests did infest the Main Within those Streights make Holland's Smirna Fleâ—â— With a small Squadron of the English meet Like Falcons these those like a numerous Flock Of Fowl which scatter to avoid the Shock There paint Confusion in a various shape Some sink some yield and flying some escape â—â—rope and Africa from either shore â—ectators are and hear our Cannon roar While the divided world in this agree Men that Fight so deserve to rule the Sea â—ut nearer home thy Pencil use once more 〈◊〉 place our Navy by the Holland shore The World they compass'd while they fought with 〈◊〉 here already they resign the Main Spain Those greedy Mariners out of whose way â—issusive Nature could no Region lay â—t home preserv'd from Rocks and Tempests lieâ— Compel'd like others in their Beds to die Their single Towns th' Iberian Armies prest We all their Provinces at once invest And in a Month Ruine their Traâ—â—ique more Than that long War could in an Age before But who can always on the Billows lie The watry Wilderness yields no supply Spreading our Sails to Harwich we resort And meet the Beauties of the British Court Th' Illustrious Dutchess and her Glorious Train Like Thetis with her Nymphs adorn the Main The gazing Sea-gods since the Paphian Queen Sprung from among them no such sight had seâ— Charm'd with the Graces of a Troop so fair Those deathless Powers for us themselves 〈◊〉 Resolv'd the aid of Neptune's Court to bring And help the Nation where such Beauties sprinâ— The Soldier here his wasted store supplies And takes new Valor from the Ladies Eyes Mean while like Bees when stormy Winter's gooâ— The Dutch as if the Sea were all their own Desert their Ports and falling in their way â—ur Hamburgh Merchants are become their Prey Thus flourish they before th' approaching Fight As dying Tapers give a blazing Light To check their Pride our Fleet half victual'd goes â—nough to serve us till we reach our Foes Who now appear so numerous and bold The Action worthy of our Arms we hold A greater force than that which here we find â—â—'re press'd the Ocean nor employ'd the Wind. â—estrain'd a while by the unwelcom Night â—h ' impatient English scarce attend the Light But now the Morning Heav'n severely clear â—o the flerce Work Indulgent does appear And Phoebâ—s lists above the Waves his Light That he might see and thus record the Fight As when loud winds from different quarters rush â—ast Clouds incountring one another crush With swelling Sails so from their several Coasts Join the Batavian and the British Hoasts For a less Prize with less Concern and Rage The Roman Fleets at Actium did Engage They for the Empire of the World they knew These for the Old contend and for the New At the first shock with Blood and Powder stain'd Nor Heaven nor Sea their former face retain'd Fury and Art produce Effects so strange They trouble Nature and her Visage change Where burning Ships the banish'd Sun supply And no Light shines but that by which men die There YORK appears so prodigal is he Of Royal Blood as ancient as the Sea Which down to Him so many Ages told Has through the veins of Mighty Monarchs roll'd The great Achilles march'd not to the Field Till Vulcan that impenetrable Shield And Arms had wrought yet there no Bullets flew â—ut Shafts and Darts which the weak Phâ—ygians threw Our bolder Heroe on the Deck does stand Expos'd the Bulwark of his Native Land Defensive Arms â—aid by as useless here Where massie Balls the Neighbouring Rocks do tear Some Power unseen those Princes do's proâ—â—ct Who for their Countrey thus themselves neglect Against Him first Opdam his Squadron leads Proud of his late Success against the suedis Made by that Action and his high Command Worthy to perish by a Princes Hand The tall Batavian in a vast Ship rides â—aring an Army in her hollow sides â—t not inclin'd the English Ship to board 〈…〉 than on his Sword From whence a fatal Volly we receiv'd It miss'd the Duke but His Great Heart â— griev'd Three worthy Persons from His side it tore And dy'd His Garment with their scatter'd Gore Happy to whom this glorious death arrives More to be valu'd â—han a thousand Lives On such a Theatre as this to die For such a Cause and such a Witness by Who would not thus a Sacrifice be made To have his Blood on such an Altar laid The rest about Him strook with horror stood To see their Leader cover'd oâ—re with Blood So trembl'd Iacob when he thought the stains Of his Sons Coat had issued from his veins He feels no wound but in his troubled thought Before for Honour now Revenge He fought His Friends in pieces torn the bitter News Not brought by Fame with His own Eys He views 〈◊〉 Mind at once reflecting on their Youth Their Worth their Love their Valour and their Truth The joys of Court their Mothers and their Wives To follow Him abandon'd and their Lives He storms and shoots but flying Bullets now To execute His Rage appear too slow They miss or sweep but common Souls away For such a Loss Opdam his Life must pay Encouraging His Men He gives the Word With fierce intent that hated Ship to Board And make the guilty Dutch with His own Arm Wait on His Friends while yet their Blood is warm His winged Vessel like an Eagle shows When through the Clouds to truss a Swan she goes The Belgian Ship unmov'd like some huge Rock Inhabiting the Sea expects the shock From both the Fleets Mens eyes are bent this 〈◊〉 Neglecting all the business of the day Bullets their flight and Guns their noise suspend The silent Ocean does th' event attend Which Leader shall the doubtfull vict'ry bless And give an earnest of the Wars success When Heav'n it self for England to declare Turns Ship and Men and Tackle into Air Their new Commander from his Charge is â—oâ—t Which that young Prince had so unjustly lost Whose great Progenitors with better Fate And better Conduct sway'd their Infant State His flight tow'rds Heav'n th' aspiring Belgian took But fell like Phaeton with Thunder strook From vaster hopes than his he seem'd to fall That durst attempt the British Admiral
Band of all Society is broke What use of Oaths of Promise or of Test Where Men regard no God but Interest What endless War would jealous Nations tear â—f none above did witness what they swear Sad Fate of Unbelievers and yet just Among themselves to find so little trust Were Scripture silent Nature would proclaim Without a God our falshood and our shame To know our Thoughts the Object of his Eyes Is the first step towards being good or wise For thô with Judgment we on things reflect Our Will determines not our Intellect Slaves to their Passion Reason men employ Only to compass what they would enjoy His fear to guard us from our selves we need And sacred Writ our Reason do's exceed For the Heaven shows the Glory of the Lord Yet something shines more Glorious in his Word His mercy this which all his work excels His tender kindness and compassion tells While we inform'd by that Celestial Book Into the Bowels of our Maker look Love there reveal'd which never shall have end Nor had beginning shall our Song commend Describe it self and warm us 〈◊〉 that flame Which first from Heav'n to make us Happy came CANTO II. THE fear of Hell or aiming to be Blest Savours too much of private Interest This mov'd not Moses nor the zealous Paul Who for their Friends abandon'd Soul and all A greater yet from Heav'n to Hell descends To save and make his Enemies his Friends What line of Praise can fathom such a Love Which reacht the lowest bottom from above The Royal Prophet that extended Grace From Heav'n to earth measur'd but half that space The Law was regnant and confin'd his thoughâ— â—ell was not conquer'd when that Poet 〈◊〉 Heav'n was â—earce heard of until be came down To make the Region where Love triumphs known That early Love of Creatures yet unmade To â—â—ame the World th' Almighty did perswade For Love it was that first created Light Mov'd on the Waters chaâ—'d away the Night From the rude Chaos and bestow'd new Grace On things dispos'd of to their proper place Some to rest here and some to shine above Earth Sea and Heav'n were all th' Effects of Love And Love would be reâ—urn'd but there was none That to themselves or others yet were known The World a Palace was without a Guest Till one appears that must excel she rest One like the Author whose Capacious mind Might by the Glorious Work the Maker find Might measure Heaven and give each Star a name With Art and Courage the rough 〈…〉 Over the Globe with swelling Sails might go And that 't is round by his experience know Make strongest Beasts obedient to his Will And serve his use the fertile Earth to Till When by his Word God had accomplisht all Man to Create he did a Council call Imploy'd his Hand to give the Dust he took A graceful Figure and Majestick Look With his own Breath convey'd into his Breast Life and a Soul fit to command the rest Worthy alone to Celebrate his Name For such a Gift and tell from whence it came Birds sing his Praises in a wilder Note But not with lasting numbers and with thought Man's great Prerogative But above all His Grace abounds in his new Favorites fall If he Create it is a World he makes â—f he be ang'ry the Creation shakes From his just wrath our guilty Parents fled He curs't the Earth but bruis'd the Serpent's head Amidst the Storm his Bounty did exceed In the rich promise of the Virgins seed Thô Justice death as satisfaction craves Love finds a way to pluck us from our Graves CANTO III. NOT willing Terror should his Image move He gives a Pattern of Eternal Love His Son descends to treat a Peace with those Which were and must have ever been his Foes Poor he became and left his Glorious Seat To make us humble and to make us great His business here was happiness to give To those whose Malice could not let him live Legions of Angels which he might have us'd For us resolv'd to perish he refus'd While they stood ready to prevent his Loss Love took him up and nail'd him to the Cross Immortal Love which in his Bowels reign'd That we might be by such a Love constrain'd To make return of Love upon this Pole Our Duty does and our Religion rowle To Love is to believe to hope to know 'T is an Essay a taste of Heav'n below He to proud Potentates would not be known Of those that lov'd him he was hid from none Till Love appear we live in anxious doubt But Smoke will vanish when that Flame breaks out This is the Fire that would consume our Dross Reâ—ine and make us richer by the Loss Could we forbear Dispute and practise Love We should agree as Angels do above Where Love presides not Vice alone does find No Entrance there but Vertues stay behind Both Faith and Hope and all the meaner train Of moral Vertues at the door remain Love only enters as a Native there For born in Heav'n it do's but sojourn here He that alone would wise and mighty be Commands that others Love as well as he Love as he Lov'd how can we soar so high He can add wings when he commands to flie Nor should we be with this Command dismay'd He that Example gives will give his Aid For he took flesh that where his Precepts fail His Practice as a Pattern may prevail His Love at once and Dread instructs our thought As Man he suffer'd and as God he taught Will for the Deed he takes we may with ease Obedient be for if we Love we please Weak thô we are to Love is no hard task And Love for Love is all that Heav'n do's ask Love that would all men just and temperate make Kind to themselves and others for his sake 'T is with our Minds as with a fertile ground Wanting this Love they must with Weeds abound Unruly Passions whose effects are worse Than Thorns and Thistles springing from the curse CANTO IV. TO Glory Man or Misery is born Of his proud Foe the Envy or the Scorn Wretched he is or happy in Extreme Base in himself but great in Heav'ns esteem With Love of all created things the best Without it more pernicious than the rest For greedy Wolves ungâ—arded Sheep devour But while their hunger lasts and then give or'e Man 's boundless Avarice his want exceeds And on his Neighbors round about him feeds His Pride and vain Ambition are so vast That Delugeâ—like they lay whole Nations wast Debauches and Excess thô with less noise As great a portion of Mankind destroys The Beasts and Monsters Hercules opprest Might in that Age some Provinces infest These more deâ—â—ructive Monsters are the Bane Of ev'ry Age and in all Nations reign But soon would vanish if the World were blest With Sacred Love by which they are represt Impendent death and guilt that threatens Hell Are dreadful guests which here with Mortals