Glass Reflected to her Eyes the ruins of her Face Wondring what Charms her Ravishers cou'd spy To force her twice or ev'n but once enjoy Thy Teeth devouring Time thine envious Age On Things below still exercise your Rage With venom'd Grinders you corrupt your Meat And then at lingring Meals the Morsels eat Nor those which Elements we call abide Nor to this Figure nor to that are ty'd For this eternal World is said of Old But four prolifick Principles to hold Four different Bodies two to Heaven ascend And other two down to the Center tend Fire first with Wings expanded mounts on high Pure void of weight and dwells in upper Sky Then Air because unclogg'd in empty space Flies after Fire and claims the second Place But weighty Water as her Nature guides Lies on the lap of Earth and Mother Earth subsides All Things are mix'd of these which all contain And into these are all resolv'd again Earth rarifies to Dew expanded more The subtil Dew in Air begins to soar Spreads as she flies and weary of her Name Extenuates still and changes into Flame Thus having by degrees Perfection won Restless they soon untwist the Web they spun And Fire begins to lose her radiant Hue Mix'd with gross Air and Air descends to Dew And Dew condensing does her Form forego And sinks a heavy lump of Earth below Thus are their Figures never at a stand But chang'd by Nature's innovating Hand All Things are alter'd nothing is destroy'd The shifted Scene for some new Show employ'd Then to be born is to begin to be Some other Thing we were not formerly And what we call to Die is not t' appear Or be the Thing that formerly we were Those very Elements which we partake Alive when Dead some other Bodies make Translated grow have Sense or can Discourse But Death on deathless Substance has no force That Forms are chang'd I grant that nothing can Continue in the Figure it began The Golden Age to Silver was debas'd To Copper that our Mettal came at last The Face of Places and their Forms decay And that is solid Earth that once was Sea Seas in their turn retreating from the Shore Make solid Land what Ocean was before And far from Strands are Shells of Fishes found And rusty Anchors fix'd on Mountain-Ground And what were Fields before now wash'd and worn By falling Floods from high to Valleys turn And crumbling still descend to level Lands And Lakes and trembling Bogs are barren Sands And the parch'd Desart floats in Streams unknown Wondring to drink of Waters not her own Here Nature living Fountains ope's and there Seals up the Wombs where living Fountains were Or Earthquakes stop their ancient Course and bring Diverted Streams to feed a distant Spring So Lycus swallow'd up is seen no more But far from thence knocks out anorher Door Thus Erasinus dives and blind in Earth Runs on and gropes his way to second Birth Starts up in Argos Meads and shakes his Locks Around the Fields and fattens all the Flocks So Mysus by another way is led And grown a River now disdains his Head Forgets his humble Birth his Name forsakes And the proud Title of Caicus takes Large Amenane impure with yellow Sands Runs rapid often and as often stands And here he threats the drunken Fields to drown And there his Dugs deny to give their Liquor down Anigros once did wholsome Draughts afford But now his deadly Waters are abhorr'd Since hurt by Hercules as Fame resounds The Centaurs in his current wash'd their Wounds The Streams of Hypanis are sweet no more But brackish lose the tast they had before Antissa Pharos Tyre in Seas were pent Once Isles but now increase the Continent While the Leucadian Coast main Land before By rushing Seas is sever'd from the Shore So Zancle to th' Italian Earth was ty'd And Men once walk'd where Ships at Anchor ride Till Neptune overlook'd the narrow way And in disdain pour'd in the conqu'ring Sea Two Cities that adorn'd th' Achaian Ground Buris and Helice no more are found But whelm'd beneath a Lake are sunk and drown'd And Boatsmen through the Chrystal Water show To wond'ring Passengers the Walls below Near Traezen stands a Hill expos'd in Air To Winter-Winds of leafy Shadows bare This once was level Ground But strange to tell Th' included Vapors that in Caverns dwell Lab'ring with Cholick Pangs and close confin'd In vain sought issue for the rumbling Wind Yet still they heav'd for vent and heaving still Inlarg'd the Concave and shot up the Hill As Breath extends a Bladder or the Skins Of Goats are blown t' inclose the hoarded Wines The Mountain yet retains a Mountain's Face And gather'd Rubbish heals the hollow space Of many Wonders which I heard or knew Retrenching most I will relate but few What are not Springs with Qualities oppos'd Endu'd at Seasons and at Seasons lost Thrice in a Day thine Ammon change their Form Cold at high Noon at Morn and Evening warm Thine Athaman will kindle Wood if thrown On the pil'd Earth and in the waning Moon The Thracians have a Stream if any try The tast his harden'd Bowels petrify Whate'er it touches it converts to Stones And makes a Marble Pavement where it runs Crathis and Sybaris her Sister Flood That slide through our Calabrian Neighbour Wood With Gold and Amber die the shining Hair And thither Youth resort for who wou'd not be Fair But stranger Virtues yet in Streams we find Some change not only Bodies but the Mind Who has not heard of Salmacis obscene Whose Waters into Women soften Men Or AEthyopian Lakes which turn the Brain To Madness or in heavy Sleep constrain Clytorian Streams the love of Wine expel Such is the Virtue of th'abstemious Well Whether the colder Nymph that rules the Flood Extinguishes and balks the drunken God Or that Melampus so have some assur'd When the mad Proetides with Charms he cur'd And pow'rful Herbs both Charms and Simples cast Into th'sober Spring where still their Virtues last Unlike Effects Lyncestis will produce Who drinks his Waters tho'with moderate use Reels as with Wine and sees with double Sight His Heels too heavy and his Head too light Ladon once Pheneos an Arcadian Stream Ambiguous in th' Effects as in the Name By Day is wholsom Bev'rage but is thought By Night infected and a deadly Draught Thus running Rivers and the standing Lake Now of these Virtues now of those partake Time was and all Things Time and Fate obey When fast Ortygia floated on the Sea Such were Cyanean Isles when Typhis steer'd Betwixt their Streights and their Collision fear'd They swam where now they sit and firmly join'd Secure of rooting up resist the Wind. Nor AEtna vomiting sulphuerous Fire Will ever belch for Sulphur will expire The Veins exhausted of the liquid Store Time was she cast no Flames in time will cast no more For whether Earth's an Animal and Air Imbibes her Lungs with coolness to repair And
the Blood And ne'er did any but the Doctors good Their Tribe Trade Trinkets I defy them all With ev'ry Work of ' Pothecary's Hall These melancholy Matters I forbear But let me tell Thee Partlet mine and swear That when I view the Beauties of thy Face I fear not Death nor Dangers nor Disgrace So may my Soul have Bliss as when I spy The Scarlet Red about thy Partridge Eye While thou art constant to thy own true Knight While thou art mine and I am thy delight All Sorrows at thy Presence take their flight For true it is as in Principio Mulier est hominis confusio Madam the meaning of this Latin is That Woman is to Man his Soveraign Bliss For when by Night I feel your tender Side Though for the narrow Perch I cannot ride Yet I have such a Solace in my Mind That all my boding Cares are cast behind And ev'n already I forget my Dream He said and downward flew from off the Beam For Day-light now began apace to spring The Thrush to whistle and the Lark to sing Then crowing clap'd his Wings th' appointed call To chuck his Wives together in the Hall By this the Widow had unbarr'd the Door And Chanticleer went strutting out before With Royal Courage and with Heart so light As shew'd he scorn'd the Visions of the Night Now roaming in the Yard he spurn'd the Ground And gave to Partlet the first Grain he found Then often feather'd her with wanton Play And trod her twenty times e'er prime of Day And took by turns and gave so much delight Her Sisters pin'd with Envy at the sight He chuck'd again when other Corns he found And scarcely deign'd to set a Foot to Ground But swagger'd like a Lord about his Hall And his sev'n Wives came running at his call 'T was now the Month in which the World began If March beheld the first created Man And since the vernal Equinox the Sun In Aries twelve Degrees or more had run When casting up his Eyes against the Light Both Month and Day and Hour he measur'd right And told more truly than th'Ephemeris For Art may err but Nature cannot miss Thus numb'ring Times and Seasons in his Breast His second crowing the third Hour confess'd Then turning said to Partlet See my Dear How lavish Nature has adorn'd the Year How the pale Primrose and blue Violet spring And Birds essay their Throats disus'd to sing All these are ours and I with pleasure see Man strutting on two Legs and aping me An unfledg'd Creature of a lumpish frame Indew'd with fewer Particles of Flame Our Dame fits couring o'er a Kitchin-fire I draw fresh Air and Nature's Works admire And ev'n this Day in more delight abound Than since I was an Egg I ever found The time shall come when Chanticleer shall wish His Words unsaid and hate his boasted Bliss The crested Bird shall by Experience know Iove made not him his Master-piece below And learn the latter end of Joy is Woe The Vessel of his Bliss to Dregs is run And Heav'n will have him tast his other Tun. Ye Wise draw near and hearken to my Tale Which proves that oft the Proud by Flatt'ry fall The Legend is as true I undertake As Tristram is and Launcelot of the Lake Which all our Ladies in such rev'rence hold As if in Book of Martyrs it were told A Fox full fraught with seeming Sanctity That fear'd an Oath but like the Devil would lie Who look'd like Lent and had the holy Leer And dust not sin before he say'd his Pray'r This pious Cheat that never suck'd the Blood Nor chaw'd the Flesh of Lambs but when he cou'd Had pass'd three Summers in the neighb'ring Wood And musing long whom next to circumvent On Chanticleer his wicked Fancy bent And in his high Imagination cast By Stratagem to gratify his Tast. The Plot contriv'd before the break of Day Saint Reynard through the Hedge had made his way The Pale was next but proudly with a bound He lept the Fence of the forbidden Ground Yet fearing to be seen within a Bed Of Colworts he conceal'd his wily Head There sculk'd till Afternoon and watch'd his time As Murd'rers use to perpetrare his Crime O Hypocrite ingenious to destroy O Traytor worse than Sinon was to Troy O vile Subverter of the Gallick Reign More false than Gana was to Charlemaign O Chanticleer in an unhappy Hour Did'st thou forsake the Safety of thy Bow'r Better for Thee thou had'st believ'd thy Dream And not that Day descended from the Beam But here the Doctors eagerly dispute Some hold Predestination absolute Some Clerks maintain that Heav'n at first foresees And in the virtue of Foresight decrees If this be so then Prescience binds the Will And Mortals are not free to Good or Ill For what he first foresaw he must ordain Or its eternal Prescience may be vain As bad for us as Prescience had not bin For first or last he 's Author of the Sin And who says that let the blaspheming Man Say worse ev'n of the Devil if he can For how can that Eternal Pow'r be just To punish Man who Sins because lie must Or how can He reward a vertuous Deed Which is not done by us but first decreed I cannot boult this Matter to the Bran As Bradwardin and holy Austin can If Prescience can determine Actions so That we must do because he did foreknow Or that foreknowing yet our choice is free Not forc'd to Sin by strict necessity This strict necessity they simple call Another sort there is conditional The first so binds the Will that Things foreknown By Spontaneity not Choice are done Thus Galley-Slaves tug willing at their Oar Consent to work in prospect of the Shore But wou'd not work at all if not constrain'd before That other does not Liberty constrain But Man may either act or may refrain Heav'n made us Agents free to Good or Ill And forc'd it not tho' he foresaw the Will Freedom was first bestow'd on human Race And Prescience only held the second place If he could make such Agents wholly free I not dispute the Point's too high for me For Heav'n's unfathom'd Pow'r what Man can sound Or put to his Omnipotence a Bound He made us to his Image all agree That Image is the Soul and that must be Or not the Maker's Image or be free But whether it were better Man had been By Nature bound to Good not free to Sin I wave for fear of splitting on a Rock The Tale I tell is only of a Cock Who had not run the hazard of his Life Had he believ'd his Dream and not his Wife For Women with a mischief to their Kind Pervert with bad Advice our better Mind A Woman's Counsel brought us first to Woe And made her Man his Paradice forego Where at Heart's ease he liv'd and might have bin As free from Sorrow as he was from Sin For what the Devil had their Sex to do
be persuaded to take the same with his If I had taken to the Church as he affirms but which was never in my Thoughts I should have had more Sense if not more Grace than to have turn'd my self out of my Benefice by writing Libels on my Parishioners But his Account of my Manners and my Principles are of a Piece with his Cavils and his Poetry And so I have done with him for ever As for the City Bard or Knight Physician I hear his Quarrel to me is that I was the Author of Absalom and Architophel which he thinks is a little hard on his Fanatique Patrons in London But I will deal the more civilly with his two Poems because nothing ill is to be spoken of the Dead And therefore Peace be to the Manes of his Arthurs I will only say that it was not for this Noble Knight that I drew the Plan of an Epick Poem on King Arthur in my Preface to the Translation of Iuvenal The Guardian Angels of Kingdoms were Machines too ponderous for him to manage and therefore he rejected them as Dares did the Whirl-bats of Eryx when they were thrown before him by Entellus Yet from that Preface he plainly took his Hint For he began immediately upon the Story though he had the Baseness not to acknowledge his Benefactor but in Head of it to traduce me in a Libel I shall say the less of Mr. Collier because in many Things he has tax'd me justly and I have pleaded Guilty to all Thoughts and Expressions of mine which can be truly argu'd of Obscenity Profaneness or Immorality and retract them If he be my Enemy let him triumph if he be my Friend as I have given him no Personal Occasion to be otherwise he will be glad of my Repentance It becomes me not to draw my Pen in the Defence of a bad Cause when I have so often drawn it for a good one Yet it were not difficult to prove that in many Places he has perverted my Meaning by his Glosles and interpreted my Words into Blasphemy and Baudry of which they were not guilty Besides that he is too much given to Horse-play in his Raillery and comes to Battel like a Dictatour from the Plough I will not say The Zeal of God s House has eaten him up but I am sure it has devour'd some Part of his Good Manners and Civility It might also be doubted whether it were altogether Zeal which prompted him to this rough manner of Proceeding perhaps it became not one of his Function to rake into the Rubbish of Ancient and Modern Plays a Divine might have employ'd his Pains to better purpose than in the Nastiness of Plautus and Aristophanes whose Examples as they excuse not me so it might be possibly suppos'd that he read them not without some Pleasure They who have written Commentaries on those Poets or on Horace Juvenal and Martial have explain'd some Vices which without their Interpretation had been unknown to Modern Times Neither has he judg'd impartially betwixt the former Age and us There is more Baudry in one Play of Fletcher's call'd The Custom of the Country than in all ours together Yet this has been often acted on the Stage in my remembrance Are the Times so much more reform'd now than they were Five and twenty Years ago If they are I congratulate the Amendment of our Morals But I am not to prejudice the Cause of my Fellow-Poets though I abandon my own Defence They have some of them answer'd for themselves and neither they nor I can think Mr. Collier so formidable an Enemy that we should shun him He has lost Ground at the latter end of the Day by pursuing his Point too far like the Prince of Condé at the Battel of Senneph From Immoral Plays to No Plays ab abusu ad usum non valet consequentia But being a Party I am not to erect my self into a Judge As for the rest of those who have written against me they are such Scoundrels that they deserve not the least Notice to be taken of them B and M are only distinguish'd from the Crowd by being remember'd to their Infamy Demetri Teque Tigelli Discipularum inter jubeo plorare cathedras TO HER GRACE THE DUTCHESS OF ORMOND With the following POEM of Palamon and Arcite FROM CHAUCER TO HER GRACE THE DUTCHESS OF ORMOND MADAM THe Bard who first adorn'd our Native Tongue Tun'd to his British Lyre this ancient Song Which Homer might without a Blush reherse And leaves a doubtful Palm in Virgil's Verse He match'd their Beauties where they most excell Of Love sung better and of Arms as well Vouchsafe Illustrious Ormond to behold What Pow'r the Charms of Beauty had of old Nor wonder if such Deeds of Arms were done Inspir'd by two fair Eyes that sparkled like your own If Chaucer by the best Idea wrought And Poets can divine each others Thought The fairest Nymph before his Eyes he set And then the fairest was Plantagenet Who three contending Princes made her Prize And rul'd the Rival-Nations with her Eyes Who left Immortal Trophies of her Fame And to the Noblest Order gave the Name Like Her of equal Kindred to the Throne You keep her Conquests and extend your own As when the Stars in their Etherial Race At length have roll'd around the Liquid Space At certain Periods they resume their Place From the same Point of Heav'n their Course advance And move in Measures of their former Dance Thus after length of Ages she returns Restor'd in you and the same Place adorns Or you perform her Office in the Sphere Born of her Blood and make a new Platonick Year O true Plantagenet O Race Divine For Beauty still is fatal to the Line Had Chaucer liv'd that Angel-Face to view Sure he had drawn his Emily from You Or had You liv'd to judge the doubtful Right Your Noble Palamon had been the Knight And Conqu'ring Theseus from his Side had sent Your Gen'rous Lord to guide the Theban Government Time shall accomplish that and I shall see A Palamon in Him in You an Emily Already have the Fates your Path prepar'd And sure Presage your future Sway declar'd When Westward like the Sun you took your Way And from benighted Britain bore the Day Blue Triton gave the Signal from the Shore The ready Nereids heard and swam before To smooth the Seas a soft Etesian Gale But just inspir'd and gently swell'd the Sail Portunus took his Turn whose ample Hand Heav'd up the lighten'd Keel and sunk the Sand And steer'd the sacred Vessel safe to Land The Land if not restrain'd had met Your Way Projected out a Neck and jutted to the Sea Hibernia prostrate at Your Feet ador'd In You the Pledge of her expected Lord Due to her Isle a venerable Name His Father and his Grandsire known to Fame Aw'd by that House accustom'd to command The sturdy Kerns in due Subjection stand Nor hear the Reins in any Foreign Hand At
Your Approach they crowded to the Port And scarcely Landed You create a Court As Ormond's Harbinger to You they run For Venus is the Promise of the Sun The Waste of Civil Wars their Towns destroy'd Pales unhonour'd Ceres unemploy'd Were all forgot and one Triumphant Day Wip d all the Tears of three Campaigns away Blood Rapines Massacres were cheaply bought So mighty Recompence Your Beauty brought As when the Dove returning bore the Mark Of Earth restor'd to the long-lab'ring Ark The Relicks of Mankind secure of Rest Op'd ev'ry Window to receive the Guest And the fair Bearer of the Message bless'd So when You came with loud repeated Cries The Nation took an Omen from your Eyes And God advanc'd his Rainbow in the Skies To sign inviolable Peace restor'd The Saints with solemn Shouts proclaim'd the new accord When at Your second Coming You appear For I foretell that Millenary Year The sharpen'd Share shall vex the Soil no more But Earth unbidden shall produce her Store The Land shall laugh the circling Ocean smile And Heav'ns Indulgence bless the Holy Isle Heav'n from all Ages has reserv'd for You That happy Clyme which Venom never knew Or if it had been there Your Eyes alone Have Pow'r to chase all Poyson but their own Now in this Interval which Fate has cast Betwixt Your Future Glories and Your Past This Pause of Pow'r 't is Irelands Hour to mourn While England celebrates Your safe Return By which You seem the Seasons to command And bring our Summers back to their forsaken Land The Vanquish'd Isle our Leisure must attend Till the Fair Blessing we vouchsafe to send Nor can we spare You long though often we may lend The Dove was twice employ'd abroad before The World was dry'd and she return'd no more Nor dare we trust so soft a Messenger New from her Sickness to that Northern Air Rest here a while Your Lustre to restore That they may fee You as You shone before For yet th' Eclipse not wholly past You wade Thro' some Remains and Dimness of a Shade A Subject in his Prince may claim a Right Nor suffer him with Strength impair'd to fight Till Force returns his Ardour we restrain And curb his Warlike Wish to cross the Main Now past the Danger let the Learn'd begin Th' Enquiry where Disease could enter in How those malignant Atoms forc'd their Way What in the faultless Frame they found to make their Prey Where ev'ry Element was weigh'd so well That Heav'n alone who mix'd the Mass could tell Which of the Four Ingredients could rebel And where imprison'd in so sweet a Cage A Soul might well be pleas'd to pass an Age. And yet the fine Materials made it weak Porcelain by being Pure is apt to break Ev'n to Your Breast the Sickness durst aspire And forc'd from that fair Temple to retire Profanely set the Holy Place on Fire In vain Your Lord like young Vespasian mourn'd When the fierce Flames the Sanctuary burn'd And I prepar'd to pay in Verses rude A most detested Act of Gratitude Ev'n this had been Your Elegy which now Is offer'd for Your Health the Table of my Vow Your Angel sure our Morley's Mind inspir'd To find the Remedy Your Ill requir'd As once the Macedon by Jove's Decree Was taught to dream an Herb for Ptolomee Or Heav'n which had such Over-cost bestow'd As scarce it could afford to Flesh and Blood So lik'd the Frame he would not work anew To save the Charges of another You. Or by his middle Science did he steer And saw some great contingent Good appear Well worth a Miracle to keep You here And for that End preserv'd the precious Mould Which all the future Ormonds was to hold And meditated in his better Mind An Heir from You who may redeem the failing Kind Bless'd be the Pow'r which has at once restor'd The Hopes of lost Succession to Your Lord Joy to the first and last of each Degree Vertue to Courts and what I long'd to see To You the Graces and the Muse to me O Daughter of the Rose whose Cheeks unite The diff'ring Titles of the Red and White Who Heav'ns alternate Beauty well display The Blush of Morning and the Milky Way Whose Face is Paradise but fenc'd from Sin For God in either Eye has plac'd a Cherubin All is Your Lord 's alone ev'n absent He Employs the Care of Chast Penelope For him You waste in Tears Your Widow'd Hours For him Your curious Needle paints rhe Flow'rs Such Works of Old Imperial Dames were taught Such for Ascanius fair Elisa wrought The soft Recesses of Your Hours improve The Three fair Pledges of Your Happy Love All other Parts of Pious Duty done You owe Your Ormond nothing but a Son To fill in future Times his Father's Place And wear the Garter of his Mother's Race PALAMON AND ARCITE OR The Knight's Tale FROM CHAUCER In Three Books PALAMON AND ARCITE OR The Knight's Tale. In Three Books BOOK 1. IN Days of old there liv'd of mighty Fame A valiant Prince and Theseus was his Name A Chief who more in Feats of Arms excell'd The Rising nor the Setting Sun beheld Of Athens he was Lord much Land he won And added Foreign Countrys to his Crown In Scythia with the Warriour Queen he strove Whom first by Force he conquer'd then by Love He brought in Triumph back the beauteous Dame With whom her Sister fair Emilia came With Honour to his Home let Theseus ride With Love to Friend and Fortune for his Guide And his victorious Army at his Side I pass their warlike Pomp their proud Array Their Shouts their Songs their Welcome on the Way But were it not too long I would recite The Feats of Amazons the fatal Fight Betwixt the hardy Queen and Heroe Knight The Town besieg'd and how much Blood it cost The Female Army and th' Athenian Host The Spousals of Hippolita the Queen What Tilts and Turneys at the Feast were seen The Storm at their Return the Ladies Fear But these and other Things I must forbear The Field is spacious I design to sow With Oxen far unfit to draw the Plow The Remnant of my Tale is of a length To tire your Patience and to waste my Strength And trivial Accidents shall be forborn That others may have time to take their Turn As was at first enjoin'd us by mine Host That he whose Tale is best and pleases most Should win his Supper at our common Cost And therefore where I left I will pursue This ancient Story whether false or true In hope it may be mended with a new The Prince I mention'd full of high Renown In this Array drew near th' Athenian Town When in his Pomp and utmost of his Pride Marching he chanc'd to cast his Eye aside And saw a Quire of mourning Dames who lay By Two and Two across the common Way At his Approach they rais'd a rueful Cry And beat their Breasts and held their Hands on high
mortal Hate his Rival view'd Now Friends no more nor walking Hand in Hand But when they met they made a surly Stand And glar'd like angry Lions as they pass'd And wish'd that ev'ry Look might be their last It chanc'd at length Perithous came t' attend This worthy Theseus his familiar Friend Their Love in early Infancy began And rose as Childhood ripen'd into Man Companions of the War and lov'd so well That when one dy'd as ancient Stories tell His Fellow to redeem him went to Hell But to pursue my Tale to welcome home His Warlike Brother is Perithous come Arcite of Thebes was known in Arms long since And honour'd by this young Thessalian Prince Theseus to gratifie his Friend and Guest Who made our Arcite's Freedom his Request Restor'd to Liberty the Captive Knight But on these hard Conditions I recite That if hereafter Arcite shou'd be found Within the Compass of Athenian Ground By Day or Night or on whate'er Pretence His Head shou'd pay the Forfeit of th' Offence To this Perithous for his Friend agreed And on his Promise was the Pris'ner freed Unpleas'd and pensive hence he takes his way At his own Peril for his Life must pay Who now but Arcite mourns his bitter Fate Finds his dear Purchase and repents too late What have I gain'd he said in Prison pent If I but change my Bonds for Banishment And banish'd from her Sight I suffer more In Freedom than I felt in Bonds before Forc'd from her Presence and condemn'd to live Unwelcom Freedom and unthank'd Reprieve Heav'n is not but where Emily abides And where she 's absent all is Hell besides Next to my Day of Birth was that accurst Which bound my Friendship to Perithous first Had I not known that Prince I still had been In Bondage and had still Emilia seen For tho' I never can her Grace deserve 'T is Recompence enough to see and serve O Palamon my Kinsman and my Friend How much more happy Fates thy Love attend Thine is th' Adventure thine the Victory Well has thy Fortune turn'd the Dice for thee Thou on that Angels Face maist feed thy Eyes In Prison no but blissful Paradise Thou daily seest that Sun of Beauty shine And lov'st at least in Loves extreamest Line I mourn in Absence Loves Eternal Night And who can tell but since thou hast her Sight And art a comely young and valiant Knight Fortune a various Pow'r may cease to frown And by some Ways unknown thy Wishes crown But I the most forlorn of Humane Kind Nor Help can hope nor Remedy can find But doom'd to drag my loathsom Life in Care For my Reward must end it in Despair Fire Water Air and Earth and Force of Fates That governs all and Heav'n that all creates Nor Art nor Natures Hand can ease my Grief Nothing but Death the Wretches last Relief Then farewel Youth and all the Joys that dwell With Youth and Life and Life it self farewell But why alas do mortal Men in vain Of Fortune Fate or Providence complain God gives us what he knows our Wants require And better Things than those which we desire Some pray for Riches Riches they obtain But watch'd by Robbers for their Wealth are slain Some pray from Prison to be freed and come When guilty of their Vows to fall at home Murder'd by those they trusted with their Life A favour'd Servant or a Bosom Wife Such dear-bought Blessings happen ev'ry Day Because we know not for what Things to pray Like drunken Sots about the Streets we roam Well knows the Sot he has a certain Home Yet knows not how to find th' uncertain Place And blunders on and staggers ev'ry Pace Thus all seek Happiness but few can find For far the greater Part of Men are blind This is my Case who thought our utmost Good Was in one Word of Freedom understood The fatal Blessing came From Prison free I starve abroad and lose the Sight of Emily Thus Arcite but if Arcite thus deplore His Suff'rings Palamon yet suffers more For when he knew his Rival freed and gone He swells with Wrath he makes outrageous Moan He frets he fumes he stares he stamps the Ground The hollow Tow'r with Clamours rings around With briny Tears he bath'd his fetter'd Feet And dropp'd all o'er with Agony of Sweat Alas he cry'd I Wretch in Prison pine Too happy Rival while the Fruit is thine Thou liv'st at large thou draw'st thy Native Air Pleas'd with thy Freedom proud of my Despair Thou may'st since thou hast Youth and Courage join'd A sweet Behaviour and a solid Mind Assemble ours and all the Theban Race To vindicate on Athens thy Disgrace And after by some Treaty made possess Fair Emily the Pledge of lasting Peace So thine shall be the beauteous Prize while I Must languish in Despair in Prison die Thus all th' Advantage of the Strife is thine Thy Portion double Joys and double Sorrows mine The Rage of Jealousie then fir'd his Soul And his Face kindl'd like a burning Coal Now cold Despair succeeding in her stead To livid Paleness turns the glowing Red. His Blood scarce Liquid creeps within his Veins Like Water which the freezing Wind constrains Then thus he said Eternal Deities Who rule the World with absolute Decrees And write whatever Time shall bring to pass With Pens of Adamant on Plates of Brass What is the Race of Humane Kind your Care Beyond what all his Fellow-Creatures are He with the rest is liable to Pain And like the Sheep his Brother-Beast is slain Cold Hunger Prisons Ills without a Cure All these he must and guiltless oft endure Or does your Justice Pow'r or Prescience fail When the Good suffer and the Bad prevail What worse to wretched Vertue could befall If Fate or giddy Fortune govern'd all Nay worse than other Beasts is our Estate Them to pursue their Pleasures you create We bound by harder Laws must curb our Will And your Commands not our Desires fulfil Then when the Creature is unjustly slain Yet after Death at least he feels no Pain But Man in Life surcharg'd with Woe before Not freed when dead is doom'd to suffer more A Serpent shoots his Sting at unaware An ambush'd Thief forelays a Traveller The Man lies murder'd while the Thief and Snake One gains the Thickets and one thrids the Brake This let Divines decide but well I know Just or unjust I have my Share of Woe Through Saturn seated in a luckless Place And Juno's Wrath that persecutes my Race Or Mars and Venus in a Quartil move My Pangs of Jealousie for Arcite's Love Let Palamon oppress'd in Bondage mourn While to his exil'd Rival we return By this the Sun declining from his Height The Day had shortned to prolong the Night The lengthen'd Night gave length of Misery Both to the Captive Lover and the Free For Palamon in endless Prison mourns And Arcite forfeits Life if he returns The Banish'd never hopes his Love to see Nor hopes
their Diff'rence to decide The Pow'r that ministers to God's Decrees And executes on Earth what Heav'n foresees Call'd Providence or Chance or fatal Sway Comes with resistless Force and finds or makes her Way Nor Kings nor Nations nor united Pow'r One Moment can retard th' appointed Hour And some one Day some wondrous Chance appears Which happen'd not in Centuries of Years For sure whate'er we Mortals hate or love Or hope or fear depends on Pow'rs above They move our Appetites to Good or Ill And by Foresight necessitate the Will In Theseus this appears whose youthful Joy Was Beasts of Chase in Forests to destroy This gentle Knight inspir'd by jolly May Forsook his easie Couch at early Day And to the Wood and Wilds pursu'd his Way Beside him rode Hippolita the Queen And Emily attir'd in lively Green With Horns and Hounds and all the tuneful Cry To hunt a Royal Hart within the Covert nigh And as he follow'd Mars before so now He serves the Goddess of the Silver Bow The Way that Theseus took was to the Wood Where the two Knights in cruel Battel stood The Laund on which they fought th' appointed Place In which th' uncoupl'd Hounds began the Chace Thither forth-right he rode to rowse the Prey That shaded by the Fern in Harbour lay And thence dislodg'd was wont to leave the Wood For open Fields and cross the Crystal Flood Approach'd and looking underneath the Sun He saw proud Arcite and fierce Palamon In mortal Battel doubling Blow on Blow Like Lightning flam'd their Fauchions to and fro And shot a dreadful Gleam so strong they strook There seem'd less Force requir'd to fell an Oak He gaz'd with Wonder on their equal Might Look'd eager on but knew not either Knight Resolv'd to learn he spurr'd his fiery Steed With goring Rowels to provoke his Speed The Minute ended that began the Race So soon he was betwixt 'em on the Place And with his Sword unsheath'd on pain of Life Commands both Combatants to cease their Strife Then with imperious Tone pursues his Threat What are you Why in Arms together met How dares your Pride presume against my Laws As in a listed Field to fight your Cause Unask'd the Royal Grant no Marshal by As Knightly Rites require nor Judge to try Then Palamon with scarce recover'd Breath Thus hasty spoke We both deserve the Death And both wou'd die for look the World around A Pair so wretched is not to be found Our Life 's a Load encumber'd with the Charge We long to set th' imprison'd Soul at large Now as thou art a Sovereign Judge decree The rightful Doom of Death to him and me Let neither find thy Grace for Grace is Cruelty Me first O kill me first and cure my Woe Then sheath the Sword of Justice on my Foe Or kill him first for when his Name is heard He foremost will receive his due Reward Arcite of Thebes is he thy mortal Foe On whom thy Grace did Liberty bestow But first contracted that if ever found By Day or Night upon th' Athenian Ground His Head should pay the Forfeit See return'd The perjur'd Knight his Oath and Honour scorn'd For this is he who with a borrow'd Name And profer'd Service to thy Palace came Now call'd Philostratus retain'd by thee A Traytor trusted and in high Degree Aspiring to the Bed of beauteous Emily My Part remains From Thebes my Birth I own And call my self th' unhappy Palamon Think me not like that Man since no Disgrace Can force me to renounce the Honour of my Race Know me for what I am I broke thy Chain Nor promis'd I thy Pris'ner to remain The Love of Liberty with Life is giv'n And Life it self th' inferiour Gift of Heaven Thus without Crime I fled but farther know I with this Arcite am thy mortal Foe Then give me Death since I thy Life pursue For Safeguard of thy self Death is my Due More would'st thou know I love bright Emily And for her Sake and in her Sight will die But kill my Rival too for he no less Deserves and I thy righteous Doom will bless Assur'd that what I lose he never shall possess To this reply'd the stern Athenian Prince And sow'rly smild In owning your Offence You judge your self and I but keep Record In place of Law while you pronounce the Word Take your Desert the Death you have decreed I seal your Doom and ratifie the Deed. By Mars the Patron of my Arms you die He said dumb Sorrow seiz'd the Standers by The Queen above the rest by Nature Good The Pattern form'd of perfect Womanhood For tender Pity wept When she began Through the bright Quire th' infectious Vertue ran All dropp'd their Tears ev'n the contended Maid And thus among themselves they softly said What Eyes can suffer this unworthy Sight Two Youths of Royal Blood renown'd in Fight The Mastership of Heav'n in Face and Mind And Lovers far beyond their faithless Kind See their wide streaming Wounds they neither came From Pride of Empire nor desire of Fame Kings fight for Kingdoms Madmen for Applause But love for Love alone that crowns the Lover's Cause This Thought which ever bribes the beauteous Kind Such Pity wrought in ev'ry Ladies Mind They left their Steeds and prostrate on the Place From the fierce King implor'd th' Offenders Grace He paus'd a while stood silent in his Mood For yet his Rage was boiling in his Blood But soon his tender Mind th' Impression felt As softest Metals are not slow to melt And Pity soonest runs in gentle Minds Then reasons with himself and first he finds His Passion cast a Mist before his Sense And either made or magnifi'd th' Offence Offence of what to whom Who judg'd the Cause The Pris'ner freed himself by Natures Laws Born free he sought his Right The Man he freed Was perjur'd but his Love excus'd the Deed Thus pond'ring he look'd under with his Eyes And saw the Womens Tears and heard their Cries Which mov'd Compassion more He shook his Head And softly sighing to himself he said Curse on th' unpard'ning Prince whom Tears can draw To no Remorse who rules by Lions Law And deaf to Pray'rs by no Submission bow'd Rends all alike the Penitent and Proud At this with Look serene he rais'd his Head Reason resum'd her Place and Passion fled Then thus aloud he spoke The Pow'r of Love In Earth and Seas and Air and Heav'n above Rules unresisted with an awful Nod By daily Miracles declar'd a God He blinds the Wise gives Eye-sight to the Blind And moulds and stamps anew the Lover's Mind Behold that Arcite and this Palamon Freed from my Fetters and in Safety gone What hinder'd either in their Native Soil At ease to reap the Harvest of their Toil But Love their Lord did otherwise ordain And brought 'em in then own despite again To suffer Death deserv'd for well they know 'T is in my Pow'r and I their deadly Foe The Proverb
his Pillow rais'd he thus begun No Language can express the smallest part Of what I feel and suffer in my Heart For you whom best I love and value most But to your Service I bequeath my Ghost Which from this mortal Body when unty'd Unseen unheard shall hover at your Side Nor fright you waking nor your Sleep offend But wait officious and your Steps attend How I have lov'd excuse my faltring Tongue My Spirits feeble and my Pains are strong This I may say I only grieve to die Because I lose my charming Emily To die when Heav'n had put you in my Pow'r Fate could not chuse a more malicious Hour What greater Curse cou'd envious Fortune give Than just to die when I began to live Vain Men how vanishing a Bliss we crave Now warm in Love now with'ring in the Grave Never O never more to see the Sun Still dark in a damp Vault and still alone This Fate is common but I lose my Breath Near Bliss and yet not bless'd before my Death Farewell but take me dying in your Arms 'T is all I can enjoy of all your Charms This Hand I cannot but in Death resign Ah could I live But while I live 't is mine I feel my End approach and thus embrac'd Am pleas'd to die but hear me speak my last Ah! my sweet Foe for you and you alone I broke my Faith with injur'd Palamon But Love the Sense of Right and Wrong confounds Strong Love and proud Ambition have no Bounds And much I doubt shou'd Heav'n my Life prolong I shou'd return to justifie my Wrong For while my former Flames remain within Repentance is but want of Pow'r to sin With mortal Hatred I pursu'd his Life Nor he nor you were guilty of the Strife Nor I but as I lov'd Yet all combin'd Your Beauty and my Impotence of Mind And his concurrent Flame that blew my Fire For still our Kindred Souls had one Desire He had a Moments Right in point of Time Had I seen first then his had been the Crime Fate made it mine and justified his Right Nor holds this Earth a more deserving Knight For Vertue Valour and for Noble Blood Truth Honour all that is compriz'd in Good So help me Heav'n in all the World is none So worthy to be lov'd as Palamon He loves you too with such a holy Fire As will not cannot but with Life expire Our vow'd Affections both have often try'd Nor any Love but yours cou'd ours divide Then by my Loves inviolable Band By my long Suff'ring and my short Command If e'er you plight your Vows when I am gone Have pity on the faithful Palamon This was his last for Death came on amain And exercis'd below his Iron Reign Then upward to the Seat of Life he goes Sense fled before him what he touch'd he froze Yet cou'd he not his closing Eyes withdraw Though less and less of Emily he saw So speechless for a little space he lay Then grasp'd the Hand he held and sigh'd his Soul away But whither went his Soul let such relate Who search the Secrets of the future State Divines can say but what themselves believe Strong Proofs they have but not demonstrative For were all plain then all Sides must agree And Faith it self be lost in Certainty To live uprightly then is sure the best To save our selves and not to damn the rest The Soul of Arcite went where Heathens go Who better live than we though less they know In Palamon a manly Grief appears Silent he wept asham'd to shew his Tears Emilia shriek'd but once and then oppress'd With Sorrow sunk upon her Lovers Breast Till Theseus in his Arms convey'd with Care Far from so sad a Sight the swooning Fair. 'T were loss of Time her Sorrow to relate Ill bears the Sex a youthful Lover's Fate When just approaching to the Nuptial State But like a low-hung Cloud it rains so fast That all at once it falls and cannot last The Face of Things is chang'd and Athens now That laugh'd so late becomes the Scene of Woe Matrons and Maids both Sexes ev'ry State With Tears lament the Knight's untimely Fate Not greater Grief in falling Troy was seen For Hector's Death but Hector was not then Old Men with Dust deform'd their hoary Hair The Women beat their Breasts their Cheeks they tear Why would'st thou go with one Consent they cry When thou hadst Gold enough and Emily Theseus himself who shou'd have cheer'd the Grief Of others wanted now the same Relief Old Egeus only could revive his Son Who various Changes of the World had known And strange Vicissitudes of Humane Fate Still alt'ring never in a steady State Good after Ill and after Pain Delight Alternate like the Scenes of Day and Night Since ev'ry Man who lives is born to die And none can boast sincere Felicity With equal Mind what happens let us bear Nor joy nor grieve too much for Things beyond our Care Like Pilgrims to th' appointed Place we tend The World 's an Inn and Death the Journeys End Ev'n Kings but play and when their Part is done Some other worse or better mount the Throne With Words like these the Crowd was satisfi'd And so they would have been had Theseus dy'd But he their King was lab'ring in his Mind A fitting Place for Fun'ral Pomps to find Which were in Honour of the Dead design'd And after long Debate at last he found As Love it self had mark'd the Spot of Ground That Grove for ever green that conscious Lawnd Where he with Palamon fought Hand to Hand That where he fed his amorous Desires With soft Complaints and felt his hottest Fires There other Flames might waste his Earthly Part And burn his Limbs where Love had burn'd his Heart This once resolv'd the Peasants were enjoin'd Sere Wood and Firs and dodder'd Oaks to find With sounding Axes to the Grove they go Fell split and lay the Fewel on a Row Vulcanian Food A Bier is next prepar'd On which the lifeless Body should be rear'd Cover'd with Cloth of Gold on which was laid The Corps of Arcite in like Robes array'd White Gloves were on his Hands and on his Head A Wreath of Laurel mix'd with Myrtle spread A Sword keen-edg'd within his Right he held The warlike Emblem of the conquer'd Field Bare was his manly Visage on the Bier Menac'd his Count'nance ev'n in Death severe Then to the Palace-Hall they bore the Knight To lie in solemn State a Publick Sight Groans Cries and Howlings fill the crowded Place And unaffected Sorrow sat on ev'ry Face Sad Palamon above the rest appears In Sable Garments dew'd with gushing Tears His Aubourn Locks on either Shoulder flow'd Which to the Fun'ral of his Friend he vow'd But Emily as Chief was next his Side A Virgin-Widow and a Mourning Bride And that the Princely Obsequies might be Perform'd according to his high Degree The Steed that bore him living to the Fight Was trapp'd with polish'd
but by Sighs and offer'd vain Relief At length her Stock of Tears already shed She wip'd her Eyes she rais'd her drooping Head And thus pursu'd O ever faithful Heart I have perform'd the Ceremonial Part The Decencies of Grief It rests behind That as our Bodies were our Souls be join'd To thy whate'er abode my Shade convey And as an elder Ghost direct the way She said and bad the Vial to be brought Where she before had brew'd the deadly Draught First pouring out the med'cinable Bane The Heart her Tears had rins'd she bath'd again Then down her Throat the Death securely throws And quaffs a long Oblivion of her Woes This done she mounts the Genial Bed and there Her Body first compos'd with honest Care Attends the welcom Rest Her Hands yet hold Close to her Heart the Monumental Gold Nor farther Word she spoke but clos'd her Sight And quiet sought the Govert of the Night The Damsels who the while in Silence mourn'd Not knowing nor suspecting Death suborn'd Yet as their Duty was to Tancred sent Who conscious of th' Occasion fear'd th' Event Alarm'd and with presaging Heart he came And drew the Curtains and expos'd the Dame To loathsom Light then with a late Relief Made vain Efforts to mitigate her Grief She what she could excluding Day her Eyes Kept firmly seal'd and sternly thus replies Tancred restrain thy Tears unsought by me And Sorrow unavailing now to thee Did ever Man before afflict his Mind To see th' Effect of what himself design'd Yet if thou hast remaining in thy Heart Some Sense of Love some unextinguish'd Part Of former Kindness largely once profess'd Let me by that adjure thy harden'd Breast Not to deny thy Daughters last Request The secret Love which I so long enjoy'd And still conceal'd to gratifie thy Pride Thou hast disjoin'd but with my dying Breath Seek not I beg thee to disjoin our Death Where-e'er his Corps by thy Command is laid Thither let mine in publick be convey'd Expos'd in open View and Side by Side Acknowledg'd as a Bridegroom and a Bride The Prince's Anguish hinder'd his Reply And she who felt her Fate approaching nigh Seiz'd the cold Heart and heaving to her Breast Here precious Pledge she said securely rest These Accents were her last the creeping Death Benum'd her Senses first then stopp'd her Breath Thus she for Disobedience justly dy'd The Sire was justly punish'd for his Pride The Youth least guilty suffer'd for th' Offence Of Duty violated to his Prince Who late repenting of his cruel Deed One common Sepulcher for both decreed Intomb'd the wretched Pair in Royal State And on their Monument inscrib'd their Fate BAUCIS AND PHILEMON Out of the Eighth Book OF OVID'S Metamorphoses BAUCIS AND PHILEMON Out of the Eighth Book of OVID's METAMORPHOSES The Author pursuing the Deeds of Theseus relates how He with his Friend Perithous were invited by Achelous the River-God to stay with him till his Waters were abated Achelous entertains them with a Relation of his own Love to Perimele who was chang'd into an Island by Neptune at his Request Perithous being an Atheist derides the Legend and denies the Power of the Gods to work that Miracle Lelex another Companion of Theseus to constrm the Story of Achelous relates another Metamorphosis of Baucis and Philemon into Trees of which he was partly an Eye-witness THus Achelous ends His Audience hear With admiration and admiring fear The Pow'rs of Heav'n except Ixion's Son Who laugh'd at all the Gods believ'd in none He shook his impious Head and thus replies These Legends are no more than pious Lies You attribute too much to Heavenly Sway To think they give us Forms and take away The rest of better Minds their Sense declar'd Against this Doctrine and with Horrour heard Then Lelex rose an old experienc'd Man And thus with sober Gravity began Heav'ns Pow'r is Infinite Earth Air and Sea The Manufacture Mass the making Pow'r obey By Proof to clear your Doubt In Phrygian Ground Two neighb'ring Trees with Walls encompass'd round Stand on a mod'rate Rise with wonder shown One a hard Oak a softer Linden one I saw the Place and them by Pittheus sent To Phrygian Realms my Grandsire's Government Not far from thence is seen a Lake the Haunt Of Coots and of the fishing Cormorant Here Jove with Hermes came but in Disguise Of mortal Men conceal'd their Deities One laid aside his Thunder one his Rod And many toilsom Steps together trod For Harbour at a thousand Doors they knock'd Not one of all the thousand but was lock'd At last an hospitable House they found A homely Shed the Roof not far from Ground Was thatch'd with Reeds and Straw together bound There Baucis and Philemon liv'd and there Had liv'd long marry'd and a happy Pair Now old in Love though little was their Store Inur'd to Want their Poverty they bore Nor aim'd at Wealth professing to be poor For Master or for Servant here to call Was all alike where only Two were All. Command was none where equal Love was paid Or rather both commanded both obey'd From lofty Roofs the Gods repuls'd before Now stooping enter'd through the little Door The Man their hearty Welcome first express'd A common Settle drew for either Guest Inviting each his weary Limbs to rest But e'er they sat officious Baucis lays Two Cushions stuff'd with Straw the Seat to raise Course but the best she had then rakes the Load Of Ashes from the Hearth and spreads abroad The living Coals and lest they shou'd expire With Leaves and Barks she feeds her Infant-fire It smoaks and then with trembling Breath she blows Till in a chearful Blaze the Flames arose With Brush-wood and with Chips she strengthens these And adds at last the Boughs of rotten Trees The Fire thus form'd she sets the Kettle on Like burnish'd Gold the little Seether shone Next took the Coleworts which her Husband got From his own Ground a small well-water'd Spot She stripp'd the Stalks of all their Leaves the best She cull'd and then with handy-care she dress'd High o'er the Hearth a Chine of Bacon hung Good old Philemon seiz'd it with a Prong And from the sooty Rafter drew it down Then cut a Slice but scarce enough for one Yet a large Portion of a little Store Which for their Sakes alone he wish'd were more This in the Pot he plung'd without delay To tame the Flesh and drain the Salt away The Time between before the Fire they sat And shorten'd the Delay by pleasing Chat. A Beam there was on which a Beechen Pail Hung by the Handle on a driven Nail This fill'd with Water gently warm'd they set Before their Guests in this they bath'd their Feet And after with clean Towels dry'd their Sweat This done the Host produc'd the genial Bed Sallow the Feet the Borders and the Sted Which with no costly Coverlet they spread But course old Garments yet such Robes as these They laid alone at
And short and full of Sorrow are thy Days For what remains to Heav'n I will ascend And at the Thund'rer's Throne thy Suit commend 'Till then secure in Ships abstain from Fight Indulge thy Grief in Tears and vent thy Spight For yesterday the Court of Heav'n with Jove Remov'd 'T is dead Vacation now above Twelve Days the Gods their solemn Revels keep And quaff with blameless Ethiops in the Deep Return'd from thence to Heav'n my Flight I take Knock at the brazen Gates and Providence awake Embrace his Knees and suppliant to the Sire Doubt not I will obtain the grant of thy desire She said And parting left him on the place Swoln with Disdain resenting his Disgrace Revengeful Thoughts revolving in his Mind He wept for Anger and for Love he pin'd Mean time with prosperous Gales Ulysses brought The Slave and Ship with Sacrifices fraught To Chrysa's Port Where entring with the Tide He drop'd his Anchors and his Oars he ply'd Furl'd every Sail and drawing down the Mast His Vessel moor'd and made with Haulsers fast Descending on the Plain ashore they bring The Hecatomb to please the shooter King The Dame before an Altars holy Fire Ulysses led and thus bespoke her Sire Reverenc'd be thou and be thy God ador'd The King of Men thy Daughter has restor'd And sent by me with Presents and with Pray'r He recommends him to thy pious Care That Phoebus at thy Sute his Wrath may cease And give the penitent Offenders Peace He said and gave her to her Father's Hands Who glad receiv'd her free from servile Bands This done in Order they with sober Grace Their Gifts around the well-built Altar place Then wash'd and took the Cakes while Chryses stood With Hands upheld and thus invok'd his God God of the Silver Bow whose Eyes survey The sacred Cilla thou whose awful Sway Chrysa the bless'd and Tenedos obey Now hear as thou before my Pray'r hast heard Against the Grecians and their Prince preferr'd Once thou hast honour'd honour once again Thy Priest nor let his second Vows be vain But from th' afflicted Host and humbled Prince Avert thy Wrath and cease thy Pestilence Apollo heard and conquering his Disdain Unbent his Bow and Greece respir'd again Now when the solemn Rites of Pray'r were past Their salted Cakes on crackling Flames they cast Then turning back the Sacrifice they sped The fatted Oxen slew and flea'd the Dead Chop'd off their nervous Thighs and next prepar'd T' involve the lean in Cauls and mend with Lard Sweet-breads and Collops were with Skewers prick'd About the Sides inbibing what they deck'd The Priest with holy Hands was seen to tine The cloven Wood and pour the ruddy Wine The Youth approach'd the Fire and as it burn'd On five sharp Broachers rank'd the Roast they turn'd These Morsels stay'd their Stomachs then the rest They cut in Legs and Fillets for the Feast Which drawn and serv'd their Hunger they appease With sav'ry Meat and set their Minds at ease Now when the rage of Eating was repell'd The Boys with generous Wine the Goblets fill'd The first Libations to the Gods they pour And then with Songs indulge the Genial Hour Holy Debauch Till Day to Night they bring With Hymns and Paeans to the Bowyer King At Sun-set to their Ship they make return And snore secure on Decks till rosy Morn The Skies with dawning Day were purpled o'er Awak'd with lab'ring Oars they leave the Shore The Pow'r appeas'd with Winds suffic'd the Sail The bellying Canvass strutted with the Gale The Waves indignant roar with surly Pride And press against the Sides and beaten off divide They cut the foamy way with Force impell'd Superiour till the Trojan Port they held Then hauling on the Strand their Gally Moor And pitch their Tents along the crooked Shore Mean time the Goddess-born in secret pin'd Nor visited the Camp nor in the Council join'd But keeping close his gnawing Heart he fed With hopes of Vengeance on the Tyrant's Head And wish'd sor bloody Wars and mortal Wounds And of the Greeks oppress'd in Fight to hear the dying Sounds Now when twelve Days compleat had run their Race The Gods bethought them of the Cares belonging to their place Jove at their Head ascending from the Sea A shoal of puny Pow'rs attend his way Then Thetis not unmindful of her Son Emerging from the Deep to beg her Boon Pursu'd their Track and waken'd from his rest Before the Soveraign stood a Morning Guest Him in the Circle but apart she found The rest at awful distance stood around She bow'd and e'er she durst her Sute begin One Hand embrac'd his Knees one prop'd his Chin. Then thus If I Celestial Sire in aught Have serv'd thy Will or gratify'd thy Thought One glimpse of Glory to my Issue give Grac'd for the little time he has to live Dishonour'd by the King of Men he stands His rightful Prize is ravish'd from his Hands But thou O Father in my Son's Defence Assume thy Pow'r assert thy Providence Let Troy prevail till Greece th' Affront has paid With doubled Honours and redeem'd his Aid She ceas'd but the consid'ring God was mute 'Till she resolv'd to win renew'd her Sute Nor loos'd her Hold but forc'd him to reply Or grant me my Petition or deny Jove cannot fear Then tell me to my Face That I of all the Gods am least in grace This I can bear The Cloud-Compeller mourn'd And sighing first this Answer he return'd Know'st thou what Clamors will disturb my Reign What my stun'd Ears from Juno must sustain In Council she gives Licence to her Tongue Loquacious Brawling ever in the wrong And now she will my partial Pow'r upbraid If alienate from Greece I give the Trojans Aid But thou depart and shun her jealous Sight The Care be mine to do Pelides right Go then and on the Faith of Jove rely When nodding to thy Sute he bows the Sky This ratifies th' irrevocable Doom The Sign ordain'd that what I will shall come The Stamp of Heav'n and Seal of Fate He said And shook the sacred Honours of his Head With Terror trembled Heav'ns subsiding Hill And from his shaken Curls Ambrosial Dews distil The Goddess goes exulting from his Sight And seeks the Seas profound and leaves the Realms of Light He moves into his Hall The Pow'rs resort Each from his House to fill the Soveraign's Court. Nor waiting Summons nor expecting stood But met with Reverence and receiv'd the God He mounts the Throne and Juno took her place But sullen Discontent sate lowring on her Face With jealous Eyes at distance she had seen Whisp'ring with Jove the Silver-footed Queen Then impotent of Tongue her Silence broke Thus turbulent in rattling Tone she spoke Author of Ills and close Contriver Jove Which of thy Dames what Prostitute of Love Has held thy Ear so long and begg'd so hard For some old Service done some new Reward Apart you talk'd for that 's your special care The Consort
the dawning Day arise Take to the Western Gate thy ready way For by that Passage they my Corps convey My Corpse is in a Tumbril laid among The Filth and Ordure and enclos'd with Dung That Cart arrest and raise a common Cry For sacred hunger of my Gold I die Then shew'd his grisly Wounds and last he drew A piteous Sigh and took a long Adieu The frighted Friend arose by break of Day And found the Stall where late his Fellow lay Then of his impious Host enquiring more Was answer'd that his Guest was gone before Muttring he went said he by Morning-light And much complain'd of his ill Rest by Night This rais'd Suspicion in the Pilgrim's Mind Because all Hosts are of an evil Kind And oft to share the Spoil with Robbers join'd His Dream confirm'd his Thought with troubled Look Straight to the Western-Gate his way he took There as his Dream foretold a Cart he found That carry'd Composs forth to dung the Ground This when the Pilgrim saw he stretch'd his Throat And cry'd out Murther with a yelling Note My murther'd Fellow in this Cart lies dead Vengeance and Justice on the Villain 's Head You Magistrates who sacred Laws dispense On you I call to punish this Offence The Word thus giv'n within a little space The Mob came roaring out 〈◊〉 throng'd the Place All in a trice they cast the Cart to Ground And in the Dung the murther'd Body bound Though breathless warm and reeking from the Wound Good Heav'n whose darling Attribute we find Is boundless Grace and Mercy to Mankind Abhors the Cruel and the Deeds of Night By wond'rous Ways reveals in open Light Murther may pass unpunished for a time But tardy Justice will o'ertake the Crime And oft a speedier Pain the Guilty feels The Hue and Cry of Heav'n pursues him at the Heels Fresh from the Fact as in the present Case The Criminals are seiz'd upon the Place Carter and Host confronted Face to Face Stiff in denial as the Law appoints On Engins they distend their tortur'd Joints So was Confession forc'd th' Offence was known And publick Justice on th' Offenders done Here may you see that Visions are to dread And in the Page that follows this I read Of two young Merchants whom the hope of Gain Induc'd in Partnership to cross the Main Waiting till willing Winds their Sails supply'd Within a Trading-Town they long abide Full fairly situate on a Haven's side One Evening it befel that looking out The Wind they long had 〈◊〉 was borne about Well pleas'd they went to Rest and if the Gale 'Till Morn continu'd both resolv'd to fail But as together in a Bed they lay The younger had a Dream at break of Day A Man he thought stood frowning at his side Who warn'd him for his Safety to provide Not put to Sea but safe on Shore abide I come thy Genius to command thy stay Trust not the Winds for fatal is the Day And Death unhop'd attends the watry way The Vision said And vanish'd from his sight The Dreamer waken'd in a mortal Fright Then pull'd his drowzy Neighbour and declar'd What in his Slumber he had seen and heard His Friend smil'd scornful and with proud contempt Rejects as idle what his Fellow dreamt Stay who will stay For me no Fears restrain Who follow Mercury the God of Gain Let each Man do as to his Fancy seems I wait not I till you have better Dreams Dreams are but Interludes which Fancy makes When Monarch-Reason sleeps this Mimick wakes Compounds a Medley of disjointed Things A Mob of Coblers and a Court of Kings Light Fumes are merry grosser Fumes are sad Both are the reasonable Soul run mad And many monstrous Forms in sleep we see That neither were nor are nor e'er can be Sometimes forgotten Things long cast behind Rush forward in the Brain and come to mind The Nurses Legends are for Truths receiv'd And the Man dreams but what the Boy believ'd Sometimes we but rehearse a former Play The Night restores our Actions done by Day As Hounds in sleep will open for their Prey In short the Farce of Dreams is of a piece Chimera's all and more absurd or less You who believe in Tales abide alone What e'er I get this Voyage is my own Thus while he spoke he heard the shouting Crew That call'd aboard and took his last adieu The Vessel went before a merry Gale And for quick Passage put on ev'ry Sail But when least fear'd and ev'n in open Day The Mischief overtook her in the way Whether she sprung a Leak I cannot find Or whether she was overset with Wind Or that some Rock below her bottom rent But down at once with all her Crew she went Her Fellow Ships from far her Loss descry'd But only she was sunk and all were safe beside By this Example you are taught again That Dreams and Visions are not always vain But if dear Partlet you are yet in doubt Another Tale shall make the former out Kenelm the Son of Kenulph Mercia's King Whose holy Life the Legends loudly sing Warn'd in a Dream his Murther did foretel From Point to Point as after it befel All Circumstances to his Nurse he told A Wonder from a Child of sev'n Years old The Dream with Horror heard the good old Wife From Treason counsell'd him to guard his Life But close to keep the Secret in his Mind For a Boy 's Vision small Belief would find The pious Child by Promise bound obey'd Nor was the fatal Murther long delay'd By Quenda slain he fell before his time Made a young Martyr by his Sister's Crime The Tale is told by venerable Bede Which at your better leisure you may read Macrobius too relates the Vision sent To the great Scipio with the fam'd event Objections makes but after makes Replies And adds that Dreams are often Prophecies Of Daniel you may read in Holy Writ Who when the King his Vision did forget Cou'd Word for Word the wond'rous Dream repeat Nor less of Patriarch Joseph understand Who by a Dream inslav'd th' Egyptian Land The Years of Plenty and of Dearth foretold When for their Bread their Liberty they sold. Nor must th' exalted Buttler be forgot Nor he whose Dream presag'd his hanging Lot And did not Craesus the same Death foresee Rais'd in his Vision on a lofty Tree The Wife of Hector in his utmost Pride Dreamt of his Death the Night before he dy'd Well was he warn'd from Battle to refrain But Men to Death decreed are warn'd in vain He dar'd the Dream and by his fatal Foe was slain Much more I know which I forbear to speak For see the ruddy Day begins to break Let this suffice that plainly I foresee My Dream was bad and bodes Adversity But neither Pills nor Laxatives I like They only serve to make a well-man sick Of these his Gain the sharp Phisician makes And often gives a Purge but seldom takes They not correct but poyson all
That born to Folly they prefum'd to know And could not see the Serpent in the Grass But I my self presume and let it pass Silence in times of Suff'ring is the best 'T is dang'rous to disturb a Hornet's Nest. In other Authors you may find enough But all they say of Dames in idle Stuff Legends of lying Wits together bound The Wife of Bath would throw 'em to the Ground These are the Words of Chanticleer not mine I honour Dames and think their Sex divine Now to continue what my Tale begun Lay Madam Partlet basking in the Sun Breast-high in Sand Her Sisters in a row Enjoy'd the Beams above the Warmth below The Cock that of his Flesh was ever free Sung merrier than the Mermaid in the Sea And so befel that as he cast his Eye Among the Colworts on a Butterfly He saw false Reynard where he lay full low I need not swear he had no list to Crow But cry'd Cock Cock and gave a suddain start As sore dismaid and frighted at his Heart For Birds and Beasts inform'd by Nature know Kinds opposite to theirs and fly their Foe So Chanticleer who never saw a Fox Yet shun'd him as a Sailor shuns the Rocks But the false Loon who cou'd not work his Will By open Force employ'd his flatt'ring Skill I hope my Lord said he I not offend Are you afraid of me that am your Friend I were a Beast indeed to do you wrong I who have lov'd and honour'd you so long Stay gentle Sir nor take a false Alarm For on my Soul I never meant you harm I come no Spy nor as a Traytor press To learn the Secrets of your soft Recess Far be from Reynard to prophane a Thought But by the sweetness of your Voice was brought For as I bid my Beads by chance I heard The Song as of an Angel in the Yard A Song that wou'd have charm'd th' infernal Gods And banish'd Horror from the dark Abodes Had Orphans sung it in the neather Sphere So much the Hymn had pleas'd the Tyrant's Ear The Wife had been detain'd to keep the Husband there My Lord your Sire familiarly I knew A Peer deserving such a Son as you He with your Lady-Mother whom Heav'n rest Has often grac'd my House and been my Guest To view his living Features does me good For I am your poor Neighbour in the Wood And in my Cottage shou'd be proud to see The worthy Heir of my Friend's Family But since I speak of Singing let me say As with an upright Heart I safely may That save your self there breaths not on the Ground One like your Father for a Silver sound So sweetly wou'd he wake the Winter-day That Matrons to the Church mistook their way And thought they heard the merry Organ play And he to raise his Voice with artful Care What will not Beaux attempt to please the Fair On Tiptoe stood to sing with greater Strength And stretch'd his comely Neck at all the length And while he pain'd his Voice to pierce the Skies As Saints in Raptures use would shut his Eyes That the sound striving through the narrow Throat His winking might avail to mend the Note By this in Song he never had his Peer From sweet Cecilia down to Chanticleer Not Maro's Muse who sung the mighty Man Nor Pindar's heav'nly Lyre nor Horace when a Swan Your Ancestors proceed from Race divine From Brennus and Belinus is your Line Who gave to sov'raign Rome such loud Alarms That ev'n the Priests were not excus'd from Arms. Besides a famous Monk of modern times Has left of Cocks recorded in his Rhimes That of a Parish-Priest the Son and Heir When Sons of Priests were from the Proverb clear Affronted once a Cock of noble Kind And either lam'd his Legs or struck him blind For which the Clerk his Father was disgrac'd And in his Benefice another plac'd Now sing my Lord if not for love of me Yet for the sake of sweet Saint Charity Make Hills and Dales and Earth and Heav'n rejoice And emulate your Father's Angel-voice The Cock was pleas'd to hear him speak so fair And proud beside as solar People are Nor cou'd the Treason from the Truth descry So was he ravish'd with this Flattery So much the more as from a little Elf He had a high Opinion of himself Though sickly slender and not large of Limb Concluding all the World was made for him Ye Princes rais'd by Poets to the Gods And Alexander'd 〈◊〉 lying Odes Believe not ev'ry flatt'ring Knave 's report There 's many a Reynard lurking in the Court And he shall be receiv'd with more regard And list'ned to than modest Truth is heard This Chanticleer of whom the Story sings Stood high upon his 〈◊〉 and clap'd his Wings Then stretch'd his Neck and wink'd with both his Eyes Ambitious as he sought th' Olympick Prize But while he pain'd himself to raise his Note False Reynard rush'd and caught him by the Throat Then on his Back he laid the precious Load And sought his wonted shelter of the Wood Swiftly he made his way the Mischief done Of all unheeded and pursu'd by none Alas what stay is there in human State Or who can shun inevitable Fate 〈◊〉 The Doom was written the Decree was past E'er the Foundations of the World were cast In Aries though the Sun exalted stood His Patron-Planet to procure his good Yet Saturn was his mortal Foe and he In Libra rais'd oppos'd the same Degree The Rays both good and bad of equal Pow'r Each thwarting other made a mingled Hour On Friday-morn he dreamt this direful Dream Cross to the worthy Native in his Scheme Ah blissful Venus Goddess of Delight How cou'd'st thou suffer thy devoted Knight On thy own Day to fall by Foe oppress'd The wight of all the World who serv'd thee best Who true to Love was all for Recreation And minded not the Work of Propagation Gaufride who could'st so well in Rhime complain The Death of Richard with an Arrow slain Why had not I thy Muse or thou my Heart To sing this heavy Dirge with equal Art That I like thee on Friday might complain For on that Day was Ceur de Lion slain Not louder Cries when Ilium was in Flames Were sent to Heav'n by woful Trojan Dames When Pyrrhus toss'd on high his burnish'd Blade And offer'd Priam to his Father's Shade Than for the Cock the widow'd Poultry made Fair Partlet first when he was born from sight With soveraign Shrieks bewail'd her Captive Knight Far lowder than the Carthaginian Wife When Asdrubal her Husband lost his Life When she beheld the smouldring Flames ascend And all the Punick Glories at an end Willing into the Fires she plung'd her Head With greater Ease than others seek their Bed Not more aghast the Matrons of Renown When Tyrant Nero burn'd th' Imperial Town Shriek'd for the downfal in a doleful Cry For which their guiltless Lords were doom'd to die Now to my Story I return
again The trembling Widow and her Daughters twain This woful cackling Cry with Horror heard Of those distracted Damsels in the Yard And starting up beheld the heavy Sight How Reynard to the Forest took his Flight And cross his Back as in triumphant Scorn The Hope and Pillar of the House was born The Fox the wicked Fox was all the Cry Out from his House ran ev'ry Neighbour nigh The Vicar first and after him the Crew With Forks and Staves the Fellon to pursue Ran Coll our Dog and Talbot with the Band And Malkin with her Distaff in her Hand Ran Cow and Calf and Family of Hogs In Panique Horror of pursuing Dogs With many a deadly Grunt and doleful Squeak Poor Swine as if their pretty Hearts would break The Shouts of Men the Women in dismay With Shrieks augment the Terror of the Day The Ducks that heard the Proclamation cry'd And fear'd a Persecution might betide Full twenty Mile from Town their Voyage take Obscure in Rushes of the liquid Lake The Geese fly o'er the Barn the Bees in Arms Drive headlong from their Waxen Cells in Swarms Jack Straw at London-stone with all his Rout Struck not the City with so loud a Shout Not when with English Hate they did pursue A French Man or an unbelieving Jew Not when the Welkin rung with one and all And Echoes bounded back from Fox's Hall Earth seem'd to sink beneath and Heav'n above to fall With Might and Main they chas'd the murd'rous Fox With brazen Trumpets and inflated Box To kindle Mars with military Sounds Nor wanted Horns t' inspire sagacious Hounds But see how Fortune can confound the Wise And when they least expect it turn the Dice The Captive Cock who scarce cou'd draw his Breath And lay within the very Jaws of Death Yet in this Agony his Fancy wrought And Fear supply'd him with this happy Thought Yours is the Prize victorious Prince said he The Vicar my defeat and all the Village see Enjoy your friendly Fortune while you may And bid the Churls that envy you the Prey Call back their mungril Curs and cease their Cry See Fools the shelter of the Wood is nigh And Chanticleer in your despight shall die He shall be pluck'd and eaten to the Bone 'T is well advis'd in Faith it shall be done This Reynard said but as the Word he spoke The Pris'ner with a Spring from Prison broke Then stretch'd his feather'd Fans with all his might And to the neighb'ring Maple wing'd his flight Whom when the Traytor safe on Tree beheld He curs'd the Gods with Shame and Sorrow fill'd Shame for his Folly Sorrow out of time For Plotting an unprofitable Crime Yet mast'ring both th' Artificer of Lies Renews th' Assault and his last Batt'ry tries Though I said he did ne'er in Thought offend How justly may my Lord suspect his Friend Th' appearance is against me I confess Who seemingly have put you in Distress You if your Goodness does not plead my Cause May think I broke all hospitable Laws To bear you from your Palace-yard by Might And put your noble Person in a Fright This since you take it ill I must repent Though Heav'n can witness with no bad intent I practis'd it to make you taste your Cheer With double Pleasure first prepar'd by fear So loyal Subjects often seize their Prince Forc'd for his Good to seeming Violence Yet mean his sacred Person not the least Offence Descend so help me Jove as you shall find That Reynard comes of no dissembling Kind Nay quoth the Cock but I beshrew us both If I believe a Saint upon his Oath An honest Man may take a Knave 's Advice But Idiots only will be couzen'd twice Once warn'd is well bewar'd No flatt'ring Lies Shall sooth me more to sing with winking Eyes And open Mouth for fear of catching Flies Who Blindfold walks upon a Rivers brim When he should see has he deserv'd to swim Better Sir Cock let all Contention cease Come down said Reynard let us treat of Peace A Peace with all my Soul said Chanticleer But with your Favour I will treat it here And least the Truce with Treason should be mixt 'T is my concern to have the Tree betwixt The MORAL In this plain Fable you th' Effect may see Of Negligence and fond Credulity And learn besides of Flatt'rers to beware Then most pernicious when they speak too fair The Cock and Fox the Fool and Knave imply The Truth is moral though the Tale a Lie Who spoke in Parables I dare not say But sure he knew it was a pleasing way Sound Sense by plain Example to convey And in a Heathen Author we may find That Pleasure with Instruction should be join'd So take the Corn and leave the Chaff behind THEODORE AND HONORIA FROM BOCCACE THEODORE AND HONORIA OF all the Cities in Romanian Lands The chief and most renown'd Ravenna stands Adorn'd in ancient Times with Arms and Arts And rich Inhabitants with generous Hearts But Theodore the Brave above the rest With Gifts of Fortune and of Nature bless'd The foremost Place for Wealth and Honour held And all in Feats of Chivalry excell'd This noble Youth to Madness lov'd a Dame Of high Degree Honoria was her Name Fair as the Fairest but of haughty Mind And fiercer than became so soft a kind Proud of her Birth for equal she had none The rest she scorn'd but hated him alone His Gifts his constant Courtship nothing gain'd For she the more he lov'd the more disdain'd He liv'd with all the Pomp he cou'd devise At Tilts and Turnaments obtain'd the Prize But found no favour in his Ladies Eyes Relentless as a Rock the lofty Maid Turn'd all to Poyson that he did or said Nor Pray'rs nor Tears nor offer'd Vows could move The Work went backward and the more he strove T' advance his Sute the farther from her Love Weary'd at length and wanting Remedy He doubted oft and oft resolv'd to die But Pride stood ready to prevent the Blow For who would die to gratify a Foe His generous Mind disdain'd so mean a Fate That pass'd his next Endeavour was to Hate But vainer that Relief than all the rest The less he hop'd with more Desire possess'd Love stood the Siege and would not yield his Breast Change was the next but change deceiv'd his Care He sought a Fairer but found none so Fair. He would have worn her out by slow degrees As Men by Fasting starve th' untam'd Disease But present Love requir'd a present Ease Looking he feeds alone his famish'd Eyes Feeds lingring Death but looking not he dies Yet still he chose the longest way to Fate Wasting at once his Life and his Estate His Friends beheld and pity'd him in vain For what Advice can ease a Lover's Pain Absence the best Expedient they could find Might save the Fortune if not cure the Mind This Means they long propos'd but little gain'd Yet after much pursuit at length obtain'd Hard you may
think it was to give consent But struggling with his own Desires he went With large Expence and with a pompous Train Provided as to visit France or Spain Or for some distant Voyage o'er the Main But Love had clipp'd his Wings and cut him short Confin'd within the purlieus of his Court Three Miles he went nor farther could retreat His Travels ended at his Country-Seat To Chassis pleasing Plains he took his way There pitch'd his Tents and there resolv'd to stay The Spring was in the Prime the neighb'ring Grove Supply'd with Birds the Choristers of Love Musick unbought that minister'd Delight To Morning-walks and lull'd his Cares by Night There he discharg'd his Friends but not th' Expence Of frequent Treats and proud Magnificence He liv'd as Kings retire though more at large From publick Business yet with equal Charge With House and Heart still open to receive As well content as Love would give him leave He would have liv'd more free but many a Guest Who could forsake the Friend pursu'd the Feast It happ'd one Morning as his Fancy led Before his usual Hour he left his Bed To walk within a lonely Lawn that stood On ev'ry side surrounded by the Wood Alone he walk'd to please his pensive Mind And sought the deepest Solitude to find 'T was in a Grove of spreading Pines he stray'd The Winds within the quiv'ring Branches plaid And Dancing-Trees a mournful Musick made The Place it self was suiting to his Care Uncouth and Salvage as the cruel Fair. He wander'd on unknowing where he went Lost in the Wood and all on Love intent The Day already half his Race had run And summon'd him to due Repast at Noon But Love could feel no Hunger but his own While list'ning to the murm'ring Leaves he stood More than a Mile immers'd within the Wood At once the Wind was laid the whisp'ring sound Was dumb a rising Earthquake rock'd the Ground With deeper Brown the Grove was overspred A suddain Horror seiz'd his giddy Head And his Ears tinckled and his Colour fled Nature was in alarm some Danger nigh Seem'd threaten'd though unseen to mortal Eye Unus'd to fear he summon'd all his Soul And stood collected in himself and whole Not long For soon a Whirlwind rose around And from afar he heard a screaming sound As of a Dame distress'd who cry'd for Aid And fill'd with loud Laments the secret Shade A Thicket close beside the Grove there stood With Breers and Brambles choak'd and dwarfish Wood From thence the Noise Which now approaching near With more distinguish'd Notes invades his Ear He rais'd his Head and saw a beauteous Maid With Hair dishevell'd issuing through the Shade Stripp'd of her Cloaths and e'en those Parts reveal'd Which modest Nature keeps from Sight conceal'd Her Face her Hands her naked Limbs were torn With passing through the Brakes and prickly Thorn Two Mastiffs gaunt and grim her Flight pursu'd And oft their fasten'd Fangs in Blood embru'd Oft they came up and pinch'd her tender Side Mercy O Mercy Heav'n she ran and cry'd When Heav'n was nam'd they loos'd their Hold again Then sprung she forth they follow'd her amain Not far behind a Knight of swarthy Face High on a Coal-black Steed pursu'd the Chace With flashing Flames his ardent Eyes were fill'd And in his Hands a naked Sword he held He chear'd the Dogs to follow her who fled And vow'd Revenge on her devoted Head As Theodore was born of noble Kind The brutal Action rowz'd his manly Mind Mov'd with unworthy Usage of the Maid He though unarm'd resolv'd to give her Aid A Saplin Pine he wrench'd from out the Ground The readiest Weapon that his Fury found Thus furnish'd for Offence he cross'd the way Betwixt the graceless Villain and his Prey The Knight came thund'ring on but from afar Thus in imperious Tone forbad the War Cease Theodore to proffer vain Relief Nor stop the vengeance of so just a Grief But give me leave to seize my destin'd Prey And let eternal Justice take the way I but revenge my Fate disdain'd betray'd And suff'ring Death for this ungrateful Maid He say'd at once dismounting from the Steed For now the Hell-hounds with superiour Speed Had reach'd the Dame and fast'ning on her Side The Ground with issuing Streams of Purple dy'd Stood Theodore surpriz'd in deadly Fright With chatt'ring Teeth and bristling Hair upright Yet arm'd with inborn Worth What e'er said he Thou art who know'st me better than I thee Or prove thy rightful Cause or be defy'd The Spectre fiercely staring thus reply'd Know Theodore thy Ancestry I claim And Guido Cavalcanti was my Name One common Sire our Fathers did beget My Name and Story some remember yet Thee then a Boy within my Arms I laid When for my Sins I lov'd this haughty Maid Not less ador'd in Life nor serv'd by Me Than proud Honoria now is lov'd by Thee What did I not her stubborn Heart to gain But all my Vows were answer'd with Disdain She scorn'd my Sorrows and despis'd my Pain Long time I dragg'd my Days in fruitless Care Then loathing Life and plung'd in deep Despair To finish my unhappy Life I fell On this sharp Sword and now am damn'd in Hell Short was her Joy for soon th' insulting Maid By Heav'n's Decree in the cold Grave was laid And as in unrepenting Sin she dy'd Doom'd to the same bad Place is punish'd for her Pride Because she deem'd I well deserv'd to die And made a Merit of her Cruelty There then we met both try'd and both were cast And this irrevocable Sentence pass'd That she whom I so long pursu'd in vain Should suffer from my Hands a lingring Pain Renew'd to Life that she might daily die I daily doom'd to follow she to fly No more a Lover but a mortal Foe I seek her Life for Love is none below As often as my Dogs with better speed Arrest her Flight is she to Death decreed Then with this fatal Sword on which I dy'd I pierce her open'd Back or tender Side And tear that harden'd Heart from out her Breast Which with her Entrails makes my hungry Hounds a Feast Nor lies she long but as her Fates ordain Springs up to Life and fresh to second Pain Is sav'd to Day to Morrow to be slain This vers'd in Death th' infernal Knight relates And then for Proof fulfill'd their common Fates Her Heart and Bowels through her Back he drew And fed the Hounds that help'd him to pursue Stern'd look'd the Fiend as frustrate of his Will Not half suffic'd and greedy yet to kill And now the Soul expiring through the Wound Had left the Body breathless on the Ground When thus the grisly Spectre spoke again Behold the Fruit of ill-rewarded Pain As many Months as I sustain'd her Hate So many Years is she condemn'd by Fate To daily Death and ev'ry several Place Conscious of her Disdain and my Disgrace Must witness her just Punishment and be A Scene of
and with a smiling Glance Thus gratulates to Greece her happy Chance O Argives we shall Conquer Troy is ours But long Delays shall first afflict our Pow'rs Nine Years of Labour the nine Birds portend The Tenth shall in the Town 's Destruction end The Serpent who his Maw obscence had sill'd The Branches in his curl'd Embraces held But as in Spires he stood he turn'd to Stone The stony Snake retain'd the Figure still his own Yet not for this the Wind-bound Navy weigh'd Slack were their Sails and Neptune disobey'd Some thought him loath the Town shou'd be destroy'd Whose Building had his Hands divine employ'd Not so the Seer who knew and known foreshow'd The Virgin Phaebe with a Virgin 's Blood Must first be reconcil'd the common Cause Prevail'd and Pity yielding to the Laws Fair Iphigenia the devoted Maid Was by the weeping Priests in Linnen-Robes array'd All mourn her Fate but no Relief appear'd The Royal Victim bound the Knife already rear'd When that offended Pow'r who caus'd their Woe Relenting ceas'd her Wrath and stop'd the coming Blow A Mist before the Ministers she cast And in the Virgin 's room a Hind she plac'd Th' Oblation slain and Phaebe reconcil'd The Storm was hush'd and dimpled Ocean smil'd A favourable Gale arose from Shore Which to the Port desir'd the Grecian Gallies bore Full in the midst of this Created Space Betwixt Heav'n Earth and Skies there stands a Place Confining on all three with triple Bound Whence all Things though remote are view'd around And thither bring their Undulating Sound The Palace of loud Fame her Seat of Pow'r Plac'd on the Summet of a lofty Tow'r A thousand winding Entries long and wide Receive of fresh Reports a flowing Tide A thousand Crannies in the Walls are made Nor Gate nor Bars exclude the busy Trade 'T is built of Brass the better to diffuse The spreading Sounds and multiply the News Where Eccho's in repeated Eccho's play A Mart for ever full and open Night and Day Nor Silence is within nor Voice express But a deaf Noise of Sounds that never cease Confus'd and Chiding like the hollow Roar Of Tides receding from th' insulted Shore Or like the broken Thunder heard from far When Jove to distance drives the rowling War The Courts are fill'd with a tumultuous Din Of Crowds or issuing forth or entring in A thorough fare of News Where some devise Things never heard some mingle Truth with Lies The troubled Air with empty Sounds they beat Intent to hear and eager to repeat Error sits brooding there with added Train Of vain Credulity and Joys as vain Suspicion with Sedition join'd are near And Rumors rais'd and Murmurs mix'd and Panique Fear Fame sits aloft and sees the subject Ground And Seas about and Skies above enquiring all around The Goddess gives th' Alarm and soon is known The Grecian Fleet descending on the Town Fix'd on Defence the Trojans are not slow To guard their Shore from an expected Foe They meet in Fight By Hector's fatal Hand Protesilaus falls and bites the Strand Which with expence of Blood the Grecians won And prov'd the Strength unknown of Priam's Son And to their Cost the Trojan Leaders felt The Greciav Heroes and what Deaths they dealt From these first Onsets the Sigaean Shore Was strew'd with Carcasses and stain'd with Gore Neptuman Cygnus Troops of Greeks had slain Achilles in his Carr had scow'r'd the Plain And clear'd the Trojan Ranks Where e'er he fought Cygnus or Hector through the Fields he sought Cygnus he found on him his Force essay'd For Hector was to the tenth Year delay'd His white man'd Steeds that bow'd beneath the Yoke He chear'd to Courage with a gentle Stroke Then urg'd his fiery Chariot on the Foe And rising shook his Lance in act to throw But first he cry'd O Youth be proud to bear Thy Death enobled by Pelides Spear The Lance pursu'd the Voice without delay Nor did th' whizzing Weapon miss the way But pierc'd his Cuirass with such Fury sent And sign'd his Bosom with a Purple dint At this the Seed of Neptune Goddess-born For Ornament not Use these Arms are worn This Helm and heavy Buckler I can spare As only Decorations of the War So Mars is arm'd for Glory not for Need. 'T is somewhat more from Neptune to proceed Than from a Daughter of the Sea to spring Thy Sire is Mortal mine is Ocean's King Secure of Death I shou'd contemn thy Dart Tho' naked and impassible depart He said and threw The trembling Weapon pass'd Through nine Bull-hides each under other plac'd On his broad Shield and stuck within the last Achilles wrench'd it out and sent again The hostile Gift The hostile Gift was vain He try'd a third a tough well-chosen Spear Th' inviolable Body stood sincere Though Cygnus then did no Defence provide But scornful offer'd his unshielded Side Not otherwise th' impatient Hero far'd Than as a Bull incompass'd with a Guard Amid the Circus roars Provok'd from far By sight of Scarlet and a sanguine War They quit their Ground his bended Horns elude In vain pursuing and in vain pursu'd Before to farther Fight he wou'd advance He stood considering and survey'd his Lance. Doubts if he wielded not a Wooden Spear Without a Point He look'd the Point was there This is my Hand and this my Lance he se'd By which so many thousand Foes are dead O whether is their usual Virtue fled I had it once and the Lyrnessian Wall And Tenedos confess'd it in their fall Thy Streams Caicus rowl'd a Crimson-Flood And Thebes ran Red with her own Natives Blood Twice Telephus employ'd this piercing Steel To wound him first and afterward to heal The Vigour of this Arm was never vain And that my wonted Prowess I retain Witness these heaps of Slaughter on the Plain He said and doubtful of his former Deeds To some new trial of his Force proceeds He chose Menaetes from among the rest At him he lanch'd his Spear and pierc'd his Breast On the hard Earth the Lycian knock'd his Head And lay supine and forth the Spirit fled Then thus the Hero neither can I blame The Hand or Javelin both are still the same The same I will employ against this Foe And wish but with the same Success to throw So spoke the Chief and while he spoke he threw The Weapon with unerring Fury flew At his left Shoulder aim'd Nor entrance found But back as from a Rock with swift rebound Harmless return'd A bloody Mark appear'd Which with false Joy the flatter'd Hero chear'd Wound there was none the Blood that was in view The Lance before from slain Menaetes drew Headlong he leaps from off his losty Car And in close Fight on foot renews the War Raging with high Disdain repeats his Blows Nor Shield nor Armour can their Force oppose Huge Cantlets of his Buckler strew the Ground And no Defence in his bor'd Arms is found But on his Flesh no Wound or Blood is
what she sucks remits she still requires Inlets for Air and Outlets for her Fires When tortur'd with convulsive Fits she shakes That motion choaks the vent till other vent she makes Or when the Winds in hollow Caves are clos'd And subtil Spirits find that way oppos'd They toss up Flints in Air the Flints that hide The Seeds of Fire thus toss'd in Air collide Kindling the Sulphur till the Fewel spent The Cave is cool'd and the fierce Winds relent Or whether Sulphur catching Fire feeds on Its unctuous Parts till all the Matter gone The Flames no more ascend for Earth supplies The Fat that feeds them and when Earth denies That Food by length of Time consum'd the Fire Famish'd for want of Fewel must expire A Race of Men there are as Fame has told Who shiv'ring suffer Hyperborean Cold Till nine times bathing in Minerva's Lake Soft Feathers to defend their naked Sides they take 'T is said the Scythian Wives believe who will Transform themselves to Birds by Magick Skill Smear'd over with an Oil of wond'rous Might That adds new Pinions to their airy Flight But this by sure Experiment we know That living Creatures from Corruption grow Hide in a hallow Pit a slaughter'd Steer Bees from his putrid Bowels will appear Who like their Parents haunt the Fields and bring Their Hony-Harvest home and hope another Spring The Warlike-Steed is multiply'd we find To Wasps and Hornets of the Warrior Kind Cut from a Crab his crooked Claws and hide The rest in Earth a Scorpion thence will glide And shoot his Sting his Tail in Circles toss'd Refers the Limbs his backward Father lost And Worms that stretch on Leaves their filmy Loom Crawl from their Bags and Butterflies become Ev'n Slime begets the Frog's loquacious Race Short of their Feet at first in little space With Arms and Legs endu'd long leaps they take Rais'd on their hinder part and swim the Lake And Waves repel For Nature gives their Kind To that intent a length of Legs behind The Cubs of Bears a living lump appear When whelp'd and no determin'd Figure wear Their Mother licks 'em into Shape and gives As much of Form as she her self receives The Grubs from their sexangular abode Crawl out unfinish'd like the Maggot's Brood Trunks without Limbs till time at leisure brings The Thighs they wanted and their tardy Wings The Bird who draws the Carr of Juno vain Of her crown'd Head and of her Starry Train And he that bears th' Artillery of Jove The strong-pounc'd Eagle and the billing Dove And all the feather'd Kind who cou'd suppose But that from sight the surest Sense he knows They from th'included Yolk not ambient White arose There are who think the Marrow of a Man Which in the Spine while he was living ran When dead the Pith corrupted will become A Snake and hiss within the hollow Tomb. All these receive their Birth from other Things But from himself the Phoenix only springs Self-born begotten by the Parent Flame In which he burn'd another and the same Who not by Corn or Herbs his Life sustains But the sweet Essence of Amomum drains And watches the rich Gums Arabia bears While yet in tender Dew they drop their Tears He his five Cent'ries of Life fulfill'd His Nest on Oaken Boughs begins to build Or trembling tops of Palm and first he draws The Plan with his broad Bill and crooked Claws Nature's Artificers on this the Pile Is form'd and rises round then with the Spoil Of Casia Cynamon and Stems of Nard For softness strew'd beneath his Fun'ral Bed is rear'd Fun'ral and Bridal both and all around The Borders with corruptless Myrrh are crown'd On this incumbent till aetherial Flame First catches then consumes the costly Frame Consumes him too as on the Pile he lies He liv'd on Odours and in Odours dies An Infant Phoenix from the former springs His Father's Heir and from his tender Wings Shakes off his Parent Dust his Method he pursues And the same Lease of Life on the same Terms renews When grown to Manhood he begins his reign And with stiff Pinions can his Flight sustain He lightens of its Load the Tree that bore His Father's Royal Sepulcher before And his own Cradle This with pious Care Plac'd on his Back he cuts the buxome Air Seeks the Sun's City and his sacred Church And decently lays down his Burden in the Porch A Wonder more amazing wou'd we find Th' Hyaena shows it of a double kind Varying the Sexes in alternate Years In one begets and in another bears The thin Camelion fed with Air receives The colour of the Thing to which he cleaves India when conquer'd on the conqu'ring God For planted Vines the sharp-ey'd Lynx bestow'd Whose Urine shed before it touches Earth Congeals in Air and gives to Gems their Birth So Coral soft and white in Oceans Bed Comes harden'd up in Air and glows with Red. All changing Species should my Song recite Before I ceas'd wou'd change the Day to Night Nations and Empires flourish and decay By turns command and in their turns obey Time softens hardy People Time again Hardens to War a soft unwarlike Train Thus Troy for ten long Years her Foes withstood And daily bleeding bore th' expence of Blood Now for thick Streets it shows an empty space Or only fill'd with Tombs of her own perish'd Race Her self becomes the Sepulcher of what she was Mycene Sparta Thebes of mighty Fame Are vanish'd out of Substance into Name And Dardan Rome that just begins to rise On Tiber's Banks in time shall mate the Skies Widening her Bounds and working on her way Ev'n now she meditates Imperial Sway Yet this is change but she by changing thrives Like Moons new-born and in her Cradle strives To fill her Infant-Horns an Hour shall come When the round World shall be contain'd in Rome For thus old Saws foretel and Helenus Anchises drooping Son enliven'd thus When Ilium now was in a sinking State And he was doubtful of his future Fate O Goddess born with thy hard Fortune strive Troy never can be lost and thou alive Thy Passage thou shalt free through Fire and Sword And Troy in Foreign Lands shall be restor'd In happier Fields a rising Town I see Greater than what e'er was or is or e'er shall be And Heav'n yet owes the World a Race deriv'd from Thee Sages and Chiefs of other Lineage born The City shall extend extended shall adorn But from Julus he must draw his Breath By whom thy Rome shall rule the conquer'd Earth Whom Heav'n will lend Mankind on Earth to reign And late require the precious Pledge again This Helenus to great AEneas told Which I retain e'er since in other Mould My Soul was cloath'd and now rejoice to view My Country Walls rebuilt and Troy reviv'd anew Rais'd by the fall Decreed by Loss to Gain Enslav'd but to be free and conquer'd but to reign 'T is time my hard mouth'd Coursers to controul Apt to