Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A28298
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Prince Arthur an heroick poem in ten books / by Richard Blackmore ...
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Blackmore, Richard, Sir, d. 1729.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing B3080; ESTC R23258
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151,284
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320
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happy Souls shoot swiftly thro' the Sky And to the Graves and Sepulchers they fly Where they their long forsaken Bodies greet Which like old Friends they with fresh Pleasure meet Bodies that seem they are so Pure and Bright All thicken'd Glory close compacted Light Purg'd and refin'd from all that 's course and gross As melted Gold throws off the baser Dross Smiling they rise such Charms so sweet a Grace They shew as dwell not on a Mortal Face These rising Stars their Heav'nly Beams display Bright Harbingers of Everlasting Day Such Beauties such mild Glories shall we see In the glad Spring of Immortality Yet these blest Sons of Light that Angel-like Would mortal Eyes with deadly Lustre strike Were those that once their Excellence disguis'd Liv'd here oppress'd and like their Lord despis'd Welcom to them this long expected Hour Safe by their Judge's Favour from his Power High Tides of Joy into their Bosoms run And Everlasting Life they feel begun This shall past Griefs in deep Oblivion drown Compleat their Triumphs and their Virtues Crown These in the Spring great Care and Toil bestow'd And water'd with their Tears the Seed they sow'd The Harvest now their happy Hours employs In reaping Pleasures and Immortal Joys Bright Cherubims descending thro' the Air To these blest Men with speedy Flight Repair Then to the gen'ral Doom aloft they fly And on their Wings convey them thro' the Sky In all the way encouraging their Charge Telling of all the Joys of Heav'n at large Plac'd in the Presence of their Lord they stand In their appointed Seats at his Right-hand VVhilst other Angels from the Deep of Hell Drive up the Fiends that in those Regions dwell VVith Swords of keenest Flame compelling some And dragging others to the gen'ral Doom In Anguish and Despair the yelling Fiends Curse Gnash and Bite th' Eternal Chain that binds So close and strait then turn their Heads away From the fierce Terrour of so bright a Day And impious Men in no less Horror fly To all the Shades and Coverts they descry Mountains and Rocks their fruitless Cries invite To fall and hide them from the Judge's Sight For rise they must and lose their vain Desire Caught up in Whirlwinds and in Storms of Fire Before the Judge the Pris'ners stand in Sight And take the Left-hand as the Just the Right Th' Eternal Books before the Judge are brought Where all Mens long forgotten Deeds are wrote And first are read the Vertues of the Just Their Zeal for Heav'n their Courage Hope and Trust. The Prayers the Tears the Alms themselves conceal'd Before applauding Angels are reveal'd The righteous Judge their Innocence declar'd Allots the glorious Kingdom he prepar'd For pure and holy Minds a blest Reward Their Guardian Angels at their Lord's Command Crown the glad Saints with an Officious Hand Who now in perfect Bliss their time employ Discoursing to promote their mutual Joy How first they left the pleasurable way Where wanton Streams of soft Delights convey Charm'd Souls that with the treach'rous Tyde must go To the dead Lake of Pain and endless VVo. How first they lik'd the dark and lonesom Road That leads to Bliss and the blest Minds Abode How when in Shades they mourn'd a Heav'nly Ray Darted a welcome tho imperfect Day How Vertue 's guidance they implor'd and gain'd And what blest Converse with her they maintain'd How thro' dark Paths she did their Feet conduct Correct the wanderers and the rest instruct How by her Aids they bore tempestuous Shocks Climb'd o'er opposing Hills and hanging Rocks Till they at length the Peaceful Realms did gain VVhere Joys Divine and endless Transports Reign How sweet and fair Crown'd Innocence appears No more tost on the VVaves of Hopes and Fears On mortal Face such Beauties never shone Like those of Virtue seated on her Throne Next this th' Apostate Angels are accus'd That open Force or secret Arts they us'd To set their Leader on th' Eternal's Throne Subvert Christ's Empire and advance their own That Man by them seduc'd did first Rebel Relinquish'd Heav'n and to their Party fell That they the curst Defection did support And new Born Men to new Rebellions Court That they with indefatigable Care Fresh Heats fomented and renew'd the War Whence Plagues and Desolation wide and vast And uncontroll'd Destruction laid all wast Hence Noah's universal Deluge came And hence the World lies now o'erwhelm'd in Flame For these black Crimes they 're sentenc'd to the pains Of fiercer Fire and doom'd to heavier Chains Next Cain's Rebellious Offspring are accus'd As Heav'n's inveterate Foes that long abus'd Goodness Divine whom Everlasting Love And Life Eternal had no Charms to move They would no reconciling Terms embrace Alike by Threats unchang'd or Acts of Grace They did with Wine and Noise the Method find To Calm a Conscious self-revenging Mind To lay asleep th' uneasie Judge within Till they with Care and Pains grew bold in Sin For when the sacred Spirit did convey Into their Breasts a secret Heav'nly Ray That did where cherish'd soon bring on the Day With hasty Care they choak'd the new sprung Light Calling to Aid the Shades of Hell and Night Divine Compassion's Force they never felt Nor would in Flames of Love Eternal melt Their Hearts untouch'd did all Heav'n's strokes repel Temper'd and harden'd in the Forge of Hell No Overtures of Peace no Offers made Tho' of an endless Kingdom could perswade The unrelenting Rebels to lay down Their impious Arms to take a Heav'nly Crown They still asserted with their latest Breath Their fixt Confed'racy with Hell and Death 'T is on them charg'd that others too that fell Drawn by their Arts embark'd for Death and Hell They led them to the flowry Banks and show'd The flatt'ring Tide where smiling Pleasures flow'd Where the charm'd Voyagers did careless ride Bewitching Syren's singing on their side Till the false Flood betray'd them thither where It falls into the Gulph of black Despair Here secret Crimes are publish'd and his Name That lov'd the Sin but fear'd th' attendant Shame The sly Adulterer that til the late Approach of Night and silent Shades did wait For the Caresses of the Harlot's Fed And at the early dawn of Twilight fled Is here upbraided for his careful flight Of Mens whilst he contemn'd th' Almighty's sight Th' audacious Wretch that did Heav'n's Laws deride And all its Thunder and dire Threats defy'd That did cloy'd Nature to fresh Guilt excite Beyond her own ev'n Vicious Appetite Anti-Platonic that could pleasure take In naked Vice and sinn'd for sinning's sake That could abstracted from Enjoyment sport With Guilt and Vice ev'n in Idea court That did himself so much he lov'd the Fame The secret Triumphs of his Lusts proclaim Strives in the Crowd to hide his guilty Head Whilst his high Charge and black Indictment's read Th' astonish'd Wretch Sinks Trembles Dies to see Enrag'd Omnipotence and frowning Majesty Such deadly Torments on his Bowels feed
Youth whose Breast a strong desire Of Fame and Martial Glory did inspire Eager of War he the Danmonians led And shone in splendid Armour at their Head His coming Joy to all the Britons gives And in his Arms the Prince his Friend receives To whom to be endear'd he always strove By all expressions of Respect and Love The Valiant Youth he did with Honours grace To his high Merit due and noble Race Macor mean time Prince Arthur did adore None serv'd his Cause or sought his Favour more Tracar and Ormes in the Camp arrive Whose Presence to the rest fresh Courage give Their Wisdom was by Fame aloud proclaim'd The Britons none with greater Honour nam'd Both fit about a Monarch to abide To aid his Counsels and the State to guide None more admir'd for clear unerring Sense For Piercing Sight and charming Eloquence Great Spirits both but of a different Mould Ormes impetuous Turbulent and Bold But Tracar was compos'd sedate and cool His Passions subject to a stricter Rule Ormes was haughty inaccessible And knew his Riches and his Sense too well Tracar was courteous easie of Access Of great Humanity and mild Address Ormes was therefore honour'd not desir'd Tracar belov'd and equally admir'd Ormes would still advance unbounded Power Tracar his Country's Liberty secure Tracar had Letters Ormes Native Fire Both had by Birth what Labour can't acquire Arthur to neither Rival Wit inclines But us'd them both to serve his wise Designs Such Love the Britons to the Prince exprest Who when he found his Numbers thus encreast Advanc'd his Ensigns and to Isca came Where the Silures dwelt the chief for Fame Hither fresh Squadrons to the Prince resort Which from that time is call'd great Arthur's Court Five times the Sun had his Diurnal Race Compleated when from this delightful place The pious Prince his Ensigns mov'd and came To Glevum seated on Sabrina's Stream Decamping hence his arm'd Battalions gain Prince Arthur at their Head the fertile Plain By easie Marches where Gallena stood Which Thamisis laves with its noble Flood Thus stood the Britons after his Defeat Octa with Grief did to his Coasts Retreat As when by chance a Royal Eagle spies From some high Mountains Top amidst the Skies A flight of Swans obscuring all the Air Swift as the Lightning which he 's said to bear Upon the Prey his Airy Flight he takes And with sharp Pounces vast Destruction makes Some fall struck dead some wounded slowly fly While Snowy Clouds of Feathers fill the Sky Those that the fierce Invader's Strokes survive With all the speed Fear to their Wings can give To their belov'd Cayster's Banks return And in their reedy Seats their Wounds and Losses mourn So far'd the Saxons and their shatter'd Fleet Octa forthwith Commands his Lords to meet In Council where they in long order sate T' advise what best might save their threaten'd State Cissa first spoke an able Counsellour Let us assemble all our present power And straight advance the Britons to Attack Who to our Arms can small Resistance make Sore with their Wounds and weary with their Toil They tempt the Saxons to an easie Spoil Boldly fall on before their Troops are eas'd With Food and Rest and with Recruits increas'd Your Wisdom thus and Courage will appear Who tho defeated have not learn'd to fear The Foe surpriz'd must to your Mercy yield Or to their Ships Retreating quit the Field He ceas'd then Osred who had always won By his wise Counsel great Applause begun Our late Defeat has too much Terrour strook Thro' all our Troops too much our Empire shook And too much flesh'd the Foe to let me joyn In this Advice my Counsels more incline To draw into the Field our utmost Power From all the Saxon States and to secure Our Empire let us labour to perswade The Pict and Scotish King to give us Aid The Cause and Interest is the same of all They and their Gods if we are crush'd must fall Our Arms united in a numerous Host We may before of certain Conquest boast The trembling Foe unable to withstand Such mighty Armies will forsake the Land But if supported with vain hopes they stay They fall into our hands an easie Prey Pascentius next a wise Nestorian head Whose Looks and Words profound Attention bred Thus spoke -- 't is true our Troops while thus dismay'd And of Prince Arthur's Fame and Arms afraid From present Action justly may disswade Seeking the Foe we too great Danger run Embolden'd by his Victory lately won And thus far Osred's Thoughts and mine you see Conspire as in the rest they disagree If with our utmost Force we meet our Foes To too much hazard we our State expose Th' uncertain Game of War they little know That Stake an Empire on a single Throw While we delay to gather all our Force And to the Picts and Scots shall have recourse Prince Arthur will advance and mightier grow Like rolling Balls that gather up the Snow Or Rivers taking Streams in as they flow The Britons led by ancient Prophecies Expect that near this time a Prince shall rise Heroick Wise a mighty Conqueror That all their lost Dominions shall restore And o'er the World extend their Naval Power Something like this our Augurs seem to fear From Prodigies and Signs that oft appear Those hopes they all of Arthur now express Drawn by his Fame abroad and late Success While this Belief tho' false the Briton warms He grows less fearful of the Saxon Arms. He 'll be more bold in Fight while thus inspir'd And with such Zeal and Expectation fir'd Intoxicated thus Men Wonders do And by bold Deeds make their vain Fancies true He therefore serves King Octa that creates An Understanding first between the States An Embassy may to the Prince be sent To treat how Blood and ruin to prevent They may propose the Kingdom to divide And offer Octa's Daughter for his Bride Fair Ethelina whose perverted Mind To Christian Worship is too much inclin'd He ceas'd and his Advice did chiefly please And of the Council most declar'd for Peace The Lords dispers'd King Octa unresolv'd Long in his Mind his troubled Thoughts revolv'd With strong contending Tydes of Passion prest Now War he looks on now on Peace as best Long he appear'd on Osred's Counsel bent And to the Neighb'ring Saxon Princes sent That all the strong Necessity might know Of joyning Arms against the Common Foe At the same time an Embassy he sends To make the Pict and Scotish King his Friends That of their powerful Aid he might not fail If Arthur and his Britons should prevail But when he heard that Arthur had as far As Glevum's Walls advanc'd the threatning War Observing that the Saxons were dismaid And not yet strengthen'd by his Neighbours Aid He now declar'd it was his setled Sense A Treaty with the Briton to Commence Then Orators he sent without delay Who to the Britons Camp direct their way Titullan Selred and