In Arles though the Sun exalted stood, Cross to the worthy Native, in his Scheme ! Ah blissful Venus, Goddess of Delight, How cou'dst 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? 690 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, 700 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. 711 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, The Vicar first, and after him the Crew, 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, Obscure in Rushes of the liquid Lake. 740 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 Yet in this Agony his Fancy wrought, Yours is the Prize, victorious Prince, said he, see, 760 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. 'Tis 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, 770 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, 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, 780 Who seemingly have put you in Distress : You, if your Goodness does not plead my Cause, May think I broke all hospitable Laws, And put your noble Person in a Fright: intent I practis'd it, to make you taste your Cheer, With double Pleasure, first prepared by fear. So loyal Subjects often seize their Prince, 790 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 If I believe a Saint upon his Oath : Shall sooth me more to sing with winking 800 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, 'Tis my concern to have the Tree betwixt. THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF; OR, THE LADY IN THE ARBOUR. A VISION. Now turning from the wintry Signs, the Sun | I wonder'd then, but after found it true, His Course exalted through the Ram had Much Joy had dry'd away the balmy Dew: Sea's wou'd be Pools without the brushing Air, run: And whirling up the Skies, his Chariot drove Through Taurus, and the lightsome Realms of Love, Where Venus from her Orb descends in Show'rs To glad the Ground, and paint the Fields with Flow'rs: When first the tender Blades of Grass 30 Wandring I walk'd alone, for still methought To some strange End so strange a Path was wrought: At last it led me where an Arbour stood, 60 In all my Progress I had never seen: Gaz'd all arround me, new to the transporting Sight. 'Twas bench'd with Turf, and, goodly to be seen, The thick young Grass arose in fresher Green : The Mound was newly made, no Sight cou'd pass Betwixt the nice Partitions of the Grass; The well-united Sods so closely lay; 70 And all arround the Shades defended it from Day. For Sycamours with Eglantine were spread, A Hedge about the Sides, a Covering over Head. And so the fragrant Brier was wove between, The Sycamour and Flow'rs were mix'd with Green, That Nature seem'd to vary the Delight; And satisfy'd at once the Smell and Sight. The Master Work-man of the Bow'r was known Suflic'd at length, she warbled in her Throat, And tun'd her Voice to many a merry Note, But indistinct, and neither Sweet nor Clear, Yet such as sooth'd my Soul, and pleas'd 80 my Ear. Through Fairy-Lands, and built for Oberon; Who twining Leaves with such Proportion drew, They rose by Measure, and by Rule they grew; No Mortal Tongue can half the Beauty_tell, For none but Hands divine could work so well. Both Roof and Sides were like a Parlour made, A soft Recess, and a cool Summer Shade; The Hedge was set so thick, no Foreign Eye The Persons plac'd within it could espy; But all that pass'd without with Ease was seen, As if nor Fence nor Tree was plac'd between. 'Twas border d with a Field; and some was plain ༡༠ With Grass; and some was sow'd with rising Grain. Her short Performance was no sooner try'd, When she I sought, the Nightingale reply'd : So sweet, so shrill, so variously she sung, That the grove eccho'd, and the Valleys If anywhere by chance I might espy For still methought she sung not far away; On the green Bank I sat, and listen'd long; (Sitting was more convenient for the Song !) Nor till her Lay was ended could I move, But wish'd to dwell for ever in the Grove. Only methought the time too swiftly pass'd, And ev'ry Note I fear'd would be the last. My Sight, and Smell, and Hearing were employ'd, And all three Senses in full Gust enjoy'd. And all Elysium in a spot of Ground. Thus while I sat intent to see and hear, And drew Perfumes of more than vital Air, A suddenly I heard th' approaching sound Of vocal Musick, on th' enchanted Ground: An Host of Saints it seem'd, so full the) Quire; 150 As if the Bless'd above did all conspire, behind Her Measures kept, and Step by Step pursu'd. Methought she trod the Ground with greater Grace, With more of Godhead shining in her Face; A Branch of Agnus castus in her Hand 191 And as she danc'd, a Roundelay she sung, The Fawns came scudding from the Groves to hear: And all the bending Forest lent an Ear. Reply'd, and bore the Burden of the |