So heaven's fair face, to th' unborn world, which reads,' A book had been of thy 2 illustrious deeds:

So to their nephews, aged sires had told

The high exploits perform'd by thee of old;

Towns ras'd, and rais'd, victorious, vanquish'd bands,
Fierce tyrants flying, foil'd, kill'd by thy hands:
And in rich arras virgins fair had wrought
The bays and trophies to thy country brought:
While some new Homer, imping wings to Fame,
Deaf Nilus' dwellers had made hear thy name.
That thou didst not attain these honour's spheres,
Through want of worth it was not, but of years."
A youth more brave, pale Troy with trembling walls
Did never see, nor she whose name appalls
Both Titan's golden bow'rs, in bloody fights,
Must'ring on Mars his field, such Mars-like knights.
The heavens had brought thee to the highest height
Of wit and courage, shewing all their might,
When they thee fram'd. Ah me! that what is brave
On earth, they as their own so soon should crave!
Moliades sweet courtly nymphs deplore,

From Thule to Hydaspes' pearly shore.

1 For "th' unborn world, which reads,"" the unborne, which reades."

2 For "thy"-" thine."

3 For "rich"-" dear."

4 For " 'wings"

pens."

5 For "these"-"those."

6 For " Through want of," &c.-" It was not want of worth,

O no! but years."

7 For "in"-" for."

When Forth, thy nurse, Forth, where thou first didst pass Thy tender days, (who smiled oft on her glass,

To see thee gaze,) meand'ring with her streams,
Heard thou hadst left this round, from Phoebus' beams

She sought to fly; but, forced to return

By neighbouring brooks, she set1 herself to mourn :
And as she rush'd her Cyclades among,

She seem'd to 'plain that heaven had done her wrong.
With a hoarse plaint, Clyde down her steepy rocks,
And Tweed through her green mountains clad with flocks,
Did wound the ocean murmuring thy death;

The ocean it roar'd about the earth,

And to the Mauritanian Atlas told,

Who shrunk through grief, and down his white hairs roll'd

Huge streams of tears, which3 changed were to floods, Wherewith he drown'd the neighbour plains and woods. The lesser brooks, as they did bubbling go,

5

Did keep a consort to the public woe.

The shepherds left their flocks with downcast eyes, 'Sdaining to look up to the angry skies;

6

Some brake their pipes, and some in sweet-sad lays
Made senseless things amazed at thy praise.

1 For "set"-" gave."

3 For "which"-" that."

2 For "it"-" that."

4 For "Wherewith"-" With which."

"For "to the"-" unto."

6 For "'Sdaining," &c. "Disdaining to look up to angry skys."

7 For "brake"-"broke."

His reed Alexis hung upon a tree,

And with his tears made Doven great to be.
Moliades sweet courtly nymphs deplore,
From Thule to Hydaspes' pearly shore.

Chaste maids which haunt fair Aganippe's well,
And you in Tempe's sacred shade who dwell,
Let fall your harps, cease tunes of joy to sing,
Dishevelled make all Parnassus ring

With anthems sad; thy musick Phœbus turn
To doleful plaints, whilst joy itself doth mourn.
Dead is thy darling who adorn'd thy bays,
Who oft was wont to cherish thy sweet lays,
And to a trumpet raise thy1 amorous style,
That floating Delos envy might this isle.
You, Acidalian archers, break your bows,

Your torches quench, with tears blot beauty's snows,
And bid your weeping mother yet again

A second Adon's death, nay, Mars his plain.2

His eyes once were your darts; nay, even his name, Wherever heard, did every heart inflame.

Tagus did court his love with golden streams,

Rhine with his towns, fair Seine with all she claims;
But ah! (poor lovers) death did them betray,
And, not suspected, made their hopes his prey!
Tagus bewails his loss in 3 golden streams,
Rhine with his towns, fair Seine with all she claims.

1 For "thy"-" thine."

2 For" Mars his plain"-" Marses' plain."

3 For "in"-" with."

Mæliades sweet courtly nymphs deplore,

From Thule to Hydaspes' pearly shore.

Eye-pleasing' meads, whose painted2 plain forth brings White, golden, azure flow'rs, which once were kings, To3 mourning black their shining colours dye, Bow down their heads, while sighing zephyrs fly. Queen of the fields, whose blush makes blush the morn, Sweet rose, a prince's death in purple mourn;

O hyacinths, for aye your AI keep still,

Nay, with more marks of woe your leaves now fill:
And you, O flow'r, of Helen's tears that's born,
Into those liquid pearls again you turn:

Your green locks, forests, cut; to weeping myrrhs,
To deadly cypress, and ink-dropping firs,

Your palms and myrtles change; from shadows dark
Wing'd syrens wail, and you sad echoes mark
The lamentable accents of their moan,

And 'plain that brave Moliades is gone.

Stay, sky, thy turning course, and now become
A stately arch, unto the earth his tomb:
And over it still wat'ry Iris keep,*
And sad Electra's sisters, who still weep:
Mæliades sweet courtly nymphs deplore,
From Thule to Hydaspes' pearly shore.

1 66 'Eye-pleasing"- 'delicious." 2" Painted"-" check'red."

3 "To"-" in."

"And over it," &c.-"Ouer which ay the wat'rie Iris

keepe."

Dear ghost, forgive these our untimely tears, By which our loving mind, though weak, appears: Our loss, not thine, (when we complain,) we weep, For thee the glistering walls of heaven do keep, Beyond the planet's wheels, 'bove highest source Of spheres, that turns the lower in his course : Where sun doth never set, nor ugly night Ever appears in mourning garments dight: Where Boreas' stormy trumpet doth not sound, Nor clouds, in lightnings bursting, minds astound. From cares, cold climates far, and hot desire, Where time's exil'd,' and ages ne'er expire; 'Mongst purest spirits environed with beams, Thou think'st all things below to be but dreams; And joy'st to look down to the azur'd bars

Of heaven powder'd with troops of streaming stars;
And in their turning temples to behold,

In silver robe the moon, the sun in gold;
Like youug eye-speaking lovers in a dance,
With majesty by turns retire, advance:
Thou wonder'st earth to see hang like a ball,
Clos'd in the mighty3 cloister of this all ;
And that poor men should prove so madly fond,
To toss themselves for a small spot of ground:
Nay, that they ev'n dare brave the powers above,
From this base stage of change that cannot move.

" Where time's," &c.-" Where time is banish'd." 2 "Powder'd with"-" indented all with."