But see, the Virgin bless'd Hath laid her Babe to rest; Time is, our tedious song should here have ending: Heaven's youngest-teemed star Hath fix'd her polish'd car; Her sleeping Lord with handmaid lamp attending: And all about the courtly stable Bright-harness'd angels sit in order serviceable. THE PASSION. EREWHILE of music, and ethereal mirth, In wintry solstice like the shorten'd light For now to sorrow must I tune my song, snares, ,and wrongs, and worse than so, Which he for us did freely undergo: Most perfect Hero, tried in heaviest plight Of labours huge and hard, too hard for human wight! He, sov'reign Priest, stooping his regal bead, His starry front low-roof'd beneath the skies: Yet more: the stroke of death he must abide, Then lies him meekly down fast by his brethren's side. These latest scenes confine my roving verse; And former sufferings, other-where are found; Loud o'er the rest Cremona's trump doth sound; Me softer airs befit, and softer strings Of lute or viol still, more apt for mournful things. Befriend me, Night, best patroness of grief; That Heaven and Earth are colour'd with my woe; The leaves should all be black whereon I write, And letters, where my tears have wash'd, a wannish white. See, see the chariot, and those rushing wheels, In pensive trance, and anguish, and ecstatic fit. Mine eye hath found that sad sepulchral rock For sure so well instructed are my tears, Or should I thence hurried on viewless wing, Might think the infection of my sorrows loud Had got a race of mourners on some pregnant cloud. This subject the Author finding to be above the years he had, when he wrote it, and nothing satisfied with what was begun, left it unfinished. ON TIME. FLY, envious Time, till thou run out thy race; Whose speed is but the heavy plummet's pace; So little is our loss, So little is thy gain! For when as each thing bad thou hast intomb'd, And last of all thy greedy self consum❜d, Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss With an individual kiss; And Joy shall overtake us as a flood, When every thing that is sincerely good And perfectly divine, With Truth, and Peace, and Love, shall ever shine About the supreme throne Of Him, to' whose happy-making sight alone When once our heavenly guided soul shall climb; Then, all this earthly grossness quit, Attir'd with stars, we shall for ever sit, Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee O Time! UPON THE CIRCUMCISION. YE flaming Powers, and winged Warriors bright, He, who with all Heaven's heraldry whilere Sore doth begin His infancy to seize ! O more exceeding love, or law more just? Were lost in death, till he, that dwelt above And that great covenant which we still transgress Entirely satisfied; And the full wrath beside Of vengeful justice bore for our excess; And seals obedience first, with wounding smart, This day; but O, ere long, Huge pangs and strong Will pierce more near his heart. AT A SOLEMN MUSIC. BLESS D pair of Syrens, pledges of Heaven's joy, With saintly shout, and solemn jubilee, That we on earth, with undiscording voice, Jarr'd against Nature's chime, and with harsh din To their great Lord, whose love their motion sway'd In first obedience, and their state of good. And keep in tune with Heaven, till God, ere long, To live with him, and sing in endless morn of light! AN EPITAPH ON THE MARCHIONESS OF WINCHESTER. THIS rich marble doth inter A Viscount's daughter, an Earl's heir, Added to her noble birth, More than she could own from earth. To house with darkness, and with death, Been as complete as was her praise, In giving limit to her life. Her high birth, and her graces sweet, Quickly found a lover meet; The virgin quire for her request But with a scarce well lighted flame; |