POEMS OF WILLIAM THOMPSON. Around the bark they daunce, wherein there A lady fresh and fair, ah! such a one, [sat So tresh and fair, so ainiably great, So goodly-gracious seem'd as never none, And like thy sweet-beam'd planet, Venus shone, They much admire, O very much her face, Her shape, her breast, for Love a downy throne! Her beauty's glorious shine, her every grace; An angel she appear'd, at least of angel-race. 3 * Presently. Beautiful looks. 1 A boat. 2 Her Thamis (on his golded urn he lean'd) And hail'd her safe. Full silent was the wind, Ne4 whispered the breeze the leaves emong, A stilness on the waves attentive hung, A brighter gladness blest the face of day, [May. All nature gan to smile, her smiles diffus'd the "Ah sacred ship, to Albion wafting good, "Ah sacred ship! may favourable gales, "Augusta, fairest princess under sky, But dreams of thee long, livelong nights and days, By Beauty led through all Love's rosy-thorny ways. "To heal his pains soft music does divide Most heavenly melody in soothing strains; Nor heavenly melody, nor aught beside, Save thee, ah dearest Dread! can heal his pains. Thy form too deeply in his breast remains. So ever and anon he chides the gales, That slowly seem to brush the liquid plaius; Oh! fly on all the wings of Heav'n, ye sails, Oh fly! he crys; and lo! a lover's pray'r prevails. "Now cease thy sighs. She comes, (oh blessed day!) She comes, by all the Loves and Graces drest, To stretch the sails and fan the royal guest, "O blessed youth! receive thy bonnibel, Eternal fount of virtue, love and grace! O kneel to all the gods and pray to all, Who sparkle so divinely in her face, And with celestial fires ber bosom bless. So shines Aurora in her rich attire, When she Hyperion wou'd fain caress: Gaze all the host of stars, and all admire, Then twinkle in their urns, and into night retire. "O blessed maid! receive thy belamour3, With glee receive him and o'erflowing heart: Ne in high monarch's court, ne lady's bow'r, A youth so form'd by Nature and by Art, Conspiring both, e'er cherish'd Cupid's dart. So Phoebus, lusty bridegroom of the sky, With native splendours shines on every part; From east to west his pointed glories fly, He warmeth every heart, he dazzleth every eye.” Here Thamis ended. Now the goodly train Of all the Naïds, in most comely wise, A present make of myrtle-girland green, For she, and Modesty, sweet blushing, guide the Entrail'd with flowrets and with rare device. The Graces eke, with laughter-swelling eyes,' A rosy-chaplet, steep'd in nectar bring, (The roses gather'd in the morning skies) Then, joining with the Naids, form a ring, And round them deftly daunce, and round them blithly sing. "As roses and as myrtles kindly weave Their sweets in one, much sweeter as they blend; Emblem of marriage-love! So you, receive Sweets interchang'd, and to each other lend; Then, in a blest perfume, to Heav'n ascend, And mingle with the gods! While here below, New myrtles, roses new, withouten end, From your luxurious stock, full plenteous, grow, And with their parent-sweets, and parent-beauty glow." Next Albion's Genius came, bedite in gold, An oaken chaplet nodded on his head; The crown he held was glorious to behold, And royally he taught his feet to tread. Soon as he spy'd the prince's goodlyhead, He pointed to the crown, and rais'd his voice To hail the royal pair and bless their bed: The jolly Chorus catch the grateful noise, Echo the woods and vales, and Heav'n and Earth rejoice. Next Liberty, the fairest nymph on ground; And these beside, a sacred pers'nage came, * Beautiful virgin. 3 Charming lover. Often. |