But haste thee straight to do me once a pleasure, How he before the thunderous throne doth lie, To th' touch of golden wires, while Hebe brings Then passing through the spheres of watchful fire, 40 45 And last of kings, and queens, and heroes old, Such as the wise Demodocus once told In solemn songs at king Alcinous' feast, While sad Ulysses' soul, and all the rest, Are held with his melodious harmony In willing chains, and sweet captivity. But fie, my wand'ring Muse, how thou dost stray! To keep in compass of thy predicament: Then quick about thy purpos'd business come, 50 55 Then Ens is represented as father of the Predicaments his two sons, whereof the eldest stood for Substance with his cannons, which Ens, thus speaking, explains. GOOD luck befriend thee, Son; for, at thy birth, 60 Thy drousy nurse hath sworn she did them spy Come tripping to the room where thou didst lie, And, sweetly singing round about thy bed, Strew all their blessings on thy sleeping head. She heard them give thee this that thou shouldst still From eyes of mortals walk invisible : 66 Yet there is something that doth force my fear; For once it was my dismal hap to hear 70 A Sibyl old, bow-bent with crooked age, And in time's long and dark prospective glass nd those that cannot live from him asunder, 75 Ungratefully shall strive to keep him under; And peace shall lull him in her flow'ry lap ; What pow'r, what force, what mighty spell, if not 80 85 90 The next Quantity and Quality spoke in prose, then Relation was called by his name, RIVERS, arise; whether thou be the son Of utmost Tweed, or Oose, or Gulphy Dun, Or Trent, who, like some earth-born giant, spreads Or sullen Mole, that runneth underneath; Or Severn swift, guilty of maiden's death 3 Or rocky Avon, or of sedgy Lee, Or coaly Tine, or ancient hallow'd Dee; Or Humber loud, that keeps the Scythian's name ; (The rest was prose.] 95 100 III. ON THE MORNING. OF CHRIST'S NATIVITY. Composed 1629. I. THIS is the month, and this the happy morn, That he our deadly forfeit should release, II. That glorious form, that light unsufferable, 5 And that far-beaming blaze of majesty, Wherewith he wont at Heav'n's high council-table 10 To sit the midst of Trinal Unity, He laid aside; and, here with us to be, Forsook the courts of everlasting day, And chose with us a darksome house of mortal clay. III. Say, heav'nly Muse, shall not thy sacred vein Afford a present to the infant God? Hast thou no verse, no hymn, or solemn strain, Now while the heav'n, by the sun's team untrod, 15 Hath took no print of the approaching light, 20 And all the spangled hosts keep watch in squadrons bright? IV. See, how from far, upon the eastern road, The star-led wizards haste with odours sweet: O run, prevent them with thy humble ode, Aud join thy voice unto the angel quire, From out his secret altar touch'd with hallow'd fire, THE HYMN. 25 I. IT was the winter wild, While the Heav'n-born child All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies; Nature, in awe to him, Had doff'd her gaudy trim With her great Master so to sympathise ; It was no season then for her To wanton with the sun, her lusty paramour. Only with speeches fair She wooes the gentle air II. To hide her guilty front with innocent snow; And on her naked shame, Pollute with sinful blame, The saintly veil of maiden white to throw; Confounded, that her Maker's eyes Should look so near upon her foul deformities. 30 35 |