X. But oh why didst thou not stay here below To stand 'twixt us and our deservèd smart? But thou canst best perform that office where thou art. XI. Then thou, the mother of so sweet a child, That till the world's last end shall make thy name to live. 70 AT A VACATION EXERCISE IN THE COLLEGE, PART LATIN, PART ENGLISH. Anno ætatis 19. The Latin Speeches ended, the English thus began: HAIL, Native Language, that by sinews weak Small loss it is that thence can come unto thee; The daintiest dishes shall be served up last. Not those new-fangled toys, and trimming slight Such as may make thee search thy coffers round, How he before the thunderous throne doth lie, To the touch of golden wires, while Hebe brings Then, passing through the spheres of watchful fire, May tell at length how green-eyed Neptune raves, In solemn songs at king Alcinous' feast, But fie, my wandering Muse, how thou dost stray! Then quick about thy purposed business come, That to the next I may resign my room. 20 30 40 50 Then ENS is represented as Father of the Predicaments, his ten Sons; whereof the eldest stood for SUBSTANCE with his Canons; which ENS, thus speaking, explains :- Good luck befriend thee, Son; for at thy birth The faery ladies danced upon the hearth. 60 The drowsy nurse hath sworn she did them spy She heard them give thee this, that thou shouldst still Yet there is something that doth force my fear; 70 80 To harbour those that are at enmity." What power, what force, what mighty spell, if not 90 The next, QUANTITY and QUALITY, spake in prose: then RELATION was called by his name. Rivers, arise: whether thou be the son Of utmost Tweed, or Ouse, or gulfy Dun, Or Trent, who, like some earth-born giant, spreads Or rocky Avon, or of sedgy Lea, Or coaly Tyne, or ancient hallowed Dee, Or Humber loud, that keeps the Scythian's name, The rest was prose. 100 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, And that far-beaming blaze of majesty, Wherewith he wont at Heaven's high council-table 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, Heavenly Muse, shall not thy sacred vein Hast thou no verse, no hymn, or solemn strain, To welcome him to this his new abode, Now while the heaven, by the Sun's team untrod, Hath took no print of the approaching light, And all the spangled host keep watch in squadrons bright? IV. See how from far upon the eastern road The star-led wizards haste with odours sweet! And lay it lowly at his blessed feet; Have thou the honour first thy Lord to greet, From out his secret altar touched with hallowed fire. 10 20 THE HYMN. I. It was the winter wild, While the heaven-born child All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies; Had doffed her gaudy trim, With her great Master so to sympathize: It was no season then for her To wanton with the Sun, her lusty paramour. II. Only with speeches fair She woos the gentle air To hide her guilty front with innocent snow, 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. But he, her fears to cease, Sent down the meek-eyed Peace : She, crowned with olive green, came softly sliding His ready harbinger, With turtle wing the amorous clouds dividing; And, waving wide her myrtle wand, She strikes a universal peace through sea and land. IV. No war, or battle's sound, Was heard the world around; The idle spear and shield were high uphung; The hooked chariot stood, Unstained with hostile blood; The trumpet spake not to the armèd throng; And kings sat still with awful eye, As if they surely knew their sovran Lord was by. 30 40 50 60 |