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Libs, Notus, Aufter:† these in frowns array'd;
How then would fare or earth, or sky, or main,
Were the ftern god to give his flaves the rein?
And were not she rebellious breasts to quell,
And were not the her ftatutes to maintain,

The cot no more, I ween, were deem'd the cell Where comely peace of mind and decent order dwell.

A ruffet ftole was o'er her shoulders thrown,

A ruffet kirtle fenc'd the nipping air;

'Twas fimple ruffet, but it was her own;
'Twas her own country bred the flock fo fair:
'Twas her own labour did the fleece prepare ;
And, footh, to fay, her pupils rang'd around,
Through pious awe, did term it paffiug rare;
For they in gaping wonderment abound,

And think, no doubt, fhe been the greatest wight on ground.

Albeit ne flatt'ry did corrupt her truth,

Ne pompous title did debauch her ear,

Goody, Good Woman, Goffip, n'Aunt, forsooth,
Or Dame, the fole additions fhe did hear;
Yet thefe fhe challeng'd, thefe fhe held right dear
Ne would efteem him act as mought behove,
Who fhould not honour'd eld with these revere;
For never title yet fo mean could prove,

But there was eke a mind which did that title love.

One ancient hen he took delight to feed,
The plodding pattern of the busy dame;
Which, ever and anon, impell'd by need,
Into her school, begirt with chickens, came;

+ The south-west wind, south, &c.

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Such favour did her paft deportment claim: And if neglect had lavish'd on the ground Fragment of bread she would collect the fame; For well fhe knew, and quaintly could expound, What fin it were to waste the smallest crumb the found,

Herbs, too, she knew, and well of each could speak, That in her garden fipt the filv'ry dew;

Where no vain flow'r disclos'd a gaudy streak,
But herbs for ufe, and phyfic, not a few,
Of grey renown, within those borders grew;
The tufted bafil, pun-provoking thyme,
Fresh baum, and marygold of cheerful hue,
The lowly gil, that never dares to climb,
And more I fain would fing, difdaining here to rhyme.
Yet euphrafy may not be left unfung,

That gives dim eyes to wand'ring leagues around,
And pungent radish, biting infant's tongue;

And plantain ribb'd, that heals the reaper's wound ;
And marj'ram fweet, in fhepherd's pofie found;
And lavender, whose spikes of azure bloom
Shall be, erewhile, in arid bundles bound,
To lurk amid the labours of her loom,

And crown her kerchiefs clean with mickle rare perfume.
And here trim rofemarine, that whilom crown'd
The daintieft garden of the proudest peer,
Ere, driven from its envy'd fite, it found

A facred fhelter for its branches here,

Where, edg'd with gold, its glitt'ring skirts appear,
O waffel days! O cuftoms meet and well!
Ere this was banish'd from its lofty sphere;
Simplicity then fought this humble cell,

Nor eyer would the more with thane and lordling dwell.

Here oft the dame, on Sabbath's decent eve,

Hymned fuch pfalms as Sternhold forth did mete:

If winter 'twere, the to her hearth did cleave: But in her garden found her summer seat : Sweet melody! to hear her then repeatHow Ifrael's fons, beneath a foreign king, While taunting foe-men did a fong entreat, All for the nonce, untuning every string, Up-hung their useless lyres-fmall heart had they to

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For the was juft, and friend to virtuous lore, And pass'd much time in truly virtuous deed; And in those elfins' ears would oft deplore The times when Truth by Popish rage did bleed, And tortious death was true Devotion's meed: And fimple Faith in iron chains did mourn, That nould on wooden image place her creed ; And lawny faints on fmould'ring flames did burn: Ah, dearest Lord! forefend thilk days fhould e'er return.

In elbow-chair, like that of Scottish fiem,
By the sharp tooth of cank'ring eld defac'd,
In which, when he receives his diadem,
Our fov'reign prince and liefeft liege is plac'd,
The matron fate: and fome with rank fhe grac'd,
(The fource of children's and of courtier's pride!)
Redress'd affronts (for vile affronts there pass'd ;)
And warn'd them not the fretful to deride,
But love each other dear, whatever them betide.

Right well the knew each temper to defcry;
To thwart the proud, and the submiss to raise;
Some with vile copper prize exalt on high,
And fome entice with pittance fmall of praise;

And other fome with baleful fprig she 'frays: E'en abfent, the the reins of pow'r doth hold, While with quaint arts the giddy crowd the fways; Forewarn'd, if little bird their pranks behold, Twill whifper in her ear, and all the fcene unfold.

Lo! now with ftate fhe utters the command! Eftfoons the urchins to their tasks repair; Their books, of ftature small, they take in hand, Which with pellucid horn fecured are, To fave from finger-wet the letters fair: The work fo gay, that on their back is seen, St. George's high atchievements does declare, On which thilk wight that has y-gazing been, Kens the forth-coming rod, unpleafing fight, I ween!

Ah! lucklefs he, and born beneath the beam
Of evil ftar! it irks me whilft I write!
As erft the bard,+ by Mulla's filver ftream,
Oft, as he told of deadly dolorous plight,
Sigh'd as he fung, and did in tears indite:
For, brandishing the rod, the doth begin
To loofe the brogues, the ftripling's late delight!
And down they drop; appears his dainty skin,
Fair as the furry coat of whitest ermilin.

O ruthful scene! when, from a nook obfcure,
His little fifter doth his peril fee;
All playful as the fate, she grows demure,
She finds full foon her wonted fpirits flee;
She meditates a pray'r to set him free;
Nor gentle pardon could this dame deny,

+ Spenser.

(If gentle pardon could with dames agree)
To her fad grief that fwells in either eye,
And wrings her so that all for pity she could die.
No longer can fhe now her fhricks command;
And hardly the forbears, through awful fear,
To rufhen forth, and with prefumptuous hand,
To stay harsh justice in its mid career.
On thee the calls, on thee, her parent dear!
(Ah! too remote to ward the shameful blow!)
She fees no kind domestic visage near,
And foon a flood of tears begins to flow,

And gives a loose at last to unavailing woe.

But ah! what pen his piteous plight may trace?
Or what device his loud laments explain?

The form uncouth of his disguised face?
The pallid hue that dyes his looks amain?
The plenteous fhow'r that does his cheek diftain?
When he in abject wife implores the dame,
Ne hopeth aught of sweet reprieve to gain;

Or when from high fhe levels well her aim,

And through the thatch his cries each falling firoke proclaim.

The other tribe, aghaft, with fore dismay,
Attend, and con their tasks with mickle care;
By turns, aftony'd, ev'ry twig furvey,

And from their fellows hateful wounds beware; Knowing, I wift, how each the fame may fhare; Till fear has taught them a performance meet, And to the well-known cheft the dame repair, Where oft with fugar'd cates the doth 'em grect, And gingerbread y-rare, now, certes, doubly sweet!

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