Frame in pollish'd stone is wrought As Parian work might hence have Copies sought Whose Bottom shin'd as clear as Mirrors doe Circled with Pillars bright reflections show And through each space stood noblest creatures carv'd Some think the same that Noahs Ark preserv'd Nor were its Mediums less for beauty prais'd VVhile in such order each Ascent is rais'd As best skill'd Architects must hence admire Those hands that could so happily conspire The Royal Cov'ring which this Frame did bear Is story'd by the artful Painters care Where antient Heroes in vast Figures lie VVith Atlas said t' uphold the falling Sky Hence they behold Great Londons vast Contents The Seat of Natures choice Emoluments VVhich wise Antiquity had planted here That times succeeding might renown their care And hence they view the silver Flood of Thames Brighter than Zanthus or fam'd Symois streams In which the Gods their limbs were said to save And visit Thetis in a chrystal wave To Neptunes bosome thus it gently glides Returning thence inricht with pregnant Tides By secret sympathy or Cinthia's power That streams can swell without the help of shower While stately Vessels swift as winds here steer Some fraught with Traffique others built for Warr As if that Age heroickly foresaw This supreme Isle should to the main give law And hence they wond'rous Aqueducts survey That this Great City useful streams convey While works in water Engins raise so high As if they 'd Meteors place above the Sky And now as Rome would add a glory too Or Gauls repent their crimes in being a Foe Their Legats from Martianus convoy'd come Who of these Princes crave a Peace from Rome This Embassy a Gaul of subtile brain Does manage that deceit could wilely feign Who knew the Brittish hearts too great to be Suspecters ev'n in Foes of treachery And to this glorious presence has access Cloath'd in the soft Attyres of Gallick dress Whose Vests as various forms and colours show As if they pattern'd from Thaumantius Bow On this a Perriwig more long he wears Than the dishevel'd locks of Virgins hairs And thus with suppliant knees and fawning face The mode of Gaul his Errand hopes to grace Then first relates how Rome and Gaul conspire To make a lasting Peace their joynt desire Since they behold what wonders Heaven had wrought For Brittish Powers while theirs opposing fought And next does magnifie the Princes Arms Whose valour gives their Foes such pow'rful charms That their great Chiefs submit to sue for Peace And call the Brittains friend if Arms they 'l cease Though Rome with succours soon can them supply Or Great Alvatrix from his Gauls more nigh Whose Arms did but neglect of Love pursue Yet to the Queen that guilt repenteth too By me pronouncing how his soul relents His late Hostilities and dire Intents In which her City more her self did share His Love and Arms made guilty of her fear For which if I with offer'd Peace return He 'll soon to Gaul retire this crime to mourn Nor does Great Ennius design to be With you fam'd Princes hence at enmity Who by your virtues more than Arms o'rcome Would make you ally'd friends of Mighty Rome Leaving your Country and this Beauteous Queen To give her love as best to Heaven is seen This said the Princes serious councel take How safe Replies this Embassy to make Who though they Gallick Arts and Romes distrust Conclude in faith these dare not be unjust Since thus reduc'd by a victor'ous Fate But this so high concern of Arms and State These Hero's joyntly to the Queen referre Whose Cause they own the glory of this warre While she though willing to embrace a Theme In which their warlike deeds such merits claim Yet gently wishes they 'd her tongue now spare Too soft to accent the rough Laws of warre And thus her ruby lips contain a space Each look first speaking Majesty and Grace As if like Stats they could her sense convey Through the bright insluence of a beam or ray Then to this Embassy in brief replies What with these Royal Princes she decreas Whose valours have oblig'd her cause so far That for their sakes 't were sin to wish more war If as he sayes Great Ennius does repent And more Alvatrix does his rage relent Which threatn'd ev'n her City and her Name With Fire and Arms and more unwelcome Flame Yet thus incens'd her vote shall mercy show To this Legation of a cruel Foe On whom their Arms might utmost vengeance take Who beat in field their Camp a refuge make But if that Rome and Gaul no more will be To Britains or their Country Enemy She 'll with the Princes grant they Truce obtain On Faith giv'n ne'r t' invade this Isle again To which this Legat guilefully consents Vowing his Masters peaceful fair intents By all the Gods that Rome and Gaul revere Prophaning Faith at once and Heav'ns just Ear. Then to Martianus these great Chiefs express That he with Rome and Gaul his Arms should cease If on their plighted faith this Isle they leave In forty dayes till when a Truce must have With feign'd Congratulations then departs This cringing Legat full of Gauls smooth Arts The Mimicks in whom Nature forms deceit And whence the world does pattern modes to cheat Which as an impious President foreshows That Gauls would still be Britains faithless Foes Who by feign'd Treaties more our Arms deceiv'd Than e'r their Swords by victory repriev'd And now the Queen descends this stately Throne Their joyes with all magnificence to own In Court and City while they first express Their Thanks to heav'n for their fam'd Arms success The End of the First Book THE Brittish Princes AN Heroick Poem BOOK II. The First Canto THe Gen'rous Victor to renown his Bayes Devotes to Peace some glory of his dayes Pleas'd that his Armes her gentle Thrones restore Fit to partake the case of mighty Power Though oft great Monarchs artful Treaties make Which by vile stratagems of Faith they break And by perfidious leasure respite warre More Engins of destruct'on to prepare While these Great Brittish Princes having rais'd Trophies of war Fame through the world had blaz'd No less Heroick grant their Foes a Peace The Noble End just Arms must guide and cease Nor did these Hero's Roman Arts distrust Or Gauls in faith reputed more unjust Since from their conqu'ring mercy Truce they gain Less imp'ous held than plighted faith to feign Or tempt their Arms a Conquest to pursue And heav'n oblige to joyn in vengeance too From whence the great devoutly wise must own All high atchievments of the Sword or Throne That Power by Sacred Tyes may Mankind awe Too rough alone to guide with humane Law Thus from the world Heav'ens legislative book Of Providence Domin'on Copies took Lest Chance or Guilt entitle Scepters here And like tam'd Beasts Men without conscience fear Whence first industr'ous Rulers vulgars taught How Order Heav'ns Great Works divinely wrought While Power then
Infant to perfection grew And made Faith primitive with Reason too Thus Man from Nature Heaven did first revere E'r Priesthoods pious frauds induc'd their fear Who Man directed from this Road to stray That these as hireling Guides might lead his way And here themselves set up e'r mankind saw How Sects had mask'd the face of heav'ns bright Law Who like Seel'd Doves their souls had taught to fly That lose themselves in hope to reach the Sky Thus Reason and Belief at diff'rence grew Instructing more than from Heav'ns works men knew On which while they with wondring prospect look Admire Faiths Text unwritten in this Book While that reflects a Being to our sense In this vast mirror of omnipotence And but the essence from us does conceal Too great for Natures Glasses to reveal Hence Man from her own Institutes first read The Book of Heav'n in VVorks and Causes spread Not daring further by rash zeal to pry Lest Faith should prove his own bold mystery This antient zeal in Britain practic'd stood Untaught from Sects the seeds of war and blood VVho wayes to Heav'n by sev'ral tracts devise As if Faiths could be various and wise Or that above such peaceless Conducts were As wings of discord Souls must thither bear VVhilst in the Worlds great Volume here we find A Sacred Order and unerring mind And hence with pity did our Britains see The worlds divided bold Divinity As if heav'ns works did not enough declare Or to Beliefs alone defective were While they with sober eyes heav'ns Volume read Securely rev'renc'd by implicit dread To which in Natures works their sense must bow That Faith on Reasons wings may upward go But as contemplative Devotions seem Useless Conceptions on a Sacred Theam Except the Soul oblige the sense to be A due subservient in each faculty Which here a publick practice did avow That Temples Sacred Dedications show The Presence Chambers kept on Earth for Heaven Where Souls united-Rev'rence best is given Hither the Princes as the early morn With rosie blushes does the East adorn In Royal state with Great Bonduca come To pay their thanks for vanquish'd Gaul and Rome Yet in so solemn pomp they now appear As does on vulgar eyes impress heav'ns fear While Princes scarce divinely Subjects sway Unless they guide them their celestial way A Robe of Arthurs Albianus wears Which his great Lineage and Atchievments bears Kept sacred to adorn his mighty line When Temples with their offer'd Trophies shine A Vest as Admir'd Vortiger had on Which from this Islands foes his Grandsire won Whose artful colour pass'd the Tyrian Dye Oblig'd to triumph in this Legacy 'Twixt these the Queen more bright than Morning beams Whose beauties Poets might have wish'd their theams When they the Cyprian Goddess feign'd to be Loves matchless Copy and Divinity Her Robes were like the Easts bright Curtains drawn With Stars embroider'd that precede the dawn Which curious Virgins had with needles wrought And to their beauteous Queen a present brought O'r these in Tresses hangs her Aubrone hair Softer than Gossamors that glide the air While on her head a golden Crown is worn And in her hand a Jewell'd Scepter born Thus to this Temple Queen and Princes came Which if my Muse can credit give to Fame In London stood a Fane of more renown Than other Cities through the world had known No date so antient to record the Day When this vast building in foundation lay Whither from hands that stone could liquid mould The Gothick long lost Art or Dorrick old White Marble works the outward Frame adorn By mighty Pillars of like substance born And at some distance to the eye does show Like Alpine Mountains cover'd o'r with snow And though this Fane did wond'rous art compleat The Dedication's more divinely great Which here to Natures sacred works is rais'd From whence the Godhead though unknown is prais'd O'r a high Portal an Inscript'on's read In antient Text that speaks this Temples dread By which time Natures Child stands figur'd young Who feels no age though ages does prolong No less admir'd the inside does appear As if Art only plac'd her wonders here Or Nature had her choice mater'als brought And with these Artist hands her self had wrought The inward structures were of pollish'd stone From Quarries brought to man this day unknown Which like Heav'ns face their Azure glories shew Or clearest Saphirs of the richest blew VVhose spacious Roof such lofty Pillars bear As tallest Cedars shrubs to them appear On which their skill as from above inspir'd Such works had wrought no mortal like admir'd While from the Walls the Roof and Pavements here So strangely represented objects are As 't was some doubt to all in heart unclean These stones reflections should express their stain VVhich speaks how pure the souls of men should be That here adore this great Divinity VVithin this mighty Fane were lesser seen To Natures Morals had long sacred been As Justice Temp'rance divine Charity And Fortitude whose glory crowns the three But loves Religion a mysterious grace Has from all these a fifth divided place VVhich for mans sake this heav'nly Name must give Lest claim'd by beasts from procreation live Here the vow'd Lover takes his bloomy Bride Her Virgin Zone by Maiden hands unty'd VVhere Monuments were rais'd to give such fame That bare through wedlock an unspotted name But these my Muses Records faintly shew VVhich tells that Mar'age happy then made few And though tow'rds heav'n thus chain'd such seem to move Proves but too oft the schism war of love Yet here for Loves repute some Virgins lye In Chrystal Tombs were said love-sick to die Though this the Modern doubtfully believe Since this disease it self such cures can give The Queen and Princes passing these Fanes by Each casts on Loves their more indulgent eye As if they 'd secretly his ayd implore Or would his Altars above all adore Pass'd through the Body of this Temple they See Iv'ry Gates a spacious Quire display VVhich but admittance gives on solemn dayes The High Appartment call'd of Natures praise And here the Druids so renown'd by Fame In order stand to celebrate this Name Their Priestly Vestments of a speckled green As in her bloomy Livery Spring is seen VVhose Pow'r Divine in Mystick Notes they sing VVith all her Summer glories and her Spring VVhence Vegitives without sence life receive And Man and Beasts does healthful vigors give Describing next the Oceans vast extent VVith all the motions of that Element VVhy Egypts Nile so usefully does flow VVhile other Streams their narrow Ebbs must know Then from stupend'ous Rolls of Natures Law Praecepts from humane life divinely draw Free from disguise in controverted Texts The marks of Error and the Badge of Sects And thus these sacred Monitors declaim Vice the Souls riot in our Bodies frame But not as this day Priests our souls invade Since damning men was then an unknown Trade Lest Nature we a guilty
in this Pow'r Of Brittish Nobles and their Youth 's choice Flow'r That dare not hope to stand by Arms this Field But to our wishes must Bonduca yield Yet e'r her Eyes lament or Heart deplores The groans of dying Foes from our stern Pow'rs Unto the streightn'd Princes Truce let 's give If they without her love will yield to live Thus from the Consul is a Herauld sent To speak their high demands and fierce intent While yet Alvatrix does not think to prove The Consul Rival in Bonduca's love Or that he led his Roman Eagles now To conquer Brittains and remain his Foe But Loves ambition oft receives a Fate As well as those of Empire or of State This Herauld to the Queen and Princes come Speaks his bold Message from the Chief of Rome VVhich now the Queen with deep affliction hears Though less her life then love creates her fears And first does let the Princes boldly know That his great Master by Romes Gods does vow He 'll not the fortune of this day survive Should it Rome solely Brittish Empire give Who more than thirst of Rule makes Love his Cause Whose great Prerogative admits no Laws Though he the first of Romans yields to be That e'r broke Truce with noble Enemy For which of Heav'n and Rome does pardon crave And on these tearms if they yet Peace will have They and this Isle unconquer'd shall remain And for his triumph but the Queen will gain Nor by this Summons does he more demand Than what his pow'rful Legions can command When in this streight his Force and conduct must Send the Great Princes with their Pow'rs to dust Yet for the Queens fair sake vouchsafes to treat Before their Arms his dreadful onsets meet And Wars stern horrors her soft Soul affright Or she his Love would save should fall in fight But who can judge the high concern and flame Incens'd these Hero's when from Ennius came This bold demand so late their conquer'd Foe And no less treach'rously a Lover now Then is Alvatrix while the Queens bright beams Had kindled in their hearts Loves mighty flames Then to this Herauld Arthur's Son does speak Let not Romes Consul ever hope to make Us Brittish Princes so desertless live That he Bonduca Laws of Love shall give Or that they can a brave success despair Who with Truce-breaking Gauls and Romans war Nor would they lose the glory of this Fight To die or conquer in the Queens fair sight Whose heart unshaken their fierce Pow'rs withstood When London felt their flames stream'd with blood Yet slighted then Alvatrix rage and love And can she less 'gainst faithless Ennius prove More had this Prince express'd but Vortiger Whose Martial courage Fate her self did fear This Herauld bids withdraw in high disdain While Love and Empire thus at stake remain And next the Princes willing to deceive The Queens sad fears in this short respite give Her heart brave comforts while her weeping eyes Pay for their safeties Heav'n a sacrifice Then of these Forrest shades selects the view Of VVillows and Loves mournful Embleme Yew Neglecting Elmes embrac'd with am'rous Vines Which Nature for pleas'd Lovers objects twines And ev'n the Princes but kind Foes now calls Who thus surpriz'd withstand Romes Force and Gauls While with their safety she could these defie And their unconquer'd Virgin Lover die No less concern'd in this surprising hour The Princes had dispos'd their Martial Power VVith such wise conduct that the wing of Fate Did more her self than them precipitate And here the weapon'd Woodmen duely place Eager to make on Foes their nobler chace More joy'd to hear the trumpets Martial sounds Than all the Musick of their Horns and Hounds Then Roman Cornets Brittish Trumpets vye Whose vig'rous clamours seem to wound the skye VVhile Martial Odes the trusty Bowmen sing Compos'd by Brute their antient warlike King But e'r these Powers their fierce Incounters make Thus Ennius does unto Alvatrix speak Great Prince of Gaul if we this day o'rcome T will Brittish Empire yet restore to Rome And grace her Triumphs with Bouduca too VVhose love my heart conceal'd from thee till now While I Romes Consul blush to ownn slame That does with thine a Râ—vals wishes claim But as thou art Romes mighty Ally know I 'll to thy Love as glorious means allow This Battail won thy Sword and mine shall try Which for Bonduca's sake must yield to dye To whom Alvatrix had I Empire claim'd Of this Great Isle so long Romes Arms has fam'd Or did thy Rods and Axes envy'd see Born as thy Cons'lar State and Dignity I could not with such Fate surpriz'd have been As now to hear thou lov'st the Brittish Queen For whose enjoyment I such dangers fought Unvallew'd whil'st in her o'rpriz'd I sought Nor shall the honour of my blood decline This glor'ous offer 'twixt thy Sword and mine If heav'n decrees we this dayes fate survive To enter Lists shall Loves sole conquest give Till when I 'll like a Prince ally'd to Rome Assist her Eagles Brittains to o'rcome Though as thy Rival will attempt to be The Queens Possessor first from victory Before these Pow'rs their dreadful fury joyn The Roman Augurs who success divine From various Birds the airs vast Regions fly Or victims with auspicious omens dye Declare how they with horror did behold An offer'd Heifers blood turn'd black and cold Her bleeding Entrails panting in their view And how in ominous Flocks the Ravens flew Besides they had Portentous Records took From Great Cumean Sybil's wondrous Book Who in Prophetick fury did declare Romans should fatally with Brittains warr When they their Legions in that place array In which Great Caesar's Hart late stood at Bay And by a Brittish Queen pursu'd should fall Hence they the Consul warn and Prince of Gaul But Love whose Power even Fate her self defies Bids the bold Consul slight these destinies Calling their Rites some Cowards pious care That Rome first taught from Birds and Beasts to fear Then gives the Battel signal whence darts fly Thick as when stormes descending cloud the sky While Brittish Arrows these out-wing in flight And level ranks of Legions as they light Whose Pow'rs more numerous spare these heaps dead And with enlarged wings make dreadful speed Circling the Brittish Force and Princes round Their warlike ranks and valour to confound But with a fury more enforc'd oppose The Mart'al Pow'rs the beaut'ous Queen inclose While as she sees a Brittain fall or bleed Wishes the Dart had pierc'd her in his stead And here Great Ennius with his Romans breaks Through num'rous Ranks till he a prospect takes Of her bright visage while her Eyes dart beams That to his love and valor adds more flames No less Alvatrix danger does despice Leading his Gauls to Mars a sacrifice Invoking him this dayes success to crown That from his Arms his love may have renown And here through fierce Daranders Troops they break As Lanes through Woods the
to begin but not conclude thy Song Thy Foes do envy and thy Friends deplore Those that so much is writ these that no more ORRERY TO THE HONOURABLE Edward Howard Esq. Upon his Poem of the British Princes WHat mighty Gale hath rais'd a flight so strong So high above all vulgar eyes so long One single rapture scarce it self confines Within the limits of four thousand lines And yet I hope to see this noble heat Continue till it makes the piece compleat That to the latter Age it may descend And to the end of time its beams extend When Poesie joyns profit with delight Her Images should be most exquisite Since man to that perfection cannot rise Of alwayes virt'ous fortunate and wise Therefore the patterns man should imitate Above the life our Masters should create Herein if we consult with Greece and Rome Greece as in warre by Rome was overcome Though mighty raptures we in Homer find Yet like himself his Characters were blind Virgil's sublimed eyes not only gaz'd But his sublimed thoughts to heaven were rais'd Who reads the Honors which he paid the Gods Would think he had beheld their blest abodes And that his Hero might accomplish'd be From divine blood he draws his Pedigree From that great Judge your Judgment takes its law And by the best Original does draw Bonduca's Honor with those Heroes time Had in oblivion wrapt his sawcy crime To them and to your Nation you are just In raising up their glories from the dust And to Old England you that right have done To shew no story nobler than her own John Denham TO THE HONOURABLE Edward Howard Esq Upon his Poem of the Brittish Princes THough time o'r greatest actions hath its reign What this destroyes yet you restore again And by the pleasing Talent of your Pen Revive that worth which was so famous then So whil'st we fondly charg'd on guilty Fate Those ravisht Glories which on time did waite We see t was fit none but your Muse should give Our Brittish Heroes Monuments to live All the lost virtues of great Arthur you In Albianus can exactly shew The lustre of the long set Sun you find By those reflections which he leaves behind Could Vortiger but know how by your Muse his actions are out-done he would refuse All that he once thought great whilst he is taught Virtue and honour must from hence be sought Courage to ev'ry Hero you have lent To shew small stars make up a firmament The fair Bonduca would desire more Those beauties you describe than those she wore And think the gods had sent you from above To add a greatness to her soul and love Merlinu's worth which time had long obscur'd Is from your noble Muse to us secur'd That ev'n the Grecian Stagerite might take Instructions where thy Poem makes him speak Whose lost Prophetick glory now we see Reviv'd whilst here he makes his prophesie Virtue is so exacty drawn by you That none can question what he ought to do By those examples which in this are given You seem at once us to oblige and heaven No dangerous mountains make your work seem rough But gentle risings and yet high enough Which through the whole are so exactly wrought It seems as well the child of pains as thought On Princes actions when you cease to toyl Describing all the pleasures of this soyl Kind nature will be pleas'd since here is sung All by her secret operations done Though blushing she must wonder since no more Than hers your bounty lessens not your store Beauties not less oblig'd since by your Muse Is giv'n her all the features she could chuse And made us know that love which she hath given Is a faint rellish of our future heaven Marâ— not more amaz'd than pleas'd would be To see this Child derive its pedigree So justly from his greatness since he none For likeness and for beauty more can own Blest by these two detraction 't is above Since all must forfeit sence or thine approve H. D. TO THE HONOURABLE Edward Howard Esq On his intended Impression of his POEM OF THE BRITISH PRINCES SIR MY Judgement in Poetry hath you know been once already Censured by very gooâ— Wits for commending Gondibert buâ— yet they have not I think disabled my tâ—stimony For What Authority is there iâ— Wit A Jester may have it a Man in drink may have it and be fluent over night and wise and dry iâ— the morning What is it or Who can tell whether it be better to have it or be without it especially if it be a pointed Wit I will take my liberty to praise what I like as well as they do to reprehend what they do not like Your Poem Sir contains a well and judiciously contrived Story full of admirable and Heroick actions set forth in noble and perspicuous language such as becomes the dignity of the persons you introduce which two things of themselves are the height of Poetry I know that variety of story true or feigned is the thing wherewith the Reader is entertain'd most delightfully And this also to the smallness of the Vollume is not wanting Yours is but one small piece whereas the Poets that are with us so much admir'd have taken larger Subjects But let an English reader in Homer or Virgil in English by whomsoever translated read one piece by it self no greater than yours I may make a question whether he will be less pleased with yours than his I know you do not equal your Poem to either of theirs the bulk of a Work does not distinguish the Art of the Workman besides 't is a vertue in a Poet to advance the honour of his remotest Ancestors especially when it has not been done before What though you out-goe the limits of certain History Do Painters when they Paint the Face of the Earth leave a blanck beyond what they know Do not they fill up the space with strange Rocks Monsters and other Gallantry to fix their work in the memory of Men by the delight of fancy So will your Reader from this Poem think honourably of their original which is a kind of Piety Ajax was a man of very great stature and Teucer a very little person yet he was brother to Ajax both in blood and Chivalry I commend your Poem for judgment not for bulk and am assured it will be wellcome to the World with its own confidence though if it come forth armed with Verses and Epistles I cannot tell what to think of it For the great Wits will think themselves threatned and rebel Unusual Fortifications upon the borders carry with them a suspition of Hostility And Poets will think such Letters of Commendation a kind of confederacy and league tending to usurp upon their liberty I need say no more but rest Chatsworth Nov. the 6th 1668. Sir Your Honors most humble and obedient Servant Thomas Hobbs THE Brittish Princes AN Heroick Poem BOOK I. The First Canto OF Brittish Kings and Hero's Sung by
Fame None Lives so Great as Mighty Arthur's Name Whose Noble Deeds to Wonder did Compleat All Virtues which in Best of Princes meet Though Sage Historians Griev'd they cannot know How much this Isle does to his Virtues owe But small Remaines of his Past Acts Relate Charging the rest on Guilty Time and Fate Or else to Fame whose Rolls his Glories fill Have left his Praise above their search and skill Victorious Rome that Brittain had Compell'd To own Her Rule from Him fear'd what she held Proving his Armes her Greatness Ballanc'd more Than all the World she had oppos'd before Many the Battels were Fame tells he Fought Unequal Number'd yet his Foes still sought Till Fate his Life unto Death's Pow'r betrayes And Brittaines Mourn the wonder of their Dayes To all the Glories of so great a Name He left a Son Heir to his Worth and Fame A Happiness not in all Monarchs known Who worthless oft succeed a Virt'ous Throne And like the Vulgar Issue of Mankind Beget their Mighty Race unlike in Mind Whence such vast Structures they for Empire lay In their less Glor'ous Successors decay And as it were too much for Mortal State Seldome are seen ' like Prosperous and Great While here for Brittain's Glory Heaven does give A Son in whom his Fathers Virtues Live Fam'd Albianus in whose Mighty Soul Met all the Glories of Great Arthur's Rule In War Approv'd and in his Councels Wise Steps by which Princes best to Thrones do Rise VVho o'r the West of Brittains Fertile soile His Fathers Sword Preserv'd and his brave Toyle Did then extend his Empire while the rest By other Famous Princes was Possest With him three Monarchs fertile Brittain own'd The East of which had fair Bonduca Crown'd While Royal Vortigers the North does Bound Where Scots Repining till their fruitless Ground From Mighty Britttish Kings Time long Deriv'd Their High Descents who best Examples Liv'd Of Royal Greatness nor did thirst of Power Which in Ambitious Princes men deplore Their Scepters happy Concord Dis-unite Who held it Impious to Invade a Right Espousing here one mutual Peace or War Which must their Councels and their Conducts share Oh happy Rule where Monarchs thus maintain Their Peoples Rights and like just Neighbors Reign Whose Power to Subjects from their Laws was known Like Heavens Prerogative from order shown That in their several Sphaeres they seem'd to move With Harmony resembling those Above With these Bonduca Reign'd whose Matchless Story Fame must for ever speak with highest Glory Perfect in Virtue with best Prudence Joyn'd That from her Soul her State did Greatness find Nor did her Beauties less Perfection show That Nature summ'd in her what she could do Whose Graces through the World scarce fame had spread But greatest Princes did their Courtships speed Ambitious of Alliance with her Crown Or in her Beauties to Espouse a Throne Whose Bright Attractions with her Virtues joyn'd To highest wonder ev'n her Foes inclin'd Wishing above all Conquest they might gain Her Loves Dominion as their noblest Reign While for her State she takes assiduous care How to prevent the sad effects of War Which but too lately this Rich Isle did waste And to the Princes does wise Counsels haste Now Albianus Court the Scene must be For this so high Concern of Brittany VVith whom the Sages of each Crown did meet This deep Affair most Prudently to Treat VVhere Vortiger with Royal Glory came A Prince so early made the Pride of Fame That Natures Master-piece in him alone Had been Compleated if to Fame unknown VVere Albianus Praise which gives her Story From both these wonder and yet equal Glory Their Persons like two Plants the early Spring With best Perfection did to Ripeness bring Comely as Youth and Beauty met could show And no less Great in Princely Virtues too The outward Complements Perform'd of State They deep Intregues of Wars Rough Power Debate The High Concern of Crownes whence Kings receive Their Noblest safety nor can Monarchs live Mighty in Name whom Mars does not Renown And Subjects from their Armes Protection own Who soon will Judge they Scepters weakly sway Except their Martial Power their Foes obey Which Glorious End these Princes did Pursue Joyning the greatness of their Councels now While thus to Vortiger Albianus speaks Plac'd in due State Oh dearest Prince what makes Foes thus Conspire or can Heaven think it good War longer should consume our Countryes blood What do'st Import Great Battels to have wonn Gainst Scots alass who Fight us for the Sun Inforc'd by Nature and their Colder soile To Sacrifice themselves to Wars fierce Toil. Or that more Lustful Power of Rome we see Wasted though long our Fatal Enemy While its Bold Consul Ennius now yields T'Encamp in utmost Kent and Quit close Fields If like a Tiger forc'd unto a Den With Rage Recruited he dares Prey agen What else does meane that Num'rous Warlike Power From Gaules now Landing on our Kentish shore How will Bonduca's Soul these Tydings hear If her Rich Province Kent they seize by War And her most Glorious City London be The next Attempt of their bold Tyranny Can Martianus with our Armes oppose The Romans joyn'd with our fierce Gallick Foes Who like an Island plac'd in th' Oceans way May break strong Billowes but not stop a Sea To which great Vortiger does thus Reply Wee 'l soon Martianus with our Ayds supply And make it more our Glory still to Fight Romes Power Assisted with a Borrow'd might Five dreadful Ages Brittains Armes have stood Its Bold Attempts with dear expence of Blood Since Mighty Julius first her Eagles led Though here but hover'd when the World they spread As that great Soul of Honor Blush'd to see His Armes did it subdue e'r Brittany And more its Mistress Proud Rome Conquer'd too Made next his Slave that first the World made so Dares then despised Ennius hope to Live And this Isle Lawes from Roman Conquest Give Or with his Armes here Glory to Maintain The smallest Relicks Caesars Sword did gain What though Alvatrix with his Gaules dos joyn T' Assist their Eagles our Prov'd Armes decline Effeminate Creatures form'd by Clothes and Words But soon will Fly the Language of our Swords Or does Alvatrix hope thus to Improve His late Addresses for Bonduca's Love Or thinks her Virtues e'r can shaken be Though Rome to him should Pander Victory But we delay our Active Armes too long Time calls our warlike troops in Camps should throng With our Arm'd Chariots that will Mow their way Through boldest Legions Rome dares here Array Thus Vortiger with great and sprightly Grace With this brave Prince does Wars design embrace So fierce Achilles added to the Flame Of Greeks Incens'd when to their Camp he came Nor did the Virtues in these Princes met Which Nature did with highest care compleat More her Delight than her vast Treasure show Who does on Mankind Graces so bestow That her Perfections still must different be