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A28298
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Prince Arthur an heroick poem in ten books / by Richard Blackmore ...
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Blackmore, Richard, Sir, d. 1729.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing B3080; ESTC R23258
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151,284
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320
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oft Victorious as they fought Fierce Alpine Allobrogs with slaughter fed In Snows and everlasting Winter bred Men of stupendous Bulk pamper'd and cloy'd With Blood of Nations which their Arms destroy'd Arm'd with broad flaming Swords and mighty Spears Their Caps were Wolves their Coats rough Skins of Bears Who stretcht on Beds did n'er their Limbs repose But from the naked ground still vig'rous rose Of Aspect terrible their squallid Face Thick matted Beards with bristly Terrour grace None e'er escap'd that did their Arms provoke They Mow whole Squadrons with a single stroke This monstrous Kind of Men did Fame invent And Arthur's Troops so dreadful represent To raise the Britons Hearts before deprest And strike a Terrour thro' the Saxon's Breast With Joy transported all for Arms declare And all the Accoutrements of War prepare The Shepherds on the Hills forsake their Flocks And leave their brouzing Goats upon the Rocks Instead of Crooks that did their Flocks command Long warlike Spears they brandish in their Hand The British Youth their Courage rais'd rejoyce To see the Banners fly and hear the Trumpet 's Voice The Farmers leave the Hopes their Field afford To reap fresh Laurels with their Conquering Sword The noise of War does from the Hills rebound And midst the Miners Eccho's under ground Who straight alarm'd at nobler Labour Sweat And into Swords their glowing Metal beat Their Forges Anvils and wide Bellows breath Are all employ'd in various kinds of Death Some shape the Halbert and broad Fauchion's Blade And Darts by some and Arrows Heads are made Some forming Battle-Axes heave the Sledge Some into Shields strike out a flaming Wedge To fashion Helmets some the Hammer ply Some labour Pieces for the Leg and Thigh With Lances arm'd some their hot Coursers rein And to the War Curvet along the Plain Some with their clenching Gauntlets grasp the Shield Shake their long Spears and rush into the Field Across their Shoulders some their Quivers hung Their Arrows trim'd and Bows for Death new strung As when black Clouds dark'ning the Summer Sky Loaded with Crystal Tempests slowly fly Th' Artillery discharg'd with mighty Sound Th' exploded Hailstones leap upon the ground Thunder amidst the Woods and from the Hills rebound So with the Britons all the Region swarms So thick their Troops so loud the noise of Arms. The groaning Earth complains and trembling feels The trampling Hoofs and Chariots fervid Wheels In order now Celestial Muse declare What Troops and who those ancient Britons were Who for their Country's Liberty combin'd And their Brigades with Arthur's Forces joyn'd From Time's dark Prisons set the Hero's free And may their glorious Names Immortal be First warlike Cadwall the Dimetians Head His Forces from the neighbouring Region led Their Troops advance from the bleak Northern Shore On which the Hybernian Sea's loud Billows roar And where Octopitarum thro' the Waves Wedging his Way the opposing Ocean braves Fair Maridunum pours her Squadrons forth Where the fam'd Sorc'rer Merlin had his Birth They came who dwelt round high Plinlimmon's Sides Where Stuccia flows and swift Turobius glides King Meridoe the Oordovican leads Down from the British Alps whose snowy Heads Imaus like stand towring in the Air And midst the Stars eternal Winter bear And from the Soil lav'd by Conovius Flood And Menai's Banks where then Segontium stood Great Numbers swarm'd from Mona's noble Isle Deform'd for Aspect but of fertile Soil Where once in shady Groves erected stood The Druids Altars stain'd with humane Blood The Troops their March from Mediolanum take From Helen's Way and the Tegeian Lake Thro' which fair Deva's Streams so swiftly pass They uncorrupted shun th' impure Embrace Here the sublime Mervinian Mountains rise And with sharp-pointed Tops transfix the Skies Next Morogan the bold Silures brought None for their Country's Freedom better fought They bravely Valens and his Troops withstood And dy'd Sabrina's Streams with Roman Blood With like Success Veranius they defeat And forc'd his vanquish'd Eagles to retreat This cause as much their Courage did provoke To free their Country from the Saxon Yoke They take in hast their Swords and Bucklers down And march to meet the Prince from every Town From all the Cities on the verdant side Of Nidus and on Loghor's Crystal Tyde They march from Bovium and the neighboring Shore Thick as the Waves that there insulting roar Down from the Hilly Lands the Britons came Which now th' Inhabitants Brechinia name Where the black Mount stands lofty in the Air And forky Peak since call'd great Arthur's Chair They march from Bulleum Haga and the Lake Where when broad Sheets of Ice dissolving crack The ratling Noise rebounds from Neighb'ring Hills And with loud Thunder all the Region fills From Ariconium and the flowry Space VVhich wanton Vaga's winding Arms embrace Where Lugus his transparent Bosom spreads And where Liddenus murmurs thro' the Meads Where thick Hesperian Woods with Apples crown'd Of golden Hue enrich the Fields around Which the most generous British Wine produce Ausonia scarce affords a nobler Juice They leave the Fields fam'd for the purest Corn And the rich Plains that Wooly Flocks adorn Which bless the Farmer with a nobler Fleece Than what Apulia boasts or fertile Greece They leave the golden Vale and happy Ground Which Dorus laves and lofty Woods surround The warlike Youth from Venta came and those That Muno's Flood and Isca's Streams inclose With those that round the Oazy Moor are bred And near the Golden Rocks refulgent Head Out from her Gates her Youth fair Isca pours Crown'd with gilt Spires rich Domes and lofty Towers Where Golden Roofs and checker'd Floors abound Deep Vaults and spacious Chambers under ground A stately Theater the Town o'erlooks And noble Works convey the neighb'ring Brooks By Conquering Romans built that far from home They might enjoy the Sports and Pomp of Rome Such was the ample City's ancient Fame Now worn by time it scarce preserves its Name Those from Gobanium march a Town that stood On Isca's and Gevini's confluent Flood In cheerful Troops the stout Cornavians came From the rich Soil we now Salopia name From either side of fair Sabrina's Tyde Whose silver Streams the fruitful Land divide From Usocona end the Towns that lay On the fam'd Roman Military way From Uriconium yet a Noble Town And old Rutunium then of good Renown Galbut their Leader at their Head appears A lovely Youth and Wise above his Years Descended from a Noble ancient Race Of Heros who the British Annals grace He by Forefathers Beams Illustrious shone Great by their Deeds but greater by his own Zeal for his Country and the British Cause The generous Youth to glorious Danger draws For this he crost the Ocean to implore Prince Arthur's Arms their Freedom to restore The Prince embrac'd him as his Fav'rite Friend And did his Zeal and Vigilance commend He staid the dear Companion of his Toil Both on the Seas and on th' Armorick Soil And when
grew so terrible She strait contracts her vast dilated Size And through Hell's dusky Void she upward flies As when rich Towns great Cost and Art employ In Fire-works to express their publick Joy For some great Vict'ry won by Land or Sea Or on some Prince's Coronation Day The flaming Rockets hizzing fly by Night And fill the Sky with unknown Noise and Light The Sphears amaz'd stand or move slowly on And wonder how the Day returns so soon And what new Stars rise brighter than their own So does the Fiend her Snakes all hissing rise Through the thick haggair'd Air and as she flies Leaves tracks of Light cast from her fiery Eyes And now arriv'd on the grey Coasts of Day Direct to Hoel's Court she takes her way Where she alighted when the Sun had hurl'd His glorious Orb hence to the other World 'T was then when all things look'd as if old Night Had Nature crush'd and seiz'd her ancient Right Whilst Silence Shades and Lights around create Sad solemn Pomp t' express her Death-like state Winds and wild Beasts lye in their Dens at rest Nor these the Woods nor those the Seas molest The sleeping Vultures drop their prey the Dove Ceases her Cooing and forgets to love The Jocond Fairies Dance their silent round And with dark Circles mark the trampled ground Tartarean Forms Skim o're the Mountains Heads Or lightly sweep along the dewy Meads Ghosts leave their Tombs hid Murders to reveal Or Treasures which themselves did once conceal Visions through th' Air and careless Phantoms stray Or round Mens troubled Heads while sleeping play The Fury Alman's Reverend Shape assumes Odin's High Priest and so to Hoel comes For the Priest's Form is fittest to engage Princes in Blood and move destructive Rage Thus chang'd the Fiend such is her Craft appears And thus began just Hoel all those years I liv'd I did with studious Care employ How best I might the Christian Crew destroy I thy great Soul in this blest Cause engag'd Inspir'd with Heats Divine not yet asswag'd I quit Elysian Pleasures to impart What does with greater Joy extend my Heart And will do thine Arthur Curst be that Name Designing Empire and Illustrious Fame Embark'd with Arms fair Albion to invade But by just Heav'n is thy cheap Captive made Pursu'd with Thunder and in Tempests tost At last he 's Shipwreckt on this happy Coast. With his sad Friends he wanders up and down Naked perplext deserted and undone But yet just Heav'n Decrees him greater Harm But saves that Glory for your Zealous Arm. To take his Life must be your Pious Care And with the Gods divided Honour share Thus you their En'my and your own remove Secure your Peace and please the Pow'rs above To Christians this can be no Injury That call for Torments and are pleas'd to Dye They all seem fond to wear the Martyr's Crown And meet the Flames with greater of their own No Rights no Rules of Justice you invade For Ruin's their Profession Death their Trade Go then and grace the Briton that comes on To meet you and receive the Martyr's Crown Remove this Pillar of their Church and all The unsupported Roof will crack and fall Take this Defender of their Faith away The passive Rabble tamely will Obey Their Lives in Sport you may at leisure take They quickly fall that no Resistance make The Gods into your Hands have cast your Foe To take his Life will please Heav'n him and you That said she breath'd her Soul into his Breast And her wild Fury all his Veins possest Infernal Flames Rage in his poison'd Blood And his swoln Heart Boils with th' impetuous Flood The Fiend her Shape of thicken'd Air dissolves And disappears Hoel surpriz'd revolves The welcome message in his Mind and strait Commands his Lords and Guards should on him wait On the first Shooting of the tender Day So eager did he seem to seise the Prey Now was the Eastern Sky-dy'd Purple spread For fair Aurora's Radiant Feet to tread She mounts serene and with mild dawning Light Smiles on the lowring dusky Face of Night That to Victorious Day yields up her Seat Whilst her black Forces silently Retreat As when a Lyon at the dawn of Day Rous'd with fierce Hunger up to Hunt his Prey Stretches his Limbs out Yawns and tries his Paws And for sure Death prepares his cruel Jaws He stands and rolls about his Angry Eyes Lashing his Sides to make his Fury rise Then Scowrs the Hills Ranges the Forrests o're And Thunders thro the Desart with his hideous Roar The Winds all husht sit trembling on the Trees And scarcely Whisper out a gentle Breeze Wolves dare not Howl but grinning softly creep And Leopards stretcht out feign themselves asleep Th' affrighted Herds close in their Covert lye And to escape his Rage with Terrour dye Thus Hoel with infernal Rage possest With fierce desire speeds to the bloody Feast A deadly Storm does on his Forehead lowr Himself his Rage Arthur his Hopes devour Breathing out Death he march'd but at mid-day He stands by Heav'n arrested in his way The Air serene a black thick Cloud appear'd And as it hover'd o're their Heads were heard Celestial Flutes and Harps divinely Strung With Hymns and Hallelujahs Set and Sung By the best Masters of the Quire above With Bliss transported and inspir'd with Love Whilst Hoel and his Friends pleas'd and amaz'd Listen'd and on the Scene descending gaz'd The broken Cloud pours out pure Floods of Light Show'rs of Celestial Rays transcendent bright And Storms of Splendor dazling Mortal Sight Th' illustrious Tempest does on Hoel beat Who falls astonish'd headlong from his Seat Confounded with unsufferable Day Groveling in Glory on the shining Way And with bright Ruin overwhelm'd he lay 'T was then a soft still Heav'nly Voice that broke From out the Cloud to trembling Hoel spoke 'Gainst me what Fury did thy Arms Engage What mov'd thee with inexorable Rage Vain Man to persecute my Saints and Me In vain thou seek'st to baffle Heav'n's Decree Vain is thy Force and impotent thy Hate Too weak thy Arms to stem the Tyde of Fate The Torrent bears thy saint Resistance down Retire or in Eternal Ruin Drown Then Hoel thus O tell me who thou art Great Spirit and thy Will to me impart Tell me if Errour has my Feet misled What safer Paths I may hereafter tread The Voice reply'd I am the Christians God whom you pursue Go meet my Servant Arthur he shall shew At large what thou hast to believe what do The Scene here disappear'd his Lords come round And rais'd reviving Hoel from the Ground Who marches on the British Prince to find And Act not what himself but Heav'n design'd With anxious Thoughts the Vision he revolves And to Obey Heav'n's high Command resolves Whilst to his Lords the Vision he relates They find themselves advanc'd to Conda's Gates Arthur mean time to whom great Raphael's word Unshaken Hopes and Courage did afford Proceeded