125. Ply'd thick and clofe as when the fight begun, And now reduc'd on equal terms to fight, Their fhips like wafted patrimonies fhow; Where the thin fcattering trees admit the light, And fhun each other's fhadows as they grow. 127. The warlike prince had sever❜d from the rest Two giant fhips, the pride of all the main; Which with his one fo vigorously he prefs'd, And flew fo home they could not rise again. 128. Already batter'd, by his leé they lay, In vain upon the paffing winds they call: 129. Their open'd fides receive a gloomy light, 130. When one dire fhot, the laft they could fupply, All three now helplefs by each other lie, And this offends not, and thofe fear no more. 131. So have I feen fome fearful hare maintain A course, till tired before the dog fhe lay: Who ftretch'd behind her pants upon the plain, Paft power to kill, as fhe to get away. 132. With 132. With his loll'd tongue he faintly licks his prey; The prince unjustly does his ftars accufe, 134. This lucky hour the wife Batavian takes, And warns his tatter'd fleet to follow home: Proud to have fo got off with equal stakes, Where 'twas a triumph not to be o'ercome. 135. The general's force as kept alive by fight, Now not oppos'd no longer can pursue: He cafts a frown on the departing foe, And fighs to fee him quit the watery field: His ftern fix'd eyes no fatisfaction fhow, For all the glories which the fight did yield. 137. Though as when fiends did miracles avow, He stands confefs'd e'en by the boastful Dutch: He only does his conqueft difavow, And thinks too little what they found too much. 138. Return'd, he with the fleet refolv'd to stay; No tender thoughts of home his heart divide; Domeftic joys and cares he puts away; For realms are houfholds which the great must guide. 139. As 139. As those who unripe veins in mines explore, 140. So looks our monarch on this early fight, Heaven ended not the firft or second day, 142. In burden'd veffels firft with speedy care, His plenteous ftores do season'd timber fend; Thither the brawny carpenters repair, And as the furgeons of maim'd fhips attend, With cord and canyafs from rich Hamburgh fent, And English oak, fprung leaks and planks, reftore, 144. All hands employ'd the royal work grows warm : 145. With glewy wax fome new foundations lay Or tend the fick, or educate the young. 146. So 146. So here fome pick out bullets from the fides, With boiling pitch another near at hand, From friendly Sweden brought, the feams in-ftops: Which well paid o'er, the falt fea waves withstand, And shakes them from the rifing beak in drops. 148. Some the gall'd ropes with dawby marline bind, 149. Our careful monarch ftands in person by, 150. Each day brings fresh fupplies of arms and men, The goodly London in her gallant trim, 152. Her flag aloft spread ruffling to the wind, And fanguine ftreamers feem the flood to fire: The weaver charm'd with what his loom defign'd, Goes on to fea, and knows not to retire. 153. With 153. With roomy decks, her guns of mighty ftrength, 154. This martial prefent, piously defign'd, The loyal city give their beft-lov'd King : And with a bounty ample as the wind, Built, fitted and maintain'd, to aid him bring. 155. By viewing nature, nature's handmaid, art Makes mighty things from fmall beginnings grow: Thus fishes firft to fhipping did impart, Their tail the rudder, and their head the prow. Some log perhaps upon the waters swam, 157. In fhipping fuch as this, the Irish kern, And untaught Indian on the ftream did glide: Add but a fail, and Saturn fo appear'd, When from loft empire he to exile went, 159. Rude as their fhips was navigation then ; And knew no North but when the Pole-ftar fhone. 160. Of |