Those were the preludes of his fate,
That form'd his manhood, to fubdue

The hydra of a many-headed hiffing crew.

XVII.

As after Numa's peaceful reign,

The martial Ancus did the fcepter wield,
Furbish'd the rusty sword again,
Refum'd the long-forgotten fhield,
And led the Latins to the dufty field;
So James the drowsy genius wakes
Of Britain long entranc'd in charms,
Restiff and flumbering on its arms:

465

470

475

'Tis rous'd, and with a new-ftrung nerve, the fpear already shakes.

No neighing of the warrior steeds,
No drum, or louder trumpet, needs
To infpire the coward, warm the cold,

His voice, his fole appearance makes them bold.
Gaul and Batavia dread the impending blow; 481
Too well the vigor of that arm they know;
They lick the duft, and crouch beneath their
fatal foe,

Long may they fear this awful prince,
And not provoke his lingering fword;
Peace is their only fure defence,
Their beft fecurity his word:

In all the changes of his doubtful state,
His truth, like heaven's, was kept inviolate,
For him to promife is to make it fate.

485

490

His valour can triumph o'er land and main ; With broken oaths his fame he will not ftain ; With conqueft bafely bought, and with inglorious gain.

XVII.

For once, O heaven, unfold thy adamantine

book;

And let his wondring fenate fee,

If not thy firm immutable decree,

495

At least the second page of ftrong contin

gency;

Such as confifts with wills originally free :
Let them with glad amazement look
On what their happiness may be :
Let them not still be obftinately blind,
Still to divert the good thou haft design'd,
Or with malignant penury,

To ftarve the royal virtues of his mind.
Faith is a Chriftian's and a subject's test,

@ 500

Oh give them to believe, and they are furely bleft.

They do; and with a diftant view I fee
The amended vows of English loyalty.
And all beyond that object, there appears
The long retinue of a profperous reign,
A feries of fuccessful years,

In orderly array, a martial, manly train.

505

510

Behold ev❜n the remoter fhores,

A conquering navy proudly spread;
The British cannon formidably roars,
While starting from his oozy bed,

The afferted ocean rears his reverend head;
To view and recognize his ancient lord again :
And with a willing hand, reftores

The fafces of the main.

515

Ver. 514. The British cannon &c.] This conclufion is truly fpirited, and the prophecy has been abundantly verified. Dryden gives the British king the proper title of ancient lord of the ocean. Camden, in his Britannia, had before denominated our island the lady of the fea; a very juft and emphatical diftinction: Todd. Efto perpetua!

TO MY FRIEND

MR. J. NORTHLEIGH,

AUTHOR OF

THE PARALLEL,

ON HIS

TRIUMPH OF THE BRITISH MONARCHY.

5

}

SO Jofeph, yet a youth, expounded well
The boding dream, and did th' event foretell ;
Judged by the past, and drew the Parallel.
Thus early Solomon the truth explored,
The right awarded, and the babe restored.
Thus Daniel, ere to prophecy he grew,
The perjured Presbyters did first subdue,
And freed Sufanna from the canting crew.
Well may our Monarchy triumphant ftand,
While warlike James protects both sea and land;
And, under covert of his feven-fold fhield,
Thou fend'ft thy fhafts to fcour the distant field.
By law thy powerful pen has fet us free;
Thou study'st that, and that may study thee.

11

END OF VOL. I.