Since living virtue is with envy curs'd,
And the best men are treated like the worst,
Do thou, just Goddefs, call our merits forth,
And give each deed th' exact intrinsic worth.
Not with bare juftice fhall your act be crown'd,
(Said Fame) but high above defert renown'd:
'Let fuller notes th' applauding world amaze,
And the loud clarion labour in your praise.
This band dismiss'd, behold another croud
Prefer'd the fame requeft, and lowly bow'd;
The conftant tenour of whose well-spent days
No lefs deferv'd a juft return of praise.
But ftraight the direful Trump of Slander founds; Through the big dome the doubling thunder bounds; Loud
And prayen you it might be knowe
Right as it is, and forth blowe.
I grant, quoth fhe, for now we lift
That your good works fhall be wift.
And yet ye shall have better loos,
Right in defpite of all your foos,
Than worthy is, and that anone.
Let now (quoth fhe) thy trump gone-
And certes all the breath that went
Out of his trump's mouth smel'd
As men a pot of baume held
Among a basket full of rofes.
Ver. 328. 338. behold another croud, &c.—
From the black trumpet's rufty, &c.]
Therewithal there came anone
Another huge companye
Of good folke
What did this Eolus, but he
Loud as the burst of cannon rends the skies,
The dire report through every region flies,
In every ear inceffant rumours rung,
And gathering fcandals grew on every tongue.
From the black trumpet's rufty concave broke
Sulphureous flames, and clouds of rolling fmoke:
The poisonous vapour blots the purple skies,
And withers all before it as it flies.
A troop came next, who crowns and armour wore, And proud defiance in their looks they bore: For thee (they cry'd) amidft alarms and strife, We fail'd in tempefts down the stream of life; For thee whole nations fill'd with flames and blood, And fwam to empire through the purple flood. Thofe ills we dar'd, thy inspiration own; What virtue feem'd, was done for thee alone. Ambitious fools! (the Queen reply'd, and frown'd) Be all your acts in dark oblivion drown'd; There fleep forgot, with mighty tyrants gone, Your ftatues moulder'd, and your names unknown! A fudden cloud ftraight fnatch'd them from my fight, And each majestic phantom funk in night.
Took out his trump of brafs,
That fouler than the devil was :
And gan his trump for to blowe,
As all the world fhould overthrowe.
Throughout every regione
Went this foul trumpet's foune,
Swift as a pellet out of a gunne,
When fire is in the powder runne.
And fuch a finoke gan out wende,
Out of the foul trumpet's ende-&c.
Then came the fmalleft tribe I yet had seen;
Plain was their drefs, and modeft was their mien.
Great idol of mankind! we neither claim
The praise of merit, nor afpire to fame!
But, fafe in deferts from th' applaufe of men,
Would die unheard-of, as we liv'd unfeen.
'Tis all we beg thee, to conceal from fight
Thofe acts of goodness, which themselves requite.
O let us ftill the fecret joy partake,
To follow virtue ev'n for virtue's fake.
Ver. 356. Then came the smallest, &c.]
I faw anone the fifth route,
That to this lady gan loute,
And downe on knees anone to fall,
And to her they befoughten all,
To hiden their good works eke.
And faid, they yeve not a leke
For no fame ne fuch renowne;
For they for contemplacyoune,
And Goddes love had it wrought,
Ne of fame would they ought.
What, quoth fhe, and be
And ween ye for to do good,"
And for to have it of no fame?
Have ye defpite to have my name?
Nay ye fhalf lien everichone:
Blow thy trump, and that anone
(Quoth he) thou Eolus, I hote,
And ring thefe folks works by rote,
That all the world may of it heare;
And he gan blow their loos fo cleare,
In his golden clarioune,
Through the world went the foune,
All fo kindly, and eke fo foft,
That ther fame was blown aloft.
And live there men, who flight immortal fame?
Who then with incenfe fhall adore our name?
But, mortals! know, 'tis ftill our greatest pride,
To blaze thofe virtues which the good would hide.
Rife! Mufes, rife! add all your tuneful breath;
These must not fleep in darkness and in death.
She said: in air the trembling music floats,
And on the winds triumphant fwell the notes;
So foft, though high, fo loud, and yet so clear,
Ev'n listening Angels lean from heaven to hear:
To farthest shores th' Ambrofial spirit flies,
Sweet to the world, and grateful to the skies.
Next these a youthful train their vows exprefs'd, With feathers crown'd, with gay embroidery drefs'd: Hither, they cry'd, direct your eyes, and see
The men of pleasure, dress, and gallantry;
Ours is the place at banquets, balls, and plays,
Sprightly our nights, polite are all our days;
Courts we frequent, where 'tis our pleasing care
pay due vifits, and addrefs the fair:
In fact, 'tis true, no nymph we could perfuade,
But ftill in fancy vanquish'd every maid;
of unknown Dutcheffes lewd tales we tell,
Yet, would the world believe us, all were well.
The joy let others have, and we the name,
And what we want in pleasure, grant in fame.
The Queen affents, the trumpet rends the skies,
And at each blast a Lady's honour dies.
Pleas'd with the ftrange fuccefs, vast numbers prest Around the fhrine, and made the fame request:
What you (the cry'd), unlearn'd in arts to please,
Slaves to yourselves, and ev'n fatigued with eafe,
Who lofe a length of undeferving days,
Would you ufurp the lover's dear-bought praife?
To juft contempt, ye vain pretenders, fall,
The people's fable, and the fcorn of all.
Straight the black clarion fends a horrid found,
Loud laughs burst out, and bitter fcoffs fly round,
Whispers are heard, with taunts reviling loud,
And scornful hiffes run through all the croud.
Laft, those who boast of mighty mischiefs done,
Enslave their country, or ufurp a throne;
Or who their glory's dire foundation lay'd
On fovereigns ruin'd, or on friends betray'd;
Calm, thinking villains, whom no faith could fix, 410
Of crooked counfels and dark politics;
Of these a gloomy tribe furround the throne,
And beg to make th' immortal treasons known.
The trumpet roars, long flaky flames expire,
With sparks, that feem'd to set the world on fire.
At the dread found, pale mortals stood aghaft,
And startled nature trembled with the blaft.
This having heard and feen, fome power unknown Straight chang'd the scene, and fnatch'd me from the
Ver. 406. Laft, those who boast of mighty, &c.]
Tho came another companye,
That had y-done the treachery, &c.
Ver. 418. This having heard and feen, &c.] The Scene here changes from the Temple of Fame, to that
|