146.

So here fome pick out bullets from the fides,
Some drive old okum through each seam and rift:
Their left hand does the calking iron guide,
The rattling mallet with the right they lift.

·147.

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,
Or fear-cloth mafts with ftrong tarpawling coats:
To try new fhrouds one mounts into the wind,
And one below their eafe or ftiffness notes.

149.

Our careful monarch ftands in perfon by,
His new-caft cannons firmnels to explore:
The ftrength of big-corn'd powder loves to try,
And ball and cartridge forts for every bore.

150.

Each day brings fresh fupplies of arms and men,
And fhips which all laft winter were abroad;
And fuch as fitted fince the fight had been,
Or new from flocks, were fallen into the road.
151.

The goodly London in her gallant trim,
The Phoenix, daughter of the vanish'd old,
Like a rich bride does to the ocean fwim,
And on her fhadow rides in Aoating gold.

152.

Her flag aloft fpread ruffling to the wind,

And fanguine freamers 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,
Whose low-laid mouths each mounting billow laves:
Deep in her draught, and warlike in her length,
She feems a fea-wafp flying on the waves.

154.

This martial prefent, piously design'd,

The loyal city give their best-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 first to shipping did impart,

Their tail the rudder, and their head the prow.
156.

Some log perhaps upon the waters fwam,
An useless drift, which rudely cut within,
And hollow'd firft a floating trough became,
And cross some rivulet paffage did begin.

157.

In fhipping fuch as this, the Irish kern,

And untaught Indian on the ftream did glide:
Ere fharp-keel'd boats to stem the flood did learn,
Or fin-like oars did spread from either fide.
158.

Add but a fail, and Saturn fo appear'd,

When from loft empire he to exile went,
And with the golden age to Tyber fteer'd,
Where coin and commerce firft he did invent.

159.

Rude as their fhips was navigation then ;
No useful compafs or meridian known;
Coafting, they kept the land within their ken,

And knew no North but when the Pole-ftar fhone.

160. Of

160.

Of all who fince have us'd the open fea,

Than the bold English none more fame have won : Beyond the year, and out of heaven's high way, They make discoveries where they fee no fun.

161.

But what so long in vain, and yet unknown,
By poor mankind's benighted wit is fought,
Shall in this age to Britain first be shown,
And hence be to admiring nations taught.

162.

The ebbs of tides and their myfterious flow,
We, as arts elements, fhall understand,
And as by line upon the ocean go,

Whofe paths fhall be familiar as the land.
163.

Inftructed ships shall fail to quick commerce,
By which remoteft regions are ally'd;
Which makes one city of the universe;

Where fome may gain, and all may be supply'd.
164.

Then we upon our globe's last verge shall go,
And view the ocean leaning on the sky:
From thence our rolling neighbours we fhall know,
And on the lunar world fecurely pry.

165.

This 1 foretel from your aufpicious care,

Who great in fearch of God and nature grow; Who best your wife creator's praise declare, Since beft to praise his works is best to know. 166.

O truly royal! who behold the law

And rule of beings in your maker's mind: And thence, like limbecs, rich ideas draw, To fit the levell'd ufe of human-kind.

167. But

167.

But firft the toils of war we must endure,

And from the injurious Dutch redeem the feas. War makes the valiant of his right secure,

And gives up fraud to be chastis'd with ease.
· 168.

Already were the Belgians on our coaft,
Whose fleet more mighty every day became
late fuccefs, which they did falfly boast,
And now by firft appearing feem'd to claim.
169.

By

Designing, fubtle, diligent and clofe,

They knew to manage war with wise delay : Yet all those arts their vanity did cross,

And by their pride their prudence did betray.

170.

Nor ftaid the English long; but well supply'd,
Appear as numerous as the infulting foe :
The combat now by courage must be try'd,
And the fuccefs the braver nation fhow.

171.

There was the Plymouth fquadron now come in,
Which in the Straights laft winter was abroad;
Which twice on Bifcay's working bay had been,
And on the midland fea the French had aw'd.

172.

Old expert Allen 9, loyal all along,

Fam'd for his action on the Smyrna fleet:
And Holmes, whose name fhall live in epic fong,
While mufic numbers, or while verfe has feet.

9 Sir Thomas Allen Admiral of the white.

173. Holmes

173.

Holmes, the Achates of the general's fight;
Who first bewitch'd our eyes with Guinea gold i
As once old Cato in the Roman fight

The tempting fruits of Afric did unfold.

174.

With him went Spragge 2, as bountiful as brave,
Whom his high courage to command had brought :
Harman, who did the twice-fir'd Harry fave,
And in his burning fhip undaunted fought.
175.

Young 3 Hollis on a mufe by Mars begot,

Born, Cæfar like, to write and act great deeds :
Impatient to revenge his fatal fhot,

His right hand doubly to his left fucceeds.
176.

Thousands were there in darker fame that dwell,
Whose deeds fome nobler poem fhall adorn :
And though to me unknown, they fure fought well,
Whom Rupert led, and who were British born.

177.

Of every fize an hundred fighting fail:

So vaft the navy now at anchor rides,
That underneath it the prefs'd waters fail,
And with its weight it fhoulders off the tides.

178. Now

I Holmes the Achates of the, &c. Sir Robert Holmes was rear-admiral of the white, called the Achates from his eagerness to support the general. Achates was the faithful companion of Eneas. For an illustration of the two laft lines of this stanza, see our notes to the Satire on the Dutch.

2 With him went Spragge, &c. Sir Edward Spragge ferved under Sir Jeremiah Smith, who carried the blue flag: he was drowned paffing from one fhip to another, in a fight with Van Tromp, on the eleventh of Auguft, 1672, bearing the character of a gallant officer, and an accomplished gentleman.

3 Captain Hollis, of the Antelope fhip of war, loft a hand in this memorable fight to his writings I confefs myfelf a ftranger. I he