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XXVI.

Fair Jenny of the mill I ftrove to win,
And her benempt Paftora of the dale;

But they bilive agreed with me to fin;

One afk'd an owch, and one a watchet veil.
Some wish o'er every female to prevail;

My hope, my conqueft is to be deny'd.

The stage I've try'd, but there my projects fail;
For there is scarce a fingle wedded bride

But doth her husband's noul with horns of ront provide.
XXVII.

As couthful fishers at the benty brook,

By various arts affot the feely fry,

Now wriggling worms, now paste conceals the hook,
And now they hide it with a colour'd fly;

This takes the perch, and that the tench's eye:
So diff'rent nymphs a diff'rent charm invites,
Some yield for vantage, fome for vanity,

A fong this one, a daunce that maid delights:

Man throws the wimble bait, and greedy woman bites. XXVIII.

With forrow overhent, the other day

I laid my weary limbs adown to rest,

Where a tall beech o'erspread the dusky way;
My noyous thoughts a dream awhile fupprefs'd,

VOL. IV.

K

Oft

Oft weighty truths are in this garb ydress'd.
Grant that it fo may happen unto me;

Then joyance once again fhall footh this breaft,
My pining foul fhall be from anguish free,

And I fhall tafte true blifs, dear Columbel, with thee.
XXIX.

Methought I faw a figure fair and tall,
And gentle smiles fat dimpling on her face,
Yet feemed of a beauty nought at all,

'Till much beholding did improve each grace;
At length fhe feem'd too fair for human race.
Her kirtle white might vie with winter fnows,
Ne could you ought of her fair bosom trace,
Nought but her face would fhe to fight expose,
So modest maiden wends, the frannion muchel shows.

XXX.

With visage bland methought she hail'd me oft: "Ne fear, quoth fhe, a female's mild requeft.

"The bark by tempefts that is whirl'd aloft,

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At length, the tempeft o'er, enjoyeth reft.

My name is Chastity, though out of quest "With modern dames, yet thou shalt ftill furvey "A clime where beauty is with virtue bleft. "Good fortune fpeed you on your happy way; "Go, gentle Squire of Dames, and here no longer stay.

XXXI. "To

XXXI.

"To Fairy lond your inftant journey bend,
"There Columbel may find her will obey'd;
"There Chastity may boast of many a friend,
"She vifits there each rofy-featur'd maid,

"Go on, nor be by former toils affray'd:

"Go where yon oaks display their verdant pride, ""Till, from the mountains torn and ftripp'd of fhade, "On Neptune's billows they triumphant ride, "Protect their happy lond, and conquer all befide.

XXXII.

"Hail happy lond! for arms and arts renown'd, "For blooming virgins free from loose defire; "A Drake, a Bacon, there a birth-place found, "And chafte Eliza time fhall e'er admire : "The hero wields the fword and poet's lyre. "This Sidney knew, who ftill with luftre fhines, "For whom Dan Spenfer wak'd the warbling quire, "And many more whofe names might grace his lines; "There round the warriour's palm the lover's myrtle [twines."

XXXIII.

At this I woke, and now refolv'd to brave

The utmost perils for my Columbel;
For, know, I mean to cross the briny wave,
Where Albion's chalky cliffs the fea repel:

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And, if no mage have laid a magic fpell,
Perchaunce my lot may be at length to find
Three hundred nymphs, who wicked love can quell;
If not, I must defert all womankind,

And, what me most amates, leave Columbel behind.
XXXIV.

The Squire of Dames furceafed here his fay,

And forth he yode to feek the British isle,
Sir Satyrane prick'd on his dapple-grey,
Ne ought forefwonk he travell'd many a mile
To spend his days in hardiment and toil:
But first in courteous guise they bid farewell,
As well befits men bred in courtly foil.

Now how the Squire has fped, or ill, or well,
A future canto may, perhaps, at leisure tell.
XXXV.

For fee, how Phoebus welketh in the west,
My oxen from their yoke I must untye,
The collar much has chauf'd their tender cheft,
Who labours much the fweets of reft should try.
To their warm nefts the daws and ravens fly
Deep in the ruin'd dome or dusky wood;
And beafts and birds fast lock'd in slumber lye,
Save the fell bat, that flutters out for food,

And the foothfaying owl, with her unlovely brood.
CANTO

10

CANTO II.

ARGUMENT.

The Squire be lights on Bon-vivant,
Who wons in Fairy foil,

Then views in Merlin's magic glafs
A fight that ends his toil.

I.

To gain the point to which our soul aspires

We nourish toil, and reek hard labour sweet; For this, thro' Greenland's frofts, or India's fires, The hardy failors death and dangers meet; And the prow chieftain, bolder than discreet, In blood imbru'd pursues the martial fray, And lovers eke through life's loud tempests beat, Led on by hope, that never-dying ray;

Hope wantons in their breast, and strews with flow'rs the

II.

And fure of all mankind the Squire of Dames
Shall ftand the firft enfample of true love,
Who aye, untouch'd by any foreign flames,
Preferv'd his paffion for his gentle dove;
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[way.

Blush,

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