your act be crown'd

Not with bare justice shall

(Said Fame) but high above desert renown'd: 325 Let fuller notes th' applauding world amaze, And the loud clarion labour in your praise.

This band difmifs'd, behold another croud Prefer'd the fame requeft, and lowly bow'd; The conftant tenour of whofe well-spent days No lefs deferv'd a just return of praise.

335

330 But strait the direful Trump of flander founds; Thro' the big dome the doubling thunder bounds; Loud as the burst of cannon rends the skies, The dire report thro' ev'ry region flies, In ev'ry ear inceffant rumours rung, And gath'ring scandals grew on ev'ry tongue, From the black trumpet's rufty concave broke Sulphurious flames, and clouds of rolling smoke:

IMITATIONS.

VER. 328, 338. behold another croud, etc,—From the black trumpet's rusty, etc.

Therewithal there came anone
Another huge companye,
Of good folke-

What did this Eolus, but he
Tooke out his trump of brafs,
That fouler than the devil was:
And gan this trump for to blowe,
As all the world fhould overthrowe,
Throughout every regione
Went this foul trumpet's foune.

The pois'nous vapour blots the purple skies, 340 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) amidst alarms and strife, We fail'd in tempefts down the stream of life; 345 For thee whole nations fill'd with flames and

blood,

And fwam to empire thro' the purple flood.
Those ills we dar'd, thy inspiration own,

Be all

your

What virtue feem'd, was done for thee alone. Ambitious fools! (the Queen reply'd, and frown'd) acts in dark oblivion drown'd; 351 There fleep forgot, with mighty tyrants gone, Your statues moulder'd, and your names unknown! A sudden cloud straight snatch'd them from my fight,

And each majestic phantom funk in night. 355

Then came the smallest tribe I yet had seen Plain was their dress, and modeft was their mien.

IMITATIONS.

Swift as a pellet out of a gunne,
When fire is in the powder runne.
And fuch a smoke gan out wende,

Out of the foul trumpet's ende-etc. P.

VER. 356. Then came the fmalleft, etc.]
I faw anone the fifth route.

That to this lady gan loute,

Great idol of mankind! we neither claim

The praise of merit, nor afpire to fame!
But safe in deserts from th' applause of men, 360
Would die unheard of, as we liv'd unseen,

'Tis all we beg thee, to conceal from fight Thofe acts of goodness, which themselves requite. O let us still the fecret joy partake,

365

To follow virtue ev'n for virtue's fake.
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 those virtues, which the good would hide.

IMITATIONS.

And down 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 ye wood?
And ween ye for to do good,
And for to have it of no fame ?
Have ye despite to have my name?
Nay ye fhall lien everichone:
Blowe thy trump, and that anone
(Quoth fhe) thou Eolus, I hote,
And ring these 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 so soft,

That their fame was blown aloft. P.

Rife! Mufes, rife! add all your tuneful breath,
These must not fleep in darkness and in death. 371
She faid: in air the trembling music floats,
And on the winds triumphant fwell the notes;
So foft, tho' high, so loud, and yet so clear,
Ev'n lift'ning Angels lean'd from heav'n to hear:
To fartheft shores th' Ambrofial spirit flies, 376
Sweet to the world, and grateful to the skies.

Next these a youthful train their vows exprefs'd, With feathers crown'd, with gay embroid❜ry drefs'd:

Hither, they cry'd, direct your eyes, and fee 380 The men of pleasure, drefs, 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

To

385

In fact, 'tis true, no nymph we could perfuade,
But still in fancy vanquish'd ev'ry maid;

Of unknown Ducheffes leud tales we tell,
Yet, would the world believe us, all were well.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 378. Next these a youthful train, etc.] The Reader might compare these twenty-eight lines following, which contain the fame matter, with eighty-four of Chaucer, beginning thus:

Tho came the fixth companye, And gan fafte to Fame cry, etc. being too prolix to be here inferted. P.

The joy let others have, and we the name, 390 And what we want in pleasure, grant in fame.

The Queen affents, the trumpet rends the fkies, And at each blast a Lady's honour dies.

Pleas'd with the ftrangé fuccefs, vast numbers
prest

Around the shrine, and made the fame request: 395
What you (fhe cry'd) unlearn'd in arts to please,
Slaves to yourselves, and ev'n fatigu'd with ease,
Who lofe a length of undeferving days,
Would you ufurp the lover's dear-bought praise?
To juft contempt, ye vain pretenders, fall, 400
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 thro' all the croud. 405
Laft, those who boast of mighty mischiefs done,
Enslave their country, or ufurp a throne;

Or who their glory's dire foundation laid
On Sov'reign's ruin'd, or on friends betray'd;
Calm, thinking villains, whom no faith could fix,
Of crooked counfels and dark politics;

IMITATIONS.

VER. 406. Laft, those who boast of mighty, etc.]`
Tho came another companye,

That had y done the treachery, etc. P.

4II