Strait on the tree his eager eyes he bent,
As one whose thoughts were on his spouse intent;
But when he saw his bosom-wife so dress'd,
His rage was such as cannot be express'd:
Not frantic mothers when their infants die,
With louder clamours rend the vaulted sky:
He cry'd, he roar'd, he storm'd, he tore his hair;
Death! hell! and furies! what dost thou do there?
What ails my lord? the trembling dame reply'd;
I thought your patience had been better try'd :
Is this your love, ungrateful and unkind,
This my reward for having cur'd the blind?
Why was I taught to make my husband fee,
By struggling with a Man upon a Tree?
Did I for this the pow'r of magic prove?
Unhappy wife, whose crime was too much love!
If this be struggling, by this holy light,
'Tis struggling with a vengeance (quoth the Knight)
So heav'n preserve the fight it has reftor'd,
As with these eyes I plainly saw thee whor'd;
Whor'd by my flave - perfidious wretch! may hell
As furely scize thee, as I faw too well.
Guard me, good angels! cry'd the gentle May,
Pray heav'n, this magic work the proper way'!
Alas, my love! 'tis certain, could you fee,
You ne'er had us'd these killing words to me:
So help me, fates, as 'tis no perfect fight,
But fome faint glimm'ring of a doubtful light.
What I have faid (quoth he) I must maintain, For by th'immortal pow'rs it feem'd too plain By all those pow'rs, some frenzy seiz'd your mind, (Reply'd the dame) are these the thanks I find ? Wretch that I am, that e'er I was so kind!
She said; a rising sigh express'd her woe,
The ready tears apace began to flow,
And as they fell she wip'd from either eye
The drops (for women, when they list, can cry.) 785 The Knight was touch'd; and in his looks appear'd
Signs of remorse, while thus his spouse he chear'd.
Madam, 'tis past, and my short anger o'er;
Come down, and vex your tender heart no more:
Excuse me, dear, if aught amiss was faid,
For, on my foul, amends shall foon be made :
• Let my repentance your forgiveness draw,
By heav'n, I swore but what I thought I faw.
Ah my lov'd lord! 'twas much unkind (she cry'd)
On bare fufpicion thus to treat your bride.
But till your sight's establish'd, for a while,
Imperfect objects may your sense beguile.
Thus when from sleep we first our eyes display,
The balls are wounded with the piercing ray,
And dusky vapours rise, and intercept the day.
So just recov'ring from the shades of night,
Your swimming eyes are drunk with fudden light,
Strange phantoms dance around, and skim before
your fight:
Then, Sir, be cautious, nor too rashly deem; Heav'n knows how feldom things are what they seem! Confult your reason, and you foon shall find 'Twas you were jealous, not your wife unkind: Jove ne'er spoke oracle more true than this, None judge so wrong as those who think amiss.
With that she leap'd into her Lord's embrace, 810 With well-dissembled virtue in her face.
He hugg'd her close, and kiss'd her o'er and o'er,
Difturb'd with doubts and jealousies no more :
Both, pleas'd and bless'd, renew'd their mutual vows,
A fruitful wife, and a believing spouse.
Thus ends our tale, whose moral next to make,
Let all wife husbands hence example take;
And pray, to crown the pleasure of their lives,
To be fo well deluded by their wives.
Ye sovereign Wives! give ear and understand,
Thus shall ye speed and exercise Command.
|