And all the brave renowned feats

He had perform'd in arms;

The other with his perfon and his charms:
For, juft as larks are catch'd in nets,

By gazing on a piece of glass,

So, while the ladies view'd his brighter eyes,

And smoother-polish'd face,

Their gentle hearts, alas! were taken by surprize.

X.

Never did bold knight, to relieve

Diftreffed dames, fuch dreadful feats atchieve

As feeble damfels, for his fake,

Would have been proud to undertake;

And, bravely ambitious to redeem

The world's lofs and their own,

180.

185

To lefs hard-hearted grates and stones ;

Came, fwell'd with fighs, and drown'd in tears,
To yield themselves his fellow-fufferers,

And follow'd him, like prisoners of war,

Chain'd to the lofty wheels of his triumphant car.

200

A BALLAD

Yet old Queen Madge,

Though things do not fadge,

Will ferve to be queen of a May-pole;

Two princes of Wales,

For Whitfun-ales,

And her Grace Maid-Marion Clay-pole.

S

10

In

This Ballad refers to the Parliament, as it was called, which deliberated about making Oliver king, and petitioned him to accept the title; which he, out of fear of fome republican zealots in his party, refufed to accept, and contented himself with the power, under the name of Protector.

In a robe of cow-hide

Sat yefty Pride,

With his dagger and his fling;

He was the pertinent'st peer
Of all that were there,

T' advise with such a king.

A great philofopher

Had a goofe for his lover,

That follow'd him day and night:

If it be a true ftory,

Or but an allegory,

It may be both ways right.

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20

DRAW near, good people all, draw near,

And hearken to my ditty ;

A ftranger thing

Than this I fing

Came never to this city.

To this humorous ballad Butler had prefixed this title-The Privileges of Pimping-but afterwards croffed it out, for which reason I have not inserted it ; and only mention it as a circumstance which may amufe fuch as are curious in hunting out the explication of niceties of this fort. It does not appear to bear any fenfe confiftent with the fubject; but fome other critic may perhaps find one, or at least please himself with thinking fo.

You would defy the pageants

Are borne before the mayor;

The ftrangeft shape

You e'er did gape
Upon at Bart'lmy fair!

His face is round and decent,
As is your dish or platter,
On which there grows
A thing like a nose,

But, indeed, it is no fuch matter.

On both fides of th' aforefaid

Are eyes, but they 're not matches,

On which there are

To be feen two fair

And large well-grown mustaches.

Now this with admiration
Does all beholders ftrike,
That a beard fhould grow
Upon a thing's brow,
Did ye ever see the like?

15

20.

25

30

He

Ver. 16.] From the medals, and original portraits, which are left of Oliver Cromwell, one may probably conjecture, if not pofitively affirm, that this droll picture was defigned for him. The roundness of the face, the oddnefs of the nofe, and the remarkable largeness of the eyebrows, are particulars which correspond exactly with them.