THE COURT OF NEPTUNE. ON KING WILLIAM'S RETURN FROM HOLLAND, 1699. ADDRESSED TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES MONTAGUE, ESQ BEGIN, celeftial Mufe! a tuneful strain Of Albion's prince conducted o'er the main ; Of courts conceal'd in waves, and Neptune's watery reign; Sing, from beneath, how the green deity Rofe to the fovereign of the British sea; The generous name of MONTAGUE has long 5 If he vouchsafe thefe ruder lays to hear, *Harwich. C 4 20 Stourus, The River Stoure, that runs between Suffolk and Effex. Stourus, whose stream, prolific as it glides, Of broider'd arms, and heraldry display'd : 30 35 With fuch a prefence, through th' adoring skies 40 Trains of attendant-gods around her chariot wait; The mother-goddefs, with fuperior grace, 4:5 (By turns they fink below, by turns they mount the skies): "And muft, fhe faid "Then paus'd, and drew a figh of anxious love; "Muft my dear lord this faithlefs ocean prove ; 50 "Efcap'd "Escap'd the chance of war, and fraud of foes, "Wilt thou to warring waves thy facred life expofe; "Why am I thus divided by the fea, "From all the world, and all the world in thee? "Could fighs and tears the rage of tempefts bind, 55 "With tears I'd bribe the feas, with fighs the wind: 65 "But hence, ye boisterous ftorms! far hence retire "To inland woods; there your mad powers appeafe, "And scour the dusty plains, or strip the forest trees; 60 "Or lodg'd in hollow rocks profoundly fleep, "And reft from the loud labours of the deep! "Why fhould I fear?- -If heroes be the care "Of heaven above, and heaven inclines to prayer, "Thou fail'ft fecure; my fons with lifted eyes, "And pious vows, for thee have gain'd the skies. "Come then, my much-lov'd lord! No more th'alarms "Of wasteful war require thee from my arms. "Thy fword gives plenteous peace; but without thee, "Peace has no charms, and plenty 's poverty: "At length enjoy, for whom you've fought, the "Of islands, bright, majestic, and ferene! “Unveil'd from clouds, which did her form disguise, "And hid a thousand beauties from thy eyes. 70 queen 75 "A thousand treasures unfurvey'd invite "Their lord to various fcenes of new delight. "Come fee the dower I brought! My fpacious downs, "My numerous counties, and my ancient towns; "Landskips of rising mountains, fhaggy woods, "Green vallies, smiling meadows, filver floods, 80 "And "And plains with lowing herds enrich'd around, "The hills with flocks, the flocks with fleeces crown'd. "All these with native wealth thy power maintain, "And bloom with bleffings of thy easy reign. Hafte, hoift thy fails! and through the foamy * brine, 85 "Rush to my arms! henceforth be wholly mine; "After nine toilfome years, let flaughter cease, "And flourish now fecure, in the foft arts of peace!" She faid; th' intreated winds her accents bore, And wing'd the message to the Belgic shore. The pious hero heard, nor could delay To meet the lovely voice, that fummon'd him away; The lovely voice, whose soft-complaining charms Before had call'd the fuccour of his arms, 90 Nor call'd in vain; when fir'd with generous rage 95 Like Jove with awful thunder in his hand, 100 And now once more embark'd, propitious gales 105 Se So WILLIAM's rays, by turns, two nations chear ; 110 Forfaken Belgia, ere the ship withdrew, Shed generous tears, and breath'd this soft adieu; "Since empire calls thee, and a glorious throne, Thy people's weighty interests, and thy own; "(Though ftruggling love would fain perfuade thy stay) 66 "Go, where thy better fortune leads the way ! 115 "Mean while my lofs, allow me to complain, "And with-ah no! that partial with were vain. "Though honour'd Crete had nurs'd the thundering "God, "Crete was not always bleft with his abode ; "Nor was it fit, that WILLIAM's godlike mind, 120 "For nations born, fhould be to One confin'd. "This only grant, fince I must ask no more, "Revifit once again your native fhore ! "That hope my forrows fhall beguile; and thou, "My happy rival! wilt that hope allow; "'Tis all th' enjoyment, fate has left me now. "So may'ft thou, fair Britannia! ever be "Firm to thy fovereign's love, and his to thee! "While widow'd I"- -There rifing fighs reprefs'd' Her fainting voice, and stifled-in the reft. Now, while the bounding veffel drives before The gufty gales, and leaves the leffening fhore, Behold the parting clouds to distance fly, 325 And golden glories, pouring from on high } 130 One |