Transferr'd the English names of towns and house- | His head below the Heaven, when he of Milford holds hither, [gether. With the industrious Dutch since sojourning to- bestow'd, cast, That peopled cities sank into the mighty waste. To try the setting main to find out firmer shores; With nations from the north then altogether fraught, Of all her ancient spoils and lastly be forlorn, born: Th' abundant.Latins then old Latium lastly left, And in her tables fix'd their ill-shap'd character. Which usually they boil, the spade-bone being Before your equal floods is lotted to your fall? She bids Dungleddy dare Iberia's' proudest road, spake : But there was not a port the prize durst undertake. The gentler-looking land with fury menaced, But sitting mildly down like perfect ancient friends, the seas, . On her sleek bosom ride with such deliberate ease, And ly the very pitch that lusty bird doth cover: Doth singe the sandy wilds of spiceful Barbary; Which prey upon the isles in the Vergivian waste, wave: As, calm when he becomes, then likewise in their doth stand: As Rat and Sheepy, set to keep calm Milford's Expos'd to Neptune's power. So Gresholm 11 far [nearer land Scalm, Stockholm, with saint Bride, and Gatholm, (Which with their veiny breasts entice the gods of That with the lusty isles do revel every day) [sea, As crescent-like the land her breadth here inward bends, [sends; From Milford, which she forth to old Menevia Since, holy David's seat; which of especial grace Doth lend that nobler name, to this unnobler place. Of all the holy men whose fame so fresh remains, To whom the Britons built so many sumptuous fanes, [hold: [show This saint before the rest their patron still they And therewithal he struts, as though he scorn'd to §. Whose birth, their ancient bards to Cambria long foretold, And Percily the proud, whom nearly it doth touch, Said, he would bear her out; and that they all should know. And seated here a see, his bishopric of yore, Upon the farthest point of this unfruitful shore; Selected by himself, that far from all resort With contemplation seem'd most fitly to comport; That, void of all delight, cold, barren, bleak, and dry, [eye No pleasure might allure, nor steal the wand'ring Where Ramsey with those rocks, in rank that order'd stand Upon the farthest point of David's ancient land, Do raise their rugged heads (the seaman's noted marks) [Clerks; Call'd, of their mitred tops, the Bishop and his Into that channel cast, whose raging current roars Betwixt the British sands and the Hibernian shores: Whose grim and horrid face doth pleased Heaven neglect, And bears bleak winter still in his more sad aspect: Yet Gwin and Nevern near, two fine and fishful brooks, [looks; Do never stay their course, how stern so e'er he Which with his shipping once should seem to have commerc❜d, Where Fiscard as her flood doth only grace the first. To Newport falls the next: there we a while will rest; Our next ensuing song to wond'rous things addrest. ILLUSTRATIONS. If you ever read of, or vulgarly understand, the form of the ocean, and affinity 'twixt it and rivers, you cannot but conceive this poetical description of Severn; wherein Amphitrite is supposed to have given her a precious robe: very proper in the matter's self, and imitating that father (a) of the Muses who derives Agamemnon's sceptre to him by descent, joined with gift from Jupiter; Achilles' armour from Vulcan's bounty; Helen's nepenthe from the Egyptian Polydamna, and such like, honouring the possessors with the giver's judgment, as much as with the gift possest. ed by predictions, affirming that, his line extinct, the posterity of Banqhuo, a noble thane of Loqhuabry, should attain and continue the Scottish reign) and jealous of others' hoped-for greatness, murdered Banqhuo, but miss'd his design; for one of the same posterity, Fleanch, son to Banqhuo, privily fled to Gryffith ap Lbewelin, then prince of Wales, and was there kindly received. To him and Nesta, the prince's daughter, was issue one Walter. He (afterward for his worth favourably accepted, and through stout performance honourably requited by Malcolm III.) was made lord high steward of Scotland: out of whose loins Robert II. was derived since whom that royal name hath long continued, descending to our mighty sovereign, and in him is joined with the commixt kingly blood of Tyddour and Plantagenet. These two were united with the white and red roses (c), in those auspicious nuptials of Henry VII. and Elizabeth, daughter to Edward IV. and from them, through the lady Margaret, their eldest daughter, married to James IV. his majesty's descent and spacious empire observed, easily shows you what the Muse here plays withal. The rest alludes to that: "Cambria shall be glad. Cornwal shall flourish, and the isle shall be stiled with Brute's name, and the name of strangers shall perish :" as it is in Merlin's prophecies. That spirit to her unknown this virgin only lov'd. So is the vulgar tradition of Merlin's conception. Untimely it were, if I should slip into discourse For my own of spirits' faculties in this kind. part, unless there be some creatures of such middle nature, as the rabbinic conceit (d) upon the creation supposes; and the same with Hesiod's nymphs, or Paracelsus his Non-adams, I shall not believe that other than true bodies on bodies can generate, except by swiftness of motion in conveying of stolen seed some unclean spirit might arrogate the improper name of generation. Those which St. Augustine (e) calls Dusii (f), in Gaul, altogether addicted to such filthiness, fauns, sa, tyrs, and sylvans, have had as much attributed to them. But learn of this, from divines upon the Beni-haelohim in holy writ (g), passages of the To whom the goodly bay of Milford should be given. At Milford haven arrived Henry earl of Rich-fathers upon this point, and the later authors of mont, aided with some forces and sums of money by the French Charles VIII. but so entertained and strengthened by divers of his friends, groaning under the tyrannical yoke of Richard III. that, beyond expectation, at Bosworth, in Leicester, the day and crown were soon his. Every chronicle tells you more largely. And how Lhewelin's line in him should doubly thrive. Turn to the eagle's prophecies in the second song, where the first part of this relation is more manifested. For the rest, thus: about our confessor's time, Macbeth (6), king of Scotland (mov (a) Iliad. ß & . Odyss. d. (b) Hector Boet. lib. 12. & Buchanan. in reg. 85. & 86. lib. 7. qui eosdem ævo citeriori Stuartos ait dictos, quos olim Thanos nuncupabant. Thani verò quæstores erant regii per interpretationem, uti Boetius. Certè in charta illa quâ jure clientelari se disquisitions in magic and sorcery, as Bodin, Wier, Martin del Rio, others, For this Merlin (rather Merdhin, as you see to the fourth song, his true name being Ambrose) his own answer to Vortigern was, that his father was a Roman con } Henrico II. obstrinxit Willielmus Scotorum Rex, leguntur inter testes Willielmus de Curcy Seneschallus, Willielmus filius Aldelmi Seneschallus, Aluredus de Sancto Martino Seneschallus, Gilbertus Malet Seneschallus; unde honorarium fuisse hoc nomen paret. Horum bini desunt apud Ho vedenum; verum ex vetustiss. anonymo M. S. excerpsi. .:. lation with her husband's nephew fraughted herself with a young one. Lay all together, and judge, gentlewomen, the sequel of this cross ac sul (), (so Nennins informs me) as perhaps it -the messagers to Kermerdin come, And hou children bivore the yate pleyde hii toke gome, Tho sede on to another, "Merlin wat is the, Nor thou naddest nevere nanne fader, therevore hold Tho the messagers hurde this hii astunte there, And is moder au king's doughter was of thulke And woned at St. Petre's in a nonnerie there, His mother (a nun, daughter to Pubidius, king of Mathraval, and called Matilda, as by poetical (k) | authority only I find justifiable) and he being brought to the king, she colours it in these words: But why she could not as well divine of whose flock it was, as the other secret, when I have more skill in osteomanty, I will tell you. Nor was their report less in knowing things to come, than past; so that jealous Panurge, in his doubt de la coquage (m), might have had other, manner of resolution than Rondibilis, Hippothade, Bridoye, Trovillogan, or the oracle itself, were able to give him. Blame me not, in that, to explain my author, I insert this example. To crown the goodly road, where built that falcon stout. In the rocks of this maritime coast of Pembroke are eyries of excellent falcons. Henry II. hawk at one of these: but the goss-hawk taken here passing into Ireland, cast off a Norway gossat the source by the falcon, soon fell down at the king's foot, which performance in this ramage, mnade him yearly afterward send hither for eyesses, as Girald is author. Whether these here are the haggarts, (which they call peregrins) or falcongentles, I am no such falconer to argue; but this I know, that the reason of the name of peregrins is given, for that they came from remote and unknown places (n), and therefore hardly fits these: but also I read, in no less than imperial authority (o), that peregrins never bred in less latitude than beyond the seventh climate, dia Riphæos, falcons-gentle, an eyry is never found but in a which permits them this place; and that, of true more southern and hotter parallel: which (if it be true) excludes the name of gentle from ours, breeding near the ninth per Rostochium. And And tells on the story which should follow so kind the same authority makes them (against common a preface. But enough of this. By th' shoulder of a ram from off the right side par'd. Take this as a taste of their art in old time. Under Henry II. one William Mangunel (/), a gentleman of those parts, finding by his skill of prediction that his wife had played false with him, and conceived by his own nephew, formally dresses the shoulder-bone of one of his own rams; and sitting at dinner (pretending it to be taken out of his neighbour's flock) requests his wife (equalling him in these divinations) to give her judgment; she curiously observes, and at last with great laughter casts it from her. The gentleman, importuning her reason of so vehement an affection, receives answer of her, that his wife, out of whose flock the ram was taken, had by incestuous copu () Illustres sæpiùs viros indigetant historici nostri Consules, unde & Etium & in repuadloquuntur Saxones Cos. quem tametsi Consulem fuisse haut asserent Fasti, illustriss. tn. blicâ nobilissimum Procopii aliorumque historiæ Gothicæ produnt. (i) Shrew, now a word applied to the shrewish sex; but in Chaucer, Lidgat, and Gower, to the quieter also. opinion) both of one kind, differing rather in local Of St. Dewy and his bishopric you have more to the fourth song, He was prognosticated (p) above thirty years before his birth; which with other attributed miracles (after the fashion of that credulous age) caused him to be almost paralleled in monkish zeal with that holy John, which, unborn, sprang at presence of the incarnate author of our redemption. The translation of the archbishopric was also foretold (q) in that of Merlin: " Menevia shall put on the pall of Caer-leon; aud the preacher of Ireland shall wax dumb by an infant growing in the womb." That was performed when child, suddenly lost use of his speech; but recoSt. Patrick, at presence of Melana, then with vering it after some time, made prediction of Dewy's holiness joined with greatness, which is so celebrated. Upon my author's credit only be lieve me. 4. (m) Of cuckoldry. Rablais. (0) Frederic. II. lib. 2. de arte Venand. cap. (*) Spenser's Faery Queen, lib. 3. cant. 3. (4) Girald. Itin. 1. cap. 11.- -Quæ te dementia epit, Querere sollicitè quod reperire times? Th. cap. 1. Balcent. 1. Vita S. Dewy. Mor. Epig (p) Monumeth. lib. 8. cap. 8. Girald. Nin. 2. (4) Alan. de insul. 1. ad Prophet. Merlini. POLY-OLBION. SONG THE SIXTH. THE ARGUMENT. With Cardigan the Muse proceeds, SITH I must stem thy stream, clear Tivy, yet before [boast The Muse vouchsafe to seize the Cardiganian shore, She of thy source will sing in all the Cambrian coast; Which of thy castors once, but now canst only The salmons, of all floods most plentiful in thee. Dear brook, within thy banks if any powers there be; [kind Then naïads, or ye nymphs of their like wat'ry (Unto whose only care great Neptune hath assign'd The guidance of those brooks wherein he takes delight) [cite, Assist her and whilst she your dwelling shall reBe present in her work: let her your graces view, That to succeeding times them lively she may show; As when great Albion's sons, which him a seanymph brought [caught Amongst the grisly rocks, were with your beauties (Whose only love surpris'd those of the Phlegrian [rise) The Titanois, that once against high Heaven durst When as the hoary woods, the climbing hills did hide, [glide; size, And cover'd every vale through which you gently Even for those inly heats which through your loves they felt, That oft in kindly tears did in your bosoms melt, To view your secret bowers, such favour let her win. Then Tivy cometh down from her capacious lin, "Twixt Alirk and Brenny led, two handmaids, that do stay Their mistress, as in state she goes upon her way. Which when Laubeder sees, her wond'rously she likes; [strikes, Whose untam'd bosom so the beauteous Tivy As that the forest fain would have her there abide. But she (so pure a stream) transported with her pride, [shade The offer idly scorns; though with her flattering The sylvan her entice with all that may persuade ! Giants. Mild Mathern then, the next, doth Tivy overtake: Which instantly again by Dittor is supply'd. Then, Keach and Kerry help: 'twixt which on either side, To Cardigan she comes, the sovereign of the shire. Now, Tivy, let us tell thy sundry glories here. When as the salmon seeks a fresher stream to find [kind, (Which hither from the sea comes yearly by his As he in season grows) and stems the wat'ry tract, Where Tivy falling down doth make a cataract 2, Forc'd by the rising rocks that there her course [enclose; oppose, As though within their bounds they meant her to Here, when the labouring fish doth at the foot arrive, And finds that by his strength but vainly he doth Then springing at his height, as doth a little wand, For beavers Tivy was in her strong banks that bred, Where Nature, in the shape of this now-perish'd beast, His property did seem t' have wond'rously exprest; Which, set upon the deep, but yet not fixed there, laid by, He turns him on his back, his belly laid abroad, When, with what he hath got, the other do him load; [found. Till lastly, by the weight, his burthen he have Then, with his mighty tail his carriage having bound Then builded he his fort for strong and several fights; His passages contriv'd with such unusual sleights, Thus Tivy boasts this beast peculiarly her own. But here why spend I time these trifles to areed? Now, with thy former task, my Muse, again proceed. To show the other floods from the Cerettic shore To the Vergivian sea contributing their store: With Bidder first begin, that bendeth all her force The Arron to assist, Arth holding on her course The way the other went, with Werry, which doth win Fair Istwid to her aid; who kindly coming in, Plynillimon's dear child, deliciously array'd, That here (most mighty hill) derive themselves from thee. The bards with fury rapt, the British youth among, [daw, heads do bear, With most obsequious shows of low subjected fear, Do homage to those floods that issued out of thee: As scorning all that come in compass of his eye, were, Thus comforting the flood: "O ever-during heir • Of Cardigan. ⚫ Bacchus. ⚫ The story of Severn. Brute's first-begotten son, which Gwendolin did weds Now, that which most of all her mighty heart Had seem'd to bear the breach of Locrine's former And aided to the birth with every little breath Which all at once in arms with Gwendolin arise. Whom his unlawful love too vainly did delude. remorse, [force, As great in power as spirit, whilst he neglects her saw, Before the cruel queen, the lady and the girl Fair Elstred, that thou should'st thy fairer Sabrine Whom kingly Locrine's death suffie'd not to as- |