Relentless as a rock, the lofty maid,
Turn'd all to poison, that he did or faid:
Nor pray'rs, nor tears, nor offer'd vows, could'
The work went backward; and the more he ftrove T'advance his fuit, the farther from her love.
Weary'd at length, and wanting remedy,
He doubted oft, and oft refolv'd to die.
But pride ftood ready to prevent the blow,
For who would die to gratify a foe?
His gen'rous mind disdain'd so mean a fate;
That pafs'd, his next endeavor was to hate,
But vainer that relief than all the rest,
The less he hop'd, with more defire poffefs'd;
Love stood the fiege, and would not yield his breaft
Change was the next, but change deceiv'd' his care;
He fought a fairer, but found none so fair.
He would have worn her out by flow degrees,
As men by fasting starve th' untam'd disease :
But prefent love requir'd a prefent ease.
Looking he feeds alone his famish'd eyes,
Feeds ling'ring death, but looking not he dies.
Yet still he chose the longest way to fate,
Wafting at once his life, and his eftate,
His friends beheld, and pity'd him in vain,
For what advice can ease a lover's pain!
Absence, the best expedient they could find, Might fave the fortune, if not cure the mind: This means they long propos'd, but little gain'd, Yet after much purfuit, at length obtain’d.
you may think it was to give confent, But ftruggling with his own defires he went, With large expence, and with a pompous train, Provided as to vifit France and Spain,
Or for fome diftant voyage o'er the main.
But love had clipp'd his wings, and cut him short,
Confin'd within the purlieus of the court.
Three miles he went, nor farther could retreat;
His travels ended at his country-feat:
To Chaffis' pleasing plains he took his way, There pitch'd his tents, and there refolv'd to stay. The spring was in the prime; the neighb'ring
Supply'd with birds, the chorifters of love:
Music unbought, that minister'd delight
To morning walks, and lull'd his cares by night.
There he discharg'd his friends; but not th'
Of frequent treats, and proud magnificence,
He liv'd as kings retire, tho more at large
From public bufinefs, yet with equal charge;
With house, and heart ftill open to receive;
As well content as love would give him leave:
He would have liv'd more free; but many a gueft,
Who could forfake the friend, purfu'd the feaft.
It happ'd one morning, as his fancy led,
Before his ufual hour he left his bed;
To walk within a lonely lawn, that stood
On ev'ry fide surrounded by a wood :
Alone he walk'd, to please his penfive mind,
And fought the deepest folitude to find;
'Twas in a grove of spreading pines he stray'd;
The winds within the quiv'ring branches play'd,
And dancing trees a mournful mufic made.
The place itself was fuiting to his care,
Uncouth and favage, as the cruel fair.
He wander'd on, unknowing where he went,
Loft in the wood, and all on love intent:
The day already half his race had run,
And fummon'd him to due repast at noon,
But love could feel no hunger but his own.
Whilft lift'ning to the murm'ring leaves he
stood,
More than a mile immers'd within the wood,
At once the wind was laid; the whisp'ring found
Was dumb; arifing earthquake rock'd the ground;
With deeper brown the grove was overspread;
A fudden horror feiz'd his giddy head,
And his ears tinkled, and his color fled,
Nature was in alarm; fome danger nigh
Seem'd threatn'd, tho unfeen to mortal eye.
Unus'd to fear, he summon'd all his foul,
And stood collected in himself, and whole
;
Not long for foon a whirlwind rofe around,
And from afar he heard a screaming found,
As of a dame diftress'd, who cry'd for aid,
And fill'd with loud laments the fecret fhade.
A thicket close befide the grove there ftood,
With briers and brambles choak'd, and dwarfish
From thence the noife, which now approaching near,
With more distinguish'd notes invades his ear;
He rais'd his head, and saw a beauteous maid,
With hair dishevell'd, iffuing thro the shade;
Stripp'd of her clothes, and e'en those parts reveal'd,
Which modest nature keeps from fight conceal'd.
Her face, her hands, her naked limbs were torn,
With paffing thro the brakes, and prickly thorn ;
Two mastiffs gaunt and grim her flight pursu'd,
And oft their fasten'd fangs in blood embru'd :
Oft they came up, and pinch'd her tender fide,
Mercy, O mercy, heav'n, fhe ran, and cry'd;
When heav'n was nam'd, they loos'd their hold
again,
Then sprung fhe forth, they follow'd her amain.
Not far behind, a knight of swarthy face, High on a coal-black steed pursu'd the chace With flashing flames his ardent eyes were fill'd, And in his hand a naked fword he held: He chear'd the dogs to follow her who fled, And vow'd revenge on her devoted head.
As Theodore was born of noble kind, The brutal action rous'd his manly mind; Moy'd with unworthy usage of the maid, He, tho unarm'd, refolv'd to give her aid. A faplin pine he wrench'd from out the ground, The readiest weapon that his fury found. Thus furnish'd for offence, he cross'd the Betwixt the gracelefs villain, and his prey. The knight came thund'ring on, but, from afar, Thus in imperious tone forbad the war : Ceafe, Theodore, to proffer vain relief, Nor ftop the vengeance of fo juft a grief; But give me leave to seize my deftin'd And let eternal justice take the way: I but revenge my fate, difdain'd, betray'd, And fuff'ring death for this ungrateful maid,
He said, at once difmounting from the steed; For now the hell-hounds with fuperior speed Had reach'd the dame, and fast'ning on her fide, The ground with iffuing ftreams of purple dy'd.
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