that many points now current in the received story can never hold together with likelihood of fuch inforcement, had it not been shaded under the title of a king.

(b) And when thou lett'ft down that tranfparent lid. Not that the lid is tranfparent; for no part of the skin is tranfparent; but for that the gem, which that clofure is faid to contain, is tranfparent; for

otherwife how could the mind underftand by the eye, fhould not the images flide through the fame, and replenish the stage of the fancy? But this belongs to optics. The Latins call the eye-lid cilium (I will not fay of celando) as the eye-brow fupercilium, and the hair on the eye-lids palphebra, perhaps quod palpitet, all which have their diftinct and neceffary uses.

As one that fain would grant, yet fain deny, "Twixt hope and fear I doubtfully reply; A woman's weakness left I fhould discover, Aufwering a prince, and writing to a lover: And fome fay, love with reafon doth dispense, And wrefts our plain words to another fenfe. Think you not then, poor women had not need Be well advis'd, to write what men fhould read; When being filent, but to move awry, Doth often bring us into obloquy? "Whilft in our hearts our fecret thoughts abide, "Th' envenom'd tongue of flander yet is ty'd; "But if once fpoke, deliver'd up to fame, "In her report that often is to blame." About to write, but newly entring in, Methinks I end, e'er I can well begin :

When I would end, then fomething makes me ftay,

For then methinks I fhould have more to say,
And fome one thing remaineth in my breast,
For want of words that cannot be expreft:
What I would fay, as faid to thee I feign,
Then in thy perfon I reply again;
And in thy caufe urge all that may effect,
Then, what again mine honour must respect.
O Lord! what fundry paffions do I try,
To fet that right, which is fo much awry?
Being a prince, I blame you not to prove;
The greater reafon to obtain your love.
That greatnefs, which doth challenge no
nial,

The only teft that doth allow my trial;

de

Edward fo great, the greater were his fall, And my offence in this were capital. "To men is granted privilege to tempt, "But in that charter women be exempt: "Men win us not, except we give confent, "Against ourselves unless that we be bent. "Who doth impute it as a fault to you? "You prove not falfe, except we be untrue; "It is your virtue, being men, to try; "And it is ours, by virtue to deny. "Your fault itself ferves for the fault's excufe, "And makes it ours, though yours be the abuse. Beauty a beggar? fie! it is too bad, "When in itself fufficiency is had; "Not made a lure t' intice the wand'ring eye, "But an attire t' adorn our modefty: "If modefty and women once do fever, "We may bid farewel to our fame for ever."

Let John and Henry, Edward's instance be, Matilda and fair Rofamond for me; Alike both woo'd, alike fu'd to be won, Th' one by the father, th' other by the fon : Henry obtaining, did our weakness wound, And lays the fault on wanton Rosamond. Matilda chafte, in life and death all one, By her denial lays the fault on John.

By thefe we prove men acceffary still, "But women only principals of ill.

"What praife is ours, but what our virtues get? "If they be lent, fo much we be in debt; "Whilft our own honours we ourselves defend, "All force too weak, what ever men pretend:

If all the world elfe fhould fuborn our fame, " "Tis we ourselves that overthrow the fame : "And howfoe'er, although by force you win, "Yet on our weakness ftill returns the fin."

A virtuous prince who doth not Edward call? And fhall I then be guilty of your fall? Now God forbid; yet rather let me die, Than such a fin upon my foul fhould lie. Where is great Edward? whither is he led, At whofe victorious name whole armies fled? Is that brave spirit, that conquer'd fo in France, Thus overcome, and vanquish'd with a glance? Is that great heart, that did aspire fo high, So foon tranfpierced with a woman's eye? He that a King at Foictiers battle took, Himself led captive with a wanton look? (a) Twice as a bride to church I have been led, Twice have two lords enjoy'd my bridal bed: How can that beauty yet be undestroy'd, That years have wasted, and two men enjoy'd? Or fhould be thought fit for a prince's ftore, Of which two subjects were poffeft before?

Let Spain, let France, or Scotland so prefer
Their infant queens for England's dowager,
That blood fhould be much more than half di-
vine,

That should be equal ev'ry way with thine :
Yet, princely Edward, though I thus reprove

you,

As mine own life fo dearly do I love you.

My noble husband, which so loved you, That gentle Lord, that reverend Montague, Ne'er mother's voice did please her babe fo well, As his did mine, of you to hear him tell:

I have made fhort the hours that time made long,

And chain'd mine ears to his most pleafing tongue :

My lips have waited on your praife's worth,
And fnatcht his words, ere he could get them
forth:

When he had spoke, and fomething by the way
Hath broke off that he was about to say,
I kept in mind where from his tale he fell,
Calling on him the refidue to tell.

Oft he would fay, How sweet a prince is he!
When I have prais'd him but for praising thee;
And to proceed, I would intreat and woo,
And yet to cafe him, help to praise thee too.

And muft fhe now exclaim against the wrong Offer'd by him, whom the hath lov'd fo long? Nay, I will tell, and I durft almoft fwear,

Edward will blufh, when he his fault fhall hear. Judge now, that time doth youth's defire affwage,

And reafon mildly quench the fire of rage;
By upright juftice let my caufe be try'd,
And be thou judge, if I not juftly chide.

(6) That not my father's grave and reverend years,

When on his knee he beg'd me with his tears,

By no perfuafions poffibly could win,

To free himself from prompting me to fin;

The woe for me my mother did abide,

Whofe fute (but you) there's none could have de

ny'd,

Your lustful rage, your tyranny could stay,
Mine honour's ruin further to delay.

Have I not lov'd you? let the truth be shown,
That ftill preferv'd your honour with mine own.
Had your
fond will, your foul defires prevail'd,
When you by them my chastity affail'd;
(Though this no way could have excus'd my
fault,

"True virtue never yielded to affault :")
Besides, the ill of you that had been faid,
My parents fin had to your charge been laid;
(c) And I have gain'd my liberty with fhame,
To fave my life, made fhipwreck of my name.

Did Roxborough once vail her tow'ring fanes
To thy brave enfigns on the northern plains?
And thy trumpets founding from thy tent,
Mine oft again thee hearty welcome fent,
And did receive thee as my foveraign liege,
Coming to aid me, thus me to besiege,
To raise a foe that but for treasure came,
To plant a foe, to take my honeft name;
Under pretence to have remov'd the Scot,
And would't have won more than he could have
got?

That did ingirt me, ready ftill to fly,
But thou laid'ft batt'ry to my chastity:
O modefty, didft thon not me restrain,
How could I chide you in this angry vein!

A prince's name (Heav'n knows) I do not

crave,

To have those honours Edward's spouse fhould have;

Nor by ambitious lures will I be brought,
In my chafte breaft to harbour fuch a thought,
As to be worthy to be made a bride,
A piece unfit for princely Edward's fide;
Of all, the most unworthy of that grace,
To wait on her that should enjoy that place :
But if that love Prince Edward doth require
Equal his virtues, and my chafte defire;
If it be fuch as we may justly vaunt,
A prince may fue for, and a lady grant;
If it be fuch as may fupprefs my wrong,
That from your vain unbridled youth hath
Sprung;

That faith I fend, which I from you receive:
(4) The reft unto your princely thoughts

leave.

had he been drawn by dishonest love to fatisfy his appetite: but by her most praise worthy conftancy, fhe converted that humour in him to an honourable purpose, and obtained the true reward of her admired virtue.

(d) The reft unto your princely thoughts I leave. Left any thing be left out which were worth the relation, it fhall not be impertinent to annex the opinions that are uttered concerning her, whofe name is faid to have been Ælips: but that being rejected, as a name unknown among us, Froifard is rather believed, who calleth her Alice. Polydore contrariwife, as before is declared, names her Jane, who by Prince Edward had iffue, Edward dying young, and Richard the fecond king of England, though (as he faith) fhe was divorced afterwards, becaufe within the degrees of confanguinity prohibiting to marry. The truth whereof I omit to difcufs. Her husband, the Lord Mountague, being fent over into Flanders by King Edward was taken prifoner by the French; and not returning, left his countefs a widow: in whofe bed fucceeded Prince Edward; to whose luft and lawful request, the rejoiceful lady fends this loving anfwer.