55

Spide where the Eagle built his towring nest,
And, kindling fire within the hollow tree,
Burnt

up
bis

yong ones, and himselfe distrest; 50
Ne fuffred him in anie place to rest,
But drove in loves owne lap his egs to lay;
Where gathering also filth him to infest,
Forst with the filth his egs to Aling away :
For which when as the foule was wroth, faid

love, 6 Lo! how the least the greatest may reprove.” Toward the sea turning my troubled eye, I saw the fish (if fish I may it cleepe) That makes the sea before his face to flye, And with his flaggie finnes doth seeme to sweepe The fomie waves out of the dreadfull deep, 61 The huge Leviathan, dame Natures wonder, Making his sport, that manie makes to weep: A Sword-fith small him from the rest did funder, That, in his throat him pricking softly under, 65 His wide abysse him forced forth to fpewe, That all the sea did roare like heavens thunder,

V.

V. 6. The huge Leviathan, dame Natures wonder,

Making his sport,] Compare the Pfalmift's description of the sea, PS. civ. 26. “ There go the thips; and there is that Leviathan, whom thou haft made to take his pastime therein.” TODD.

A Sword-fish Small &c.] This filh has a long blade of an horny substance proceeding from his upper jaw, with which he kills his prey. See the Catalogue of Fishes, at the end of Oppian's Halieuticks, translated by Jones, Oxf. 8vo. 1722, p. 226. TODD.

And all the waves were stain'd with filthie hewe.

Hereby I learned have not to despise Whatever thing feemes fmall in common

.eyes.

70

VI.

An hideous Dragon, dreadfull to behold, Whose backe was arm'd against the dint of

speare With shields of brafle that shone like burnisht

golde, And forkhed sting that death in it did beare, Strove with a Spider his unequall peare ; 75 And bad defiance to his enemie. The subtill vermin, creeping closely neare, Did in his drinke shed poyfon privilie ; Which, through his entrailes fpredding diversly, Made him to swell, that nigh his bowells brust, 80 And him enforft to yeeld the victorie, That did so much in his owne greatnesse trust.

0, how great vainnefse is it then to scorne The weake, that hath the strong fo oft forlorne!

VII. High on a hill a goodly Cedar grewe, 85 Of wondrous length, and streight proportion, That farre abroad her daintie odours threwe ; Mongit all the daughters of proud Libanon, VI. 10.

90

Her match in beautie was not anie one.
Shortly within her inmost pith there bred
A little wicked worme, perceiv'd of none,
That on her fap and vitall moysture fed:
Thenceforth her garland so much honoured
Began to die, (O great ruth for the fame!)
And her faire lockes fell from her loftie head, 95
That shortly balde and bared she became.
I, which this fight beheld, was much dif-

mayed,
To see so goodly thing fo foone decayed.'

VIII.

105

Soone after this I saw an Elephant,
Adorn’d with bells and bosses gorgeouslie, 100
That on his backe did beare (as batteilant)
A gilden towre, which shone exceedinglie;
That he himselfe through foolish vanitie,
Both for his rich attire, and goodly forme,
Was puffed up with passing furquedrie,
And shortly gan all other beasts to scorne. .
Till that a little Ant, a filly worme,
Into his nostrils creeping, fo him pained,
That, casting downe his towres, he did deforme
Both borrowed pride, and native beautie stained.
Let therefore nought, that great is, therein

glorie,
Sith fo small thing his happines may varie.

111

VIII. 2. Adorn'd with bells and bofjes] See the .note on F. Q. i. ii. 13. TODD.

IX.

115

120

Looking far foorth into the ocean wide,
A goodly ship with banners bravely dight,
And flag in her top-gallant, I espide
Through the maine sea making her merry flight;
Faire blew the winde into her bosome right;
And th' heavens looked lovely all the while;
That she did seeme to daunce, as in delight,
And at her owne felicitie did smile.
All fodainely there clove unto her keele
A little fish, that men call Remora,
Which stopt her course, and held her by the

heele, That winde nor tide could move her thence

away
Straunge thing, me seemeth, that so small a

thing
Should able be so great an one to wring.

125

x.

A mighty Lyon, lord of all the wood,
Having his hunger throughly satisfide

IX. 5. Faire blew the winde &c.] The reader may compare this beautiful defcription of the ship with Gray's equally charming representation in The Bard, ver. 71.

Fair laughs the morn, and soft the zephyr blows, " While proudly riding o'er the azure main

“ In gallant trim the gilded vefsel goes, &c." TODD. IX. 10. A little fish, &c.] The Remora or Sucker; called by Oppian ’Exernis, natem retinens. It is a small fill of the Eelkind; which, according to vulgar report, can stop the largest Ship under fail, by sticking underneath the keel. Catalogue of Oppiau's Files, ut fupr. p. 228. TODD.

131

With pray

of beasts and spoyle of living blood, Safe in his dreadles den him thought to hide : His sterneffe was his prayfe, his strength his

pride, And all his glory in his cruell clawes. I saw a Wasp, that fiercely him defide, And had him battaile even to his iawes; Sore he him ftong, that it the blood forth

drawes, And his proude heart is fild with fretting ire: In vaine he threats his teeth, his tayle, his

pawes, And from his bloodie eyes doth sparkle fire;

That dead himselfe he wisheth for despight. So weakest may anoy the most of might! 10

135

XI.

What time the Romaine Empire bore the raine Of all the world, and florisht most in might, The nations gan their soveraigntie disdaine, And cast to quitt them from their bondage

quight: So, when all shrouded were in silent night, 145 The Galles were, by corrupting of a mayde, Poffest nigh of the Capitol through light, Had not a Goose the treachery bewrayde: If then a Goose great Rome from ruine stayde, And love himselfe, the patron of the place, 150 Preservd from being to his foes betrayde;