To this ftern foe he oft gave quarter,

But as the Scotchman did to' à Tartar,

That he, in time to come,

Might in return from him receive his fatal doom. 125

VII.

He would have ftarv'd this mighty Town,

And brought its haughty spirit down;

Have cut it off from all relief,

And, like a wife and valiant chief,

Made many a fierce affault

130

Upon all ammunition-carts,

And those that bring up cheese, or malt,
Or bacon, from remoter parts;

Durft not to him their feeble troops discover;
And, if he had but kept the field,

140

In time had made the City yield;

For great towns, like to crocodiles, are found
I' th' belly apteft to receive a mortal wound.

VIII.

But when the fatal hour arriv'd

In which his stars began to frown,

145

And had in close cabals contriv'd

To pull him from his height of glory down,

And

And he, by numerous foes oppreft,

Was in th' enchanted dungeon caft,

Secur'd with mighty guards,

150

Left he by force or ftratagem

Might prove too cunning for their chains and them,

And break through all their locks, and bolts, and wards;

Had both his legs by charms committed

To one another's charge,

That neither might be fet at large,

And all their fury and revenge outwitted.

As jewels of high value are

Kept under locks with greater care

Than thofe of meaner rates,

155

160

So he was in ftone walls, and chains, and iron grates.

And made them yield up love and honour too,

165

But in more brave heroic ways

Than e'er were practis'd yet in plays :

For those two spiteful foes, who never meet
But full of hot contefts and piques

About punctilios and mere tricks,

170

Did all their quarrels to his doom fubmit,
And, far more generous and free,

In contemplation only of him did agree,
Both fully fatisfy'd; the one

With those fresh laurels he had won,

X 2

275 And

And all the brave renowned feats

He had perform'd in arms;

The other with his perfon and his charms :
For, juft as larks are catch'd in nets,.
By gazing on a piece of glass,

So, while the ladies view'd his brighter eyes,
And fmoother-polish'd face,

Their gentle hearts, alas! were taken by furprize.

X.

Never did bold knight, to relieve

Diftreffed dames, fuch dreadful feats atchieve

As feeble damfels, for his fake,

180

185

To live when he was doom'd to die ;.

Made loud appeals and moans,

To lefs hard-hearted grates and stones ;

Came, fwell'd with fighs, and drown'd in tears,
To yield themselves his fellow-fufferers,

And follow'd him, like prifoners of war,

Chain'd to the lofty wheels of his triumphant car.

200

A BALLAD

309

Yet old Queen Madge,

Though things do not fadge,

Will ferve to be queen of a May-pole;

Two princes of Wales,

For Whitfun-ales,

And her Grace Maid-Marion Clay-pole.

10

In

This Ballad refers to the Parliament, as it was called, which deliberated about making Oliver king, and petitioned him to accept the title; which he, out of fear of fome republican zealots in his party, refused to accept, and contented himself with the power, under the name of Protector.