These Catilines their
conjured
gods did eat.
Marvell - Poems
The curious art of some great master's hand
Adorned the room : Hyde, CliiFord, Danby, stand
In one large piece ; next them, the two Dutch
wars
In bloody colours paint our fatal jars ;
Here London flames in clouds of smoke aspire,
Done to tlie life, I'd almost cried out fire !
But living figures did my eyes divert
From these, and many more of wond'rous art.
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196 THE rOEMS
There entered in three mercenary bands :
The different captains had distinct commands.
The beggar's desperate troop did first appear,
Littleton led, proud S re had the rear.
The disguised papists under Garroway,
Talbot lieutenant, none had better pay.
Next greedy Lee led party-coloured slaves ;
Deaf fools i' the right, i* the wrong sagacious
knaves,
Brought up by M : then a nobler train,
In malice mighty, impotent in brain,
The Pope's solicitors brought into the hall,
Not guilty lay, much guilty spiritual.
I also spied behind a private screen,
Colbert and Portsmouth, York and Mazarine.
Immediately in close cabal they join,
And all applaud the glorious design.
'Gainst me, and my loved senate's free-bom
breath.
Dire threats I heard, the hall did echo death.
A curtain drawn, another scene appeared,
A tinkling bell, a mumbling priest I heard.
At elevation every knee adored
The baker's craft, infallible*s vain lord.
When Catiline with vipers did conspire
To murder Rome, and bury it in fire,
A sacramental bowl of human gore.
Each villain took, and as he drank he swore.
The cup denied, to make their plot complete.
These Catilines their conjured gods did eat.
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OP MARVELL. 197
Whilst to their breaden whimseys they did
kneel,
I crept away, and to the door did steaL
As I got out by providence, I flew
To this close wood ; too late they did pursue :
That dreadful night my childbed throes
brought on.
My cries moved your, and heaven's compassion.
BRITANNIA.
O happy day I a jubilee proclaim ;
Daughter adore the unutterable name I
With grateful heart breathe out thyself in
prayer ;
In the mean time the babe shall be my care.
There is a man, my island's hope and grace,
The chief delight, and joy, of human race,
Exposed himself to war in tender age,
To free his country from the Gallic rage ;
With all the graces blessed his riper years,
And full-blown virtue waked the tyrant's fears :
By *s sii*e rejected, but by heaven he*s called
To break my yoke, and rescue the enthralled.
This, this is he, who, with a stretched out hand,
And matchless might, shall free my groaning
land.
On earth's proud basilisks he'll justly fall,
Like Moses' rod, and prey upon them all.
He'll guide my people through the raging seas.
To holy wars, and certain victories ;
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198 THE POEMS
His spotless fame, and his immense desert,
Shall plead love's cause, and storm this virgin's
heart;
She, like JBgeria, shall his breast inspire
With justice, wisdom, and celestial fire ;
Like Numa, he her dictates shall obey.
And by her oracles the world shall sway.
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OP MARVELL. 199
BRITANNIA AND RALEIGH.
BRITANNIA.
Ah !
