No More Learning

Such the feared Hebrew captive, blinded, shorn,
Was led about in sport the public scorn.

Black day accursed! on thee let no man
hail
Out of the port, or dare to hoist a sail.
Or row a boat in thy unlucky hour !
Tliee, the year's monster, let thy dam devour,
And constant Time, to keep his course yet right,
Fill up thy space with a redoubled night.
When aged Thames was bound with fetters base,
And Midway chaste ravished before his face.



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236 THE POEMS

And their dear offspring mui*dered in their sight,

Thou and thy fellows saw the odious light.

Sad Chance, since first that happy pair was wed,

With all the rivers graced their nuptial bed ;

And father Neptune promised to resign

His empire old to their immortal line ;

Now with vain grief their vainer hopes they rue,

TJiemselves dishonoured, and the gods untrue ;

And to each other, helpless couple, moan.

As the sad tortoise for the sea does groan ;

But most they for their darling Charles complain,

And were it burned, yet less would be their

pain.
To sec that fatal pledge of sea-command,
Now in the ravisher De Ruyter's hand,
The Thames roared, swooning Medway turned

her tide.
And were they mortal, both for grief had died.

The court in flattering yet itself doth please,
(And female Stewart there rules the four seas. )
But fate does still accumulate our woes.
And Richmond her commands, as Huyter those.

After this loss, to relish discontent,
Some one must be accused by parliament.
All our miscarriages on Pett must fall.
His name alone seems fit to answer all.
Whose counsel first did this mad war beget?
Who all commands sold through the navy? Pett.



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OF MARVELL. 237

Who would not follow when the Dutch were

beat?
Who treated out the time at Bergen ? Pett.
Who the Dutch fleet with storms disabled met ?
And, rifling prizes,'lhem neglected? Pett.
Who with false news prevented the Gazette ?
The fleet divided ? writ for Rupert ? Pett.