As by heaven sent, a
reverend
sire appears.
Marvell - Poems
Malignant force twice checked their pious aid,
And to my foes as oft my state betrayed.
Great, full of pain, in a dark winter's night.
Threatened, pursued, I 'scaped by sudden flight.
Pale fear gave speed to my weak trembling feet.
And far I fled ere day our world could greet.
That dear loved light, which the whole globe
doth cheer,
Spurred on my flight, and ^ded to my fear ;.
Whilst black conspiracy, that child of night,
In royal purple clad, outdares the light ;
By day herself the faith's defender styles.
By night digs pits, and spreads her papal toils :
By day she to the pompous chapel goes.
By night, with York, adores Rome's idol-shows.
Witness, ye stars, and silent powers of night.
Her treacheries have forced my guiltless flight.
With the broad day my danger too drew near ;
Of help, of counsel void, how should I steer !
In pulpit damned, strumpet at court proclaimed,.
Where should I hide, where should I rest
defamed ?
13
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194 THE POEMS
Tortured in thought, I raised mj weeping eyes,
And sobbing voice, to the all-helping skies.
As by heaven sent, a reverend sire appears.
Charming my grief, stopping my flood of tears.
His busy circling orbs, two restless spies.
Glanced to and fro, outranging Argos' eyes ;
Like fleeting Time, on*s front one lock did grow,
From his glib tongue torrents of words did flow ;
Propose, resolve, Agrarian, forty-one,
Lycurgus, Brutus, Solon, Harrington.
He said he knew me in my swaddling bands,
Had often danced me in his careful hands.
He knew Lord Archon too, then wept, and swore,
Enshrined in me, his fame he did adore.
His name I asked ; he said, Politico,
Descended from the divine Nicolo.
My state he knew, my danger seemed to dread,
And to my safety vowed hand, heart, and head.
Grateful returns I up to heaven send.
That in distress Iiad sent me such a friend.
I asked him where I was ? Pointing he showed
Oxford's old towers, once the learned arts'
abode ;
Once great in fame, now a piratic port.
Where Romish priests, and elvish monks
resort.
He added ; near a new-built college stood.
Endowed by Plato, for the public good ;
Thither allured by learned honest men,
Plato vouchsafed once more to live njxaiii.
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OP MARVELL.
