King Arthur An Heroick Poem. In Twelve Books. By Richard Blackmore. To which is Annexed, An Index, Explaining the Names of Countrys, Citys, and Rivers, &c |
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 | King Arthur |  |
129
He said, and ancient Ladan silence broke
And gravely thus the British King bespoke.
Th'Expedient Reverend Arman do's suggest,
T'appease the Tumults which the State molest.
Great Prince, do's fully with my Judgment suit;
It lays the Axe home to Sedition's Root.
The civil Broils which Albion discompose
From Fears and anxious Jealousies arose,
Lest the proud Sects which kindly you protect,
Should once their Empire o'er the Church erect.
'Tis true, that some who with the Rebels joyn,
Their Country's Fall, and Gallia's Growth design;
But if those Troops which for the Church appear
Submit their Arms, the rest we need not fear.
Now 'tis with Reason that the Church suspects
The Growth of proud, morose, designing Sects.
I've long observ'd their Pride and Arrogance,
And what destructive Doctrines they advance.
Where they prevail the Church is soon defac'd,
Becomes a wild, uncultivated Wast.
A horrid Wilderness wherein we see
The monstrous Forms of howling Heresy.
Where Grisly Schism, and raging Strife appear
And raving Sects each other rend and tear.
Where mad Enthusiasm and Discord reign,
And endless Errors endless War maintain.
These sad Effects their Liberty abus'd
Thro' Albion's Isle already has produc'd.
Audacious Schismaticks with lawless Pride
Affront the Church, and all her Laws deride.
Now Heresy her odious Head do's rear,
And fresh engender'd Monsters thick appear,
Which run upon the Church with open Jaws
And fasten in her Wounds their dreadful Claws.
Ev'n ancient Heresys which once annoy'd
The Church's Peace, but seem'd long since destroy'd,
Now chear'd and warm'd by this indulgent Heat,
Stretch out their hideous Limbs, and Life and Vigor get.
Since the Rebellious Britons but reveal
In a Religious Cause an erring Zeal,
And for themselves alledge they flew to Arms
To save their Altars from the Foe's Alarms;
I must for Arman's wise Advice declare,
As likely to prevent th'Effects of War.
Th'Indulgence granted to the Sects revoke
And thus Sedition's quell'd without a Stroke.
And gravely thus the British King bespoke.
Th'Expedient Reverend Arman do's suggest,
T'appease the Tumults which the State molest.
Great Prince, do's fully with my Judgment suit;
It lays the Axe home to Sedition's Root.
The civil Broils which Albion discompose
From Fears and anxious Jealousies arose,
Lest the proud Sects which kindly you protect,
Should once their Empire o'er the Church erect.
'Tis true, that some who with the Rebels joyn,
Their Country's Fall, and Gallia's Growth design;
But if those Troops which for the Church appear
Submit their Arms, the rest we need not fear.
Now 'tis with Reason that the Church suspects
The Growth of proud, morose, designing Sects.
I've long observ'd their Pride and Arrogance,
And what destructive Doctrines they advance.
Where they prevail the Church is soon defac'd,
Becomes a wild, uncultivated Wast.
A horrid Wilderness wherein we see
The monstrous Forms of howling Heresy.
Where Grisly Schism, and raging Strife appear
And raving Sects each other rend and tear.
Where mad Enthusiasm and Discord reign,
And endless Errors endless War maintain.
These sad Effects their Liberty abus'd
Thro' Albion's Isle already has produc'd.
130
Affront the Church, and all her Laws deride.
Now Heresy her odious Head do's rear,
And fresh engender'd Monsters thick appear,
Which run upon the Church with open Jaws
And fasten in her Wounds their dreadful Claws.
Ev'n ancient Heresys which once annoy'd
The Church's Peace, but seem'd long since destroy'd,
Now chear'd and warm'd by this indulgent Heat,
Stretch out their hideous Limbs, and Life and Vigor get.
Since the Rebellious Britons but reveal
In a Religious Cause an erring Zeal,
And for themselves alledge they flew to Arms
To save their Altars from the Foe's Alarms;
I must for Arman's wise Advice declare,
As likely to prevent th'Effects of War.
Th'Indulgence granted to the Sects revoke
And thus Sedition's quell'd without a Stroke.
He ceas'd. And Reverend Olbar rose and spoke.
The Gospel Genius and a Christian Mind
All fierce destructive Methods still declin'd.
Our Founder did not raise his Regal Throne
By his Opposers Suff'rings, but his own.
He gave his Church no Arms for her Defence,
But Wisdom joyn'd with Dove-like Innocence.
He always taught his Followers to profess
Meekness Divine, and God-like Gentleness.
When urg'd by eager Zealots to employ
Fire e'en from Heav'n Opposers to destroy,
He us'd no other Flames, but those of Love,
The gentle Fire he brought down from above.
The blest Restorer of undone Mankind
With soft and mild perswasive Ways inclin'd
The World his Heav'nly Mission to believe,
And his bright Train of Blessings to receive.
He us'd no other Force, no other Arms
But Mercy's tender Crys and Pity's Charms.
And all his Followers he oblig'd to be
Gentle, and kind, and merciful as he.
He gave Command they should in Friendship live,
Patient of Wrongs, and easie to forgive.
Mutual Forbearance, Meekness, Peace and Love
Which fashion Men like the pure Minds above,
He oft declar'd were Heav'nly Marks disign'd
To make them known from th'unbelieving Kind.
He never arm'd his Church with Regal Power,
Nor bad the strong the weaker Part devour.
He to the valiant Champions of the Faith
Allow'd the Serpent's Wisdom, not his Teeth.
He came from Heav'n lost Blessings to restore
But took from Men none they possest before.
He ne'er pronounc'd Error or Unbelief,
Just Forfeitures of Liberty or Life.
He never bad his Church for Arms declare
Nor taught the Rules and Stratagems of War.
He never show'd them how Campaigns to make,
How to defend, and how they should attack.
He ne'er instructed them in future Days
When numerous grown, what Bulwarks they should raise.
What Forts and Cittadels they should erect
The Church's sacred Frontier to protect.
He came to save Mens Lives, and not to Kill,
And therefore taught no Military Skill.
No Models left of Arsenals to be reer'd,
Nor said what Warlike Stores should be prepar'd.
His Church he ne'er Commanded to Amass
Spears, Fauchions, Helmets, Shields and Boots of Brass.
Her Valiant Champions first with Error strove
In Arms Divine, and Armour from above,
Immortal Truth, and Light, and Heav'nly Love.
Thus Arm'd the Chiefs their glorious Course pursu'd,
Defeated Vice, and Ignorance subdu'd.
Error before them fled, and Pagan Gods
Of Light impatient, left their old abodes.
Then a wide Empire Christian Faith possest,
And Truth Divine Believing Nations blest.
The White European and the Swarthy Moor,
With a like flame Religion did adore.
So powerful then were her Celestial Arms,
So bright her Form, so ravishing her Charms,
That where she came th'obsequious World obey'd,
And at her Altars due Devotion paid.
But when she once her Heav'nly Strength forsook,
And in Exchange Terrestrial Weapons took,
When Martial Faith in Armour first appear'd,
And in the Field her bloody Standard reer'd,
Advancing like an Amazonian Dame
To vanquish Heresy with Sword and Flame;
The World at such a Figure stood amaz'd,
And on the hideous Sight with horror gaz'd.
Against her Throne the Nations soon rebell'd,
And Arms with Arms, and Power with Power repell'd.
Her Innocence, her Love, and Meekness lost,
The warlike Church could no new Triumphs boast.
She soon was stopt in her Victorious Course,
Weak by her Arms, and impotent by Force.
Christ's peaceful Flock with Wolves devouring Jaws,
And his meek Dove arm'd with the Faulcon's Claws,
Prodigious Monsters to the World appear'd,
No longer to be lov'd, and scarcely fear'd.
The Gospel Genius and a Christian Mind
All fierce destructive Methods still declin'd.
Our Founder did not raise his Regal Throne
By his Opposers Suff'rings, but his own.
He gave his Church no Arms for her Defence,
But Wisdom joyn'd with Dove-like Innocence.
He always taught his Followers to profess
Meekness Divine, and God-like Gentleness.
When urg'd by eager Zealots to employ
Fire e'en from Heav'n Opposers to destroy,
131
The gentle Fire he brought down from above.
The blest Restorer of undone Mankind
With soft and mild perswasive Ways inclin'd
The World his Heav'nly Mission to believe,
And his bright Train of Blessings to receive.
He us'd no other Force, no other Arms
But Mercy's tender Crys and Pity's Charms.
And all his Followers he oblig'd to be
Gentle, and kind, and merciful as he.
He gave Command they should in Friendship live,
Patient of Wrongs, and easie to forgive.
Mutual Forbearance, Meekness, Peace and Love
Which fashion Men like the pure Minds above,
He oft declar'd were Heav'nly Marks disign'd
To make them known from th'unbelieving Kind.
He never arm'd his Church with Regal Power,
Nor bad the strong the weaker Part devour.
He to the valiant Champions of the Faith
Allow'd the Serpent's Wisdom, not his Teeth.
He came from Heav'n lost Blessings to restore
But took from Men none they possest before.
He ne'er pronounc'd Error or Unbelief,
Just Forfeitures of Liberty or Life.
He never bad his Church for Arms declare
Nor taught the Rules and Stratagems of War.
He never show'd them how Campaigns to make,
How to defend, and how they should attack.
He ne'er instructed them in future Days
When numerous grown, what Bulwarks they should raise.
132
The Church's sacred Frontier to protect.
He came to save Mens Lives, and not to Kill,
And therefore taught no Military Skill.
No Models left of Arsenals to be reer'd,
Nor said what Warlike Stores should be prepar'd.
His Church he ne'er Commanded to Amass
Spears, Fauchions, Helmets, Shields and Boots of Brass.
Her Valiant Champions first with Error strove
In Arms Divine, and Armour from above,
Immortal Truth, and Light, and Heav'nly Love.
Thus Arm'd the Chiefs their glorious Course pursu'd,
Defeated Vice, and Ignorance subdu'd.
Error before them fled, and Pagan Gods
Of Light impatient, left their old abodes.
Then a wide Empire Christian Faith possest,
And Truth Divine Believing Nations blest.
The White European and the Swarthy Moor,
With a like flame Religion did adore.
So powerful then were her Celestial Arms,
So bright her Form, so ravishing her Charms,
That where she came th'obsequious World obey'd,
And at her Altars due Devotion paid.
But when she once her Heav'nly Strength forsook,
And in Exchange Terrestrial Weapons took,
When Martial Faith in Armour first appear'd,
And in the Field her bloody Standard reer'd,
Advancing like an Amazonian Dame
To vanquish Heresy with Sword and Flame;
133
And on the hideous Sight with horror gaz'd.
Against her Throne the Nations soon rebell'd,
And Arms with Arms, and Power with Power repell'd.
Her Innocence, her Love, and Meekness lost,
The warlike Church could no new Triumphs boast.
She soon was stopt in her Victorious Course,
Weak by her Arms, and impotent by Force.
Christ's peaceful Flock with Wolves devouring Jaws,
And his meek Dove arm'd with the Faulcon's Claws,
Prodigious Monsters to the World appear'd,
No longer to be lov'd, and scarcely fear'd.
| King Arthur | |