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 |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
 | King Arthur |  |
255
Nature to see the Terrors of it's Lord,
Amaz'd, and frighted to its Centre, shakes,
Forgets her Duty, and her Course forsakes.
His Wrath o'erturns the Mountains rocking Heaps,
And the scar'd Earth from its strong Basis leaps.
The trembling World's distorted Pillars crack,
And high above prevailing Chaos back,
The Poles stand up to point out Nature's Wreck.
As when a Roe do's on the Hills appear,
Chas'd by the Dogs, and his own swifter fear,
O'er Woods and Lawns he trips, light as the Wind,
And leaves his Foes, tho' not his Fears behind.
So shall thy Sons to Foreign Climates take
Their hasty flight, and thy vext Soil forsake.
In distant Realms they'll thy Destruction mourn,
But ne'er to this accursed Land return.
As scatter'd Sheep without a Shepherd stray,
Expos'd to every Rawening Beast a Prey,
So shall thy Children o'er the Mountains roam
Naked, Distrest, without a Guide or Home.
None to the straggliing Fugitives shall show
The least Compassion to asswage their Woe.
A thousand ways they'll from Destruction fly,
And by a thousand various Terrors dy.
Those who remain about her shall afford
A bloody Harvest to the raging Sword.
| King Arthur | |