University of Virginia Library


190

Brandenburg

Old duke, with the long white beard,
Of what woe art thou afeared?
What unplumbed and deathly wound
Gapes unto thine eyes profound?
What disastrous blaze of wing
Smoulders in thy ruby ring?
From thy cup gleams what disgrace
From they napkin what dismays?
Like a dreamer answereth he
“It is one shall follow me,
“Without virtue, without lust,
A bowellessness, a painted dust
“Perk'd up in our powerful seats
For a race of liars and cheats,
“Whom he knoweth not to contemn—
Cozening, and not ruling them!”