Poems On several Choice and Various Subjects Occasionally Composed By An Eminent Author. Collected and Published by Sergeant-Major P. F. [i.e. James Howell] |
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Of the most curious Gardens, Groves, Mounts, Arbours, &c.
Contriv'd, and lately made by The Lord Vicount Killmorry,
At Dutton-Hall in Cheshire.
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 | Poems On several Choice and Various Subjects |  |
Of the most curious Gardens, Groves, Mounts, Arbours, &c. Contriv'd, and lately made by The Lord Vicount Killmorry, At Dutton-Hall in Cheshire.
A Prosopopœia to Cheshire.
Cheshire
, thou Shire of Men, of Mines & Mounts,
Of Squires and Barons, Palatines and Counts,
Of curious Groves and Arbours, Walks & Woods,
Prophetique Trees and Castles, Founts and Floods,
Of stately Dee, whereon in times of yore,
Four Kings an English Monarch row'd ashore.
Dee who runs sporting through thy wanton Vales,
Descending proudly from high-crested Wales.
More Rarities thou hast, could they be told
Then once thy Roman Legion was of old;
Which here I will not venture to inclose,
Th' are fitter for a Volume in rich Prose.
Of Squires and Barons, Palatines and Counts,
Of curious Groves and Arbours, Walks & Woods,
Prophetique Trees and Castles, Founts and Floods,
Of stately Dee, whereon in times of yore,
Four Kings an English Monarch row'd ashore.
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Descending proudly from high-crested Wales.
More Rarities thou hast, could they be told
Then once thy Roman Legion was of old;
Which here I will not venture to inclose,
Th' are fitter for a Volume in rich Prose.
But now, 'mong thy choice Landskips Dutton-Hall,
For Mount, Grove, Arbour, Well, surpasseth all.
Killmorry Mount with Morhalls Grove, Ann's Well,
And Dutton Arbour bear away the Bell;
A Mount, which all the Muses might invite,
And make them Parnasse-Hill abandon quite.
A Grove, which chaste Diana with her train,
And all the Nymphs of Greece might entertain
A Well for Vertue, which defiance bids
To all, except her Neighbour Winefrids
Whose rare Sanative Waters are so pure
That sundry sorts of Maladies can cure.
Oh, could they cure the madness that now raigns,
The odd Vertigo which distracts the Brains
Of many thousands, that Lycanthropy,
Turns men to wolfs by strange Transformity!
A Transformation England never knew,
Till she brought forth this Hell-bred ugly Crew;
Such a prodigious Metamorphosis,
Poor baffled England never felt like this.
For Mount, Grove, Arbour, Well, surpasseth all.
Killmorry Mount with Morhalls Grove, Ann's Well,
And Dutton Arbour bear away the Bell;
A Mount, which all the Muses might invite,
And make them Parnasse-Hill abandon quite.
A Grove, which chaste Diana with her train,
And all the Nymphs of Greece might entertain
A Well for Vertue, which defiance bids
To all, except her Neighbour Winefrids
Whose rare Sanative Waters are so pure
That sundry sorts of Maladies can cure.
Oh, could they cure the madness that now raigns,
The odd Vertigo which distracts the Brains
Of many thousands, that Lycanthropy,
Turns men to wolfs by strange Transformity!
A Transformation England never knew,
Till she brought forth this Hell-bred ugly Crew;
Such a prodigious Metamorphosis,
Poor baffled England never felt like this.
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And as this Princely seat so much excels,
So do the Lord and Lady who there dwells;
A brave wise Peer, a gallant fruitful Dame;
Both of a taintless and far-spreading fame,
Bless'd with an Off-spring numerous and fair;
The Gerards hence, the Needhams have an Heir,
And Duttons too: three ancient Families
From this Prolifique Hall now have their rise.
So do the Lord and Lady who there dwells;
A brave wise Peer, a gallant fruitful Dame;
Both of a taintless and far-spreading fame,
Bless'd with an Off-spring numerous and fair;
The Gerards hence, the Needhams have an Heir,
And Duttons too: three ancient Families
From this Prolifique Hall now have their rise.
In sum: This Noble Lady and her Peer,
Of any Earthly Mortals come most neer,
In point of Happiness and state of Bliss,
To those white souls who peeple Paradis.
Of any Earthly Mortals come most neer,
In point of Happiness and state of Bliss,
To those white souls who peeple Paradis.
| Poems On several Choice and Various Subjects | |