University of Virginia Library

To my Worthy Friend Mr. Joshua Barnes B D. Senior Fellow of Emmanuel College, on his Incomparable History of King EDWARD the Third, &c.

To bring back Fate, which knows not to Return;
And raise the Heroes from their silent Urn;

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Long-past revolving Ages to restore,
And Acts, done many hundred Years before,
Mauger Oblivion, in Just Garbs to dress,
And bring August Shades from their dark Recess,
Out of the gloomy hidden Cave; where ly
Days past, like Dreams, and waning Moons slid by;
And mixed Heaps of lost Mortality:
To raise the World anew; lost Years to trace,
Make present Times to Ages past give place;
And Monarchs once again with their old Crowns to Grace:
Fame's quite-spent Lamp more brightly to Renew:—
Seem'd, Learned Friend, a Task befitting You.

The Ancients dream'd of Charmes, that brought the Moon
From her bright Orb, strugling, enraged, down:
But None could e're dark Shades to Life restore,
And break Fate's Adamantine Gates before;
Except Alcides and Apollo's

Æsculapius.

Son;
This They could do, and You as much have done:
Nay more, for You no common Life do give;
Your Heroes to Eternity do Live!
With this Addition to their smiling Fate,
You make them Happy, as You make them Great,
And add not onely to their Life, but State.
Old Time in Your Learn'd Work grows Young again:
In You our Valiant Worthies Live and Reign.
Their Souls, as Rivers under Mountains Dive
And after in the open Air revive,
In our Great WILLIAM and his Captains Live.
The Mighty Grafton like Your Chandos fell,
He liv'd, as Bravely, and He dy'd , as well:
To Edward That, and This to William Dear,
And both the GARTER'S honour'd Badge did wear:
Both dy'd too soon:—But both Immortal are.

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Nor do Your Heroes now Ignobly stand;
Once more they Influence their Native Land:
You give them Life, and they do Souls bestow,
They actuate the Senceless Clods below;
Reading their Acts Cowards do Valiant grow.
Th' Effeminate Gallant, on his Bed of Ease,
Feels a new Warmth on all his Vitals seize;
Gets a new Soul from each enlivening Word,
Rises a Champion, and calls for his Sword.
Nothing to' exalt our Glory doth remain,
But to Read You, and grow True Englishmen:
Your Book alone would armed Troops advance,
To claim once more our long-lost Right to FRANCE.

How Boundless was Your Mind; to fill that Sphear,
Where sparkling Fame did lofty Trophies rear!
How Fair and Beauteous Your Idæas were!
That could the Treaties, Councels, Battels, show;
Stupendious Acts, that made even Fate to bow;
And but seem'd fit for Your BLACK-PRINCE to do.
That Reign of Wonder; Gem of Times; the Glory,
But hardest part, of all the English Story:
When one Sun by our Conquering Arms beheld,
Two Monarchs slain, a Third to quit the Field;
Two Captive Kings to London's Tower were brought,
And injur'd Princes here for Comfort sought.
Our Edward then, the whole World's Love and Fear,
Did at his Will the Fate of Kingdoms steer:
Held Europe's Ballance, and fix'd Fortune's Wheel,
And where he turn'd, made Fate's strong Pillars reel.
To Merit more, than to Possess, did choose;
And proffer'd Empire bravely did refuse.
When, Honour's Darling, his Victorious SON,
Kings, as He pleas'd, could make, or could dethrone:
And all the Neighbouring Monarchs thought their Crowns,
Fix'd with his Smiles, but tottering with his Frowns.

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When England was the Theatre of Fame,
And Warriours hither to gain Honour came.
Our EDWARD solely Valour's Umpire stood,
His Approbation made the Brave and Good.
Then High Exploits, and Acts on Vertue plac'd,
Above French Princes English Commons rais'd:
That Subjects (Vertue makes the meanest Great)
Five Kings at once could at their Tables treat.
When Victory due to Piety was given:
Their Arms forc'd Kingdoms and their Prayers took Heaven.
When Valiant and Religious Acts could meet,
Christian and Souldier mutually did greet.

And now — — —
You, Modern Sparks, that in degenerate Ease,
Or active Vice spend Your ignoble Days!

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That ne're did crown'd with Forreign Trophies come,
But brought the Vices and Diseases home:
Senceless of-Fame to late Posterity,
You can't be mention'd but for Infamy,
While Your great Sires embalm'd in Honourly.
Read This—and blush to see, how You disgrace
Those Names, whom Vertue to the Stars did raise,
Your Ancestors, their own and Nation's Fame,
You, their Degenerate Sons, to Both a Shame.
They Conquer'd France, which now Your Arms outbraves;
You're Apes to those, were Your Forefathers Slaves.