The Poetical Works of the Ingenious and Learned William Meston ... The Sixth edition |
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| II. |
| III. |
| IV. | TALE IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
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| III. |
| IV. |
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 | The Poetical Works of the Ingenious and Learned William Meston |  |
TALE IV.
Præstat sero sapere quam nunquam.
The preaching Monarch, the sweet singer's son,
The peaceful King of Jewry fill'd the throne,
When two pretending mothers did contend,
And for a living child a suit intend;
The doubtful plea before the throne they bring,
To be decided by the wisest King;
Both claim a right, and both their claims assert,
The last by nature taught, the first by art:
The prudent judge observ'd the artful tale,
And well he knew that nature wou'd prevail;
Reach me, said he, a sword, I'll soon decide
The cause, and 'twixt you both the child divide.
The righful mother, cry'd, Oh! rather spare
The living child, and I will yield my share,
With pity mov'd, Oh! spare the child, she cry'd:
Not so, said the pretender, but divide.
The rightful parent is for mercy still,
The base pretender cries, divide and kill.
The peaceful King of Jewry fill'd the throne,
When two pretending mothers did contend,
And for a living child a suit intend;
The doubtful plea before the throne they bring,
To be decided by the wisest King;
Both claim a right, and both their claims assert,
The last by nature taught, the first by art:
The prudent judge observ'd the artful tale,
And well he knew that nature wou'd prevail;
Reach me, said he, a sword, I'll soon decide
The cause, and 'twixt you both the child divide.
The righful mother, cry'd, Oh! rather spare
The living child, and I will yield my share,
With pity mov'd, Oh! spare the child, she cry'd:
Not so, said the pretender, but divide.
The rightful parent is for mercy still,
The base pretender cries, divide and kill.
Scarce can a nat'ral parent's tender eye,
Look on and see unnat'ral children die;
He'll suffer rather, and with measures mild
Reclaim a son, than kill a rebel child.
Stepfathers by their cruelty are known,
Because they know the child is not their own;
They whip the guiltless infant, whom they hate,
To death, and then they seize on the estate.
The brutish pagans, fill'd with slavish fear,
To ugly demons beastly altars rear;
Devouter minds adore the powers above,
Because they are all clemency and love.
Look on and see unnat'ral children die;
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Reclaim a son, than kill a rebel child.
Stepfathers by their cruelty are known,
Because they know the child is not their own;
They whip the guiltless infant, whom they hate,
To death, and then they seize on the estate.
The brutish pagans, fill'd with slavish fear,
To ugly demons beastly altars rear;
Devouter minds adore the powers above,
Because they are all clemency and love.
A prudent maid may easily discover
A false pretender, and a real lover:
The one consults her honour, and her health;
The other covets nothing but her wealth:
The one practises nought but melting charms,
To gain her heart, and draw her to his arms;
He'd rather chuse to languish and to dy,
Then offer her the least indignity.
A false pretender, and a real lover:
The one consults her honour, and her health;
The other covets nothing but her wealth:
The one practises nought but melting charms,
To gain her heart, and draw her to his arms;
He'd rather chuse to languish and to dy,
Then offer her the least indignity.
The other swells with lustful rage and pride,
And tries by tricks and bribes to gain the bride:
His merit's small, to that he dares not trust;
'Tis force, or fraud, must satisfy his lust;
Unhappy maid! shou'dst thou thyself surrender
A prostitute to such a vile pretender,
Thy liberty and happiness is lost,
And honour, which, of all, thou valuest most;
His black designs, if once the rogue attain,
Thy wealth he'll seize, thy person he'll disdain;
Of which possess'd, away from thee he wanders,
And wastes the same on whores, and pimps and pandars,
Who, when they've spent so much of thy good gear,
Roaring and whoring nine months of the year,
Then he returns, kisses, and calls thee honey,
Sweet-heart and dear, to get more of thy money;
All which he spends on bullies, pimps, and whores,
Whilst thou must starve and languish within doors,
By all thy neighbours slighted and neglected,
By few regarded, and by none respected;
Thy self and conduct, justly they despise,
And bid thee boast and glory in thy choice.
And tries by tricks and bribes to gain the bride:
His merit's small, to that he dares not trust;
'Tis force, or fraud, must satisfy his lust;
Unhappy maid! shou'dst thou thyself surrender
A prostitute to such a vile pretender,
Thy liberty and happiness is lost,
And honour, which, of all, thou valuest most;
His black designs, if once the rogue attain,
Thy wealth he'll seize, thy person he'll disdain;
Of which possess'd, away from thee he wanders,
And wastes the same on whores, and pimps and pandars,
Who, when they've spent so much of thy good gear,
Roaring and whoring nine months of the year,
Then he returns, kisses, and calls thee honey,
Sweet-heart and dear, to get more of thy money;
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Whilst thou must starve and languish within doors,
By all thy neighbours slighted and neglected,
By few regarded, and by none respected;
Thy self and conduct, justly they despise,
And bid thee boast and glory in thy choice.
Forsake the beast, thy self and rights recover,
Return again to thy true faithful lover;
He'll not upbraid thee with thy former folly,
One smile from thee will make him blyth and jolly.
Return, return! he'll love thee more and more,
Forgetting all that thou hast done before;
Whores, rogues, and bullies, he will soon expel,
In peace and plenty making thee to dwell.
Return again to thy true faithful lover;
He'll not upbraid thee with thy former folly,
One smile from thee will make him blyth and jolly.
Return, return! he'll love thee more and more,
Forgetting all that thou hast done before;
Whores, rogues, and bullies, he will soon expel,
In peace and plenty making thee to dwell.
| The Poetical Works of the Ingenious and Learned William Meston | |