 | Poems on several occasions |  |
WOODSTOCK.
Arise my Muse, Glyme's
benefactors sing,
From dark oblivion their just actions bring;
But not of monarchs great presume to treat,
Tho' this was once their blest, their lov'd retreat :
Nor yet of Edward's son, that warlike chief,
Whose birth we boast , whose death was England's grief:
Nor yet her much-lov'd Chaucer's works explore ,
Why call'd the prince of bards in days of yore?
Nor of renown'd Elizabeth , whose fame
Lies too extensive for my narrow theme:
Thine be the task to speak of deeds design'd,
In later days, to benefit mankind.
See learning planted by one ever dear,
A Cornwell's public spirit all revere;
From him behold the friendly structure rise,
To bring up youth bright truth to analyse.
The prudent Fletcher well beheld his care,
By kind benevolence induc'd to share
His god-like purpose; nought regarding more
Than to compleat such kindness to the poor.
From dark oblivion their just actions bring;
But not of monarchs great presume to treat,
Tho' this was once their blest, their lov'd retreat :
2
Whose birth we boast , whose death was England's grief:
Nor yet her much-lov'd Chaucer's works explore ,
Why call'd the prince of bards in days of yore?
Nor of renown'd Elizabeth , whose fame
Lies too extensive for my narrow theme:
Thine be the task to speak of deeds design'd,
In later days, to benefit mankind.
See learning planted by one ever dear,
A Cornwell's public spirit all revere;
From him behold the friendly structure rise,
To bring up youth bright truth to analyse.
The prudent Fletcher well beheld his care,
By kind benevolence induc'd to share
His god-like purpose; nought regarding more
Than to compleat such kindness to the poor.
3
Rejoice ye sons of Glyme, rejoice to find
A free resourse to form the tender mind;
Again rejoice, see Spencer the benign,
Whose gen'rous bounty will for ever shine!
A free resourse to form the tender mind;
Again rejoice, see Spencer the benign,
Whose gen'rous bounty will for ever shine!
Slave to no party, from base faction free,
His hand regains your long-lost liberty.
Nor stops he there; his honest soul imparts
To old and young relief: to ease their hearts
Behold the staff of life indulgent giv'n,
And draws the soul to happiness and heav'n.
With anxious care and heart-felt sympathy
His kind bequest provides a large supply.
While Cary's boon another scheme pursues,
His gift, from int'rest free, the burghers use;
By him inspir'd each art's industrious son
Thro' each day's labour chearfully moves on.
His hand regains your long-lost liberty.
Nor stops he there; his honest soul imparts
To old and young relief: to ease their hearts
Behold the staff of life indulgent giv'n,
And draws the soul to happiness and heav'n.
With anxious care and heart-felt sympathy
His kind bequest provides a large supply.
While Cary's boon another scheme pursues,
His gift, from int'rest free, the burghers use;
4
Thro' each day's labour chearfully moves on.
For youth behold another well-laid plan,
Which by the noble Bruce was first began;
To settle in the myst'ry of each trade
The younger sons, this good provision made.
But ah! the free-born son, with fortune crost,
Has cause to mourn, to see for ever lost
Such good design; and, through the sad neglect
Of some concern'd, this gift of no effect.
Had not this boon, so prudently design'd,
The knaves insidious quibble undermin'd;
Many unwary youths, now wand'ring wide,
Had been preserv'd by this their trusty guide.
Yea many now that ply the vagrant's trade,
From wisdom's pleasant paths had never stray'd;
And timely leaving the unsettled state,
Had now sat steady in their native seat.
Which by the noble Bruce was first began;
To settle in the myst'ry of each trade
The younger sons, this good provision made.
But ah! the free-born son, with fortune crost,
Has cause to mourn, to see for ever lost
Such good design; and, through the sad neglect
Of some concern'd, this gift of no effect.
Had not this boon, so prudently design'd,
The knaves insidious quibble undermin'd;
Many unwary youths, now wand'ring wide,
Had been preserv'd by this their trusty guide.
Yea many now that ply the vagrant's trade,
From wisdom's pleasant paths had never stray'd;
And timely leaving the unsettled state,
Had now sat steady in their native seat.
5
But leave, my humble Muse, these plaintive strains,
Since thy lov'd Spencer's family remains.
Yet cou'd some gen'rous mind with freedom scan
The good that must accrue from Bruce's plan
Had it not fail'd; then fairly state the case,
What was appropriate, and which the place ;
Each joyful burgess then, when passing by,
With grateful heart, wou'd thus exulting cry:
Fair freedom's friend, beneficent and kind,
At length revives the good that Bruce design'd.
But stay my Muse, soar not beyond thy bound,
Much diff'rence lies between the stroke and sound;
Be thine the theme true greatness to admire,
T'extol Glyme's patrons tune again thy lyre.
Since thy lov'd Spencer's family remains.
Yet cou'd some gen'rous mind with freedom scan
The good that must accrue from Bruce's plan
Had it not fail'd; then fairly state the case,
What was appropriate, and which the place ;
Each joyful burgess then, when passing by,
With grateful heart, wou'd thus exulting cry:
Fair freedom's friend, beneficent and kind,
At length revives the good that Bruce design'd.
But stay my Muse, soar not beyond thy bound,
Much diff'rence lies between the stroke and sound;
Be thine the theme true greatness to admire,
T'extol Glyme's patrons tune again thy lyre.
See rev'rend Cox's
lib'ral gift apply'd;
His pious heirs for infant years provide:
Wisely instructed in their helpless days,
What greater bliss than hear them lisp the praise
Of that dread Pow'r divine, supremely good,
First Cause and Giv'r of health, of cloaths, and food
My tongue wants words his mercies to express,
His blessings daily flowing numberless.
His pious heirs for infant years provide:
6
What greater bliss than hear them lisp the praise
Of that dread Pow'r divine, supremely good,
First Cause and Giv'r of health, of cloaths, and food
My tongue wants words his mercies to express,
His blessings daily flowing numberless.
Look where Astrea's courts again appear,
May her vicegerents act therein sincere,
Vice to withstand and virtue's cause maintain,
Who then will say, “they bear the sword in vain.”
May her vicegerents act therein sincere,
Vice to withstand and virtue's cause maintain,
Who then will say, “they bear the sword in vain.”
Most noble S---n---r, gen'rous, great and good,
Thy bounty fills each heart with joy and food;
Thou, whose commands yon lofty structures raise,
While the tongue tastes thy bounty, let it praise.
When Albion's sons of late, by famine crost,
Lamenting saw the year's long labour lost;
Thy pitying hand reliev'd the weeping eye,
Refresh'd the heart, and stopp'd the rising sigh.
Then let not those involv'd in grief despair,
Jehovah makes them his peculiar care.
Thy bounty fills each heart with joy and food;
Thou, whose commands yon lofty structures raise,
While the tongue tastes thy bounty, let it praise.
When Albion's sons of late, by famine crost,
Lamenting saw the year's long labour lost;
7
Refresh'd the heart, and stopp'd the rising sigh.
Then let not those involv'd in grief despair,
Jehovah makes them his peculiar care.
While of this world's delight some have the best,
Others in indigence are sore opprest;
Shall I a Providence in question call
Because thy portion's fair and mine is small?
His gifts he suits to every degree,
And none so mean but may contentment see,
And taste the joys of heav'n in low adversity.
Others in indigence are sore opprest;
Shall I a Providence in question call
Because thy portion's fair and mine is small?
His gifts he suits to every degree,
And none so mean but may contentment see,
And taste the joys of heav'n in low adversity.
Sir Thomas Spencer revived the freemen's right in polling for representatives; he gave a munificent benefaction to the poor of Woodstock, viz. the annual sum of 18l. 3s. 4d. for ever, to be given in bread every Sunday in the year, to ten men, ten women, and twenty children.
| Poems on several occasions | |