Matthew Prior. Dialogues of the Dead and Other Works in Prose and Verse. The Text Edited by A. R. Waller |
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 | Matthew Prior. Dialogues of the Dead and Other Works |  |
A lyon by his valiant Deeds preferr'd,
Was made the shepherd of a stately Herd;
And carefully defends his Flock from Foes,
Tho' pow'rful Enemies their Peace oppose;
And they who offer any Injury
Soon feel his Fury and are sure to die;
The Trust he bore he did so well discharge,
His Mistress daily did his Pow'r enlarge:
For each good Deed She bore so much regard,
That each great Act ne'er mist a great Reward.
Was made the shepherd of a stately Herd;
And carefully defends his Flock from Foes,
Tho' pow'rful Enemies their Peace oppose;
And they who offer any Injury
Soon feel his Fury and are sure to die;
The Trust he bore he did so well discharge,
His Mistress daily did his Pow'r enlarge:
For each good Deed She bore so much regard,
That each great Act ne'er mist a great Reward.
Whilst he abroad thus serviceable were,
Reynard at Home did no less Glory share
With Prudence manag'd mystick State Affairs,
As skill'd in them as th' other was in Wars.
He with such Faithfulness discharg'd his Trust,
Esteem'd by all to be both Wise and Just;
And in his Service so successful Prov'd,
His Mistress Him next to the Lyon lov'd:
Which when the Lyon saw he angry grew
Being now grown Great he was grown haughty too.
A Partner in Glory he wou'd not allow,
And strives to work the Fox's overthrow.
As wicked Men do never want pretence,
When they wou'd wrong unspotted Innocence.
So He wou'd Treason lay upon his Head,
And make him bleed for what another did:
He wou'd against all Reason and all Laws,
First have him flea'd, and then he'd tell the Cause.
Reynard at Home did no less Glory share
With Prudence manag'd mystick State Affairs,
As skill'd in them as th' other was in Wars.
He with such Faithfulness discharg'd his Trust,
Esteem'd by all to be both Wise and Just;
And in his Service so successful Prov'd,
His Mistress Him next to the Lyon lov'd:
Which when the Lyon saw he angry grew
Being now grown Great he was grown haughty too.
A Partner in Glory he wou'd not allow,
And strives to work the Fox's overthrow.
As wicked Men do never want pretence,
When they wou'd wrong unspotted Innocence.
So He wou'd Treason lay upon his Head,
And make him bleed for what another did:
He wou'd against all Reason and all Laws,
First have him flea'd, and then he'd tell the Cause.
369
The Fox had Truth and Justice on his side,
And all his Actions this base Deed denied.
He soon his former Lustre did regain,
And wipes away the Lyons Fatal stain:
He patiently puts up the Injury;
But in a proper time reveng'd will be.
The haughty Lyon now was grown so great,
He ne'er expected any Change of State:
And the Allowance that his Mistress gave,
He thought too little, He still more wou'd have;
And watchful Reynard by his Subtilty,
Did soon perceive the Lyons Roguery;
Informs his Mistress, that what She allows
He on himself, not on Her Flock bestows,
Which He not only said, but prov'd it too,
And justly did procure his Overthrow.
And all his Actions this base Deed denied.
He soon his former Lustre did regain,
And wipes away the Lyons Fatal stain:
He patiently puts up the Injury;
But in a proper time reveng'd will be.
The haughty Lyon now was grown so great,
He ne'er expected any Change of State:
And the Allowance that his Mistress gave,
He thought too little, He still more wou'd have;
And watchful Reynard by his Subtilty,
Did soon perceive the Lyons Roguery;
Informs his Mistress, that what She allows
He on himself, not on Her Flock bestows,
Which He not only said, but prov'd it too,
And justly did procure his Overthrow.
| Matthew Prior. Dialogues of the Dead and Other Works | |