 | Electra of Sophocles |  |
1
THE RETURN.
To Her Highnesse, the Ladie ELIZABETH.
Bright Saint,
Just Heaven hath seen thy Tears:
Thy Brother on our Isles appears.
Request and Sorrow now leave off,
When glad Enjoyment sayes, Enough.
Let no sad Thought take from the grace
Of a serene and full-blown Praise.
Looks over-cast but ill do suit,
The Royall Stranger to salute.
Honour with mirth now reconciles:
Reject not those officious smiles
Which hover yet aloof, and seek
To perch upon your lovely cheek.
Thy Brother on our Isles appears.
Request and Sorrow now leave off,
When glad Enjoyment sayes, Enough.
Let no sad Thought take from the grace
Of a serene and full-blown Praise.
Looks over-cast but ill do suit,
The Royall Stranger to salute.
Honour with mirth now reconciles:
Reject not those officious smiles
Which hover yet aloof, and seek
To perch upon your lovely cheek.
2
MADAM,
Lift up your pleasant eye,
In yonder Nook sits Majestie.
Our Sov'reigne at that Spot begun
Three Kingdoms just Possession.
Thus a received Turf doth yield,
Full seisin of its native Field;
And from that streight and distant sphear,
Weighs and directs his free Carier.
As first the early point of Day,
Aloof does but the Earth survey,
But streight the dark profound invades,
And chases out the flying shades.
In yonder Nook sits Majestie.
Our Sov'reigne at that Spot begun
Three Kingdoms just Possession.
Thus a received Turf doth yield,
Full seisin of its native Field;
And from that streight and distant sphear,
Weighs and directs his free Carier.
As first the early point of Day,
Aloof does but the Earth survey,
But streight the dark profound invades,
And chases out the flying shades.
There he debates what ready way,
A glorious Entrance to assay.
The num'rous sinners he descry's
Parted by Seas and Enmiti's.
He sees, and so do the sage States,
That as their Fear, their Love abates:
Because, though their grim Horsemen tread
Upon the quaking Countreys head,
Though they our lives hang at their beck,
And a stiff yoke about our neck;
Though they can spoil without Consent,
Yet e're they rule we must Indent:
Force can but in a Rape engage,
'Tis Choice must make it Marriage.
A glorious Entrance to assay.
The num'rous sinners he descry's
Parted by Seas and Enmiti's.
He sees, and so do the sage States,
That as their Fear, their Love abates:
Because, though their grim Horsemen tread
Upon the quaking Countreys head,
3
And a stiff yoke about our neck;
Though they can spoil without Consent,
Yet e're they rule we must Indent:
Force can but in a Rape engage,
'Tis Choice must make it Marriage.
Hence a Conveyance they contrive,
Which must on us their Cause derive:
This must attaque, what holds out still,
And is impregnable, the Will.
This must enchant our conscious hands,
To slumber in like guilty bands,
While like the froward Miltonist,
We our old Nuptiall knot untwist:
And with the hands, late faith did joyn,
This Bill of plain Divorce now signe.
Here their New Kingdom must commence,
And Sinne conspire with Conscience.
This spills our Bloud lost in just warrs,
And brands with Shame our honest Scarrs:
His Fathers murder this commends,
And crowns it with its plotted ends.
His Sacred Person this assayles,
And the dire Regicide entayles.
He, the bold Blank defi'd discerns,
And Malice but his Laughter earns;
So what they for fresh lists devise,
Into their thin short Kingdome pry's.
Which must on us their Cause derive:
This must attaque, what holds out still,
And is impregnable, the Will.
This must enchant our conscious hands,
To slumber in like guilty bands,
While like the froward Miltonist,
We our old Nuptiall knot untwist:
And with the hands, late faith did joyn,
This Bill of plain Divorce now signe.
Here their New Kingdom must commence,
And Sinne conspire with Conscience.
This spills our Bloud lost in just warrs,
And brands with Shame our honest Scarrs:
His Fathers murder this commends,
And crowns it with its plotted ends.
4
And the dire Regicide entayles.
He, the bold Blank defi'd discerns,
And Malice but his Laughter earns;
So what they for fresh lists devise,
Into their thin short Kingdome pry's.
Next he the Realm views in all parts
Shut on Him, but the Peoples hearts.
While his approach new warmth doth shed
On those Desire had massacred.
His double Righteousnes all draws
That of Himself, that of his Cause:
Shut on Him, but the Peoples hearts.
While his approach new warmth doth shed
On those Desire had massacred.
His double Righteousnes all draws
That of Himself, that of his Cause:
His Person Signatures presents
Where King and Conquest pitch their tents;
Taller, then Palms, whose humble Top,
Do's to his lofty Temples stoop.
And pays a tributary Bough;
To bind on his Victorious Brow.
Then Beacons plac'd on Mountains, those
Mountains which HER late Prince outgrows
A valiant Black his Brow doth wear,
Our reverence; but Traytours fear:
His look speaks out, it was design'd,
Subjects to conquer, not to find.
Which Heat, lest we should fear his Ray's,
The Fathers Clemency allay's;
See how our heaving Souls enlarge!
See how fresh Spirits our strength surcharge!
Till in his Banner wrapp'd we prove,
Nothing so strong as loyall Love:
And touch'd from Heaven with holy flame
His Throne we plant, his Foes we tame.
Where King and Conquest pitch their tents;
Taller, then Palms, whose humble Top,
Do's to his lofty Temples stoop.
And pays a tributary Bough;
To bind on his Victorious Brow.
Then Beacons plac'd on Mountains, those
Mountains which HER late Prince outgrows
5
Our reverence; but Traytours fear:
His look speaks out, it was design'd,
Subjects to conquer, not to find.
Which Heat, lest we should fear his Ray's,
The Fathers Clemency allay's;
See how our heaving Souls enlarge!
See how fresh Spirits our strength surcharge!
Till in his Banner wrapp'd we prove,
Nothing so strong as loyall Love:
And touch'd from Heaven with holy flame
His Throne we plant, his Foes we tame.
| Electra of Sophocles | |