In peaked hoods and mantles tarnish'd, Sour vifages, enough to scare ye, High Dames of Honour once, that garnish'd The drawing-room of fierce Queen Mary! The Peerefs comes: The Audience stare, And doff their hats with due fubmiffion ; She courtfies, as she takes his chair, To all the People of condition. The Bard with many an artful fib, Had in imagination fenc'd him, Difprov'd the arguments of * Squib, And all that Groom could urge against him, Groom of the Chambers. § The Steward. But But foon his rhetorick forfook him, When he the folemn hall had seen ; A fudden fit of ague fhook him, He flood as mute as poor || Macteane. Yet fomething he was heard to mutter, "How in the park beneath an old-tree (Without defign to hurt the butter, "Or any malice to the poultry,) He once or twice had penn'd a fonnet; "Yet hop'd, that he might fave his bacon: "Numbers would give their oaths upon it, "He ne'er was for a conj'rer taken." A famous highwayman hang'd the week before. The The ghoftly Prudes, with hagged face, Already had condemn'd the finner. My Lady rofe, and with a grace She finil'd, and bid him come to dinner. 66 Jefu-Maria! Madam Bridget, Why, what can the Viscountess mean (Cry'd the square hoods in woeful fidget) "The times are alter'd quite and clean! "Decorum's turn'd to mere civility; "Her air and all her manners fhew it. "Condemn'd me to her affability! "Speak to a Commoner and Poet !" [Here 500 Stanzas are loft.] And |