Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

THE

BARD, .

A PINDARIC ODE.

**

ADVERTISEMENT.

The following ODE is founded on a Tradition current in Wales, that Edward THE FIRST, when he compleated the conqueft of that country, ordered all the Bards, that fell into his hands, to be put to death.

THE

BARD,

A PINDARIC ODE.

I. 1.

"RUIN feize thee, ruthless King!

Confufion on thy banners wait,

"Tho' fann'd by Conqueft's crimson wing,

They mock the air with idle ftate.

"Helm

Mocking the air with colours idly spread.

Shakespeare's King John.

"Helm, nor* Hauberk's twisted mail,

"Nor even thy virtues, Tyrant, shall avail "To fave thy fecret foul from nightly fears, "From Cambria's curfe, from Cambria's tears!" • Such were the founds, that o'er the † crested pride Of the firft Edward fcatter'd wild difinay,

As down the fteep of Snowdon's fhaggy fide
He wound with toilfome march his long array.

Stout

* The Hauberk was a texture of steel ringlets, or rings interwoven, forming a coat of mail, that fate clofe to the body, and adapted itfelf to every motion. The crefted adder's pride.

+

Dryden's Indian Queen. Snowdon was a name given by the Saxons to that mountainous tract, which the Welch themfelves call Craigian-eryri: it included all the highlands of Caernarvonshire and Merionethfhire, as far eaft as the river Conway. R. Hygden, fpeaking of the castle of Conway built by King Edward I. fays, " Ad ortum "amnis Conway ad clivum montis Erery ;" and Matthew of Westminster, (ad ann. 1283,) Apud "Aberconway lad pedes montis Snowconiæ fecit. "erigi caftrum forte."

Stout Glo'fter ftood aghaft in fpeechelefs tranee; To arms! cried † Mortimer, and couch'd his

quiv'ring lance.

I. 2.

On a rock, whofe haughty brow

Frowns o'er old Conway's foaming flood,

Rob'd in the fable garb of woe2

With haggard eyes the Poet ftood

;

(Loose his beard, and hoary hair

§ Stream'd, like a meteor, to the troubled air) "And

*Gilbert de Clare, furnamed the Red, Earl of Gloucefter and Hertford, fon-in-law to King Edward. + Edmond de Mortimer, Lord of Wigmore.

They both were Lords-Marchers, whofe lands lay on the borders of Wales, and probably accompanied the King in this expedition.

The image was taken from a well-known picture of Raphael, reprefenting the Supreme Being in the vifion of Ezekiel there are two of thefe paintings (both believed original) one at Florence, the other at Paris § Shone, like a meteor, ftreaming to the wind.

Milton's Paradife Loft.

« ForrigeFortsett »