The cross with sparkling diamonds bright
That veil'd her snowy breast,

With prayers to heaven, her lily hands

Have fixt on Elmer's veft.

Now, with five hundred bowmen true,
He's march'd across the plain,
Till with his gallant yeomandrie
He join'd king Arthur's train.

Full forty thoufand Saxon fpears
Came glittering down the hill,
And with their fhouts and clang of arms
The diftant valleys fill..

Old Offa, dreft in Odin's garb,

Affum'd the hoary god;

And Hengift, like the warlike Thor,

Before the horsemen rode.

With dreadful rage the combat burns,
The captains fhout amain;
And Elmer's tall victorious fpear

Far glances o'er the plain.

To ftop its courfe young Hengill flew
Like lightning o'er the field;

And foon his eyes the well-known cross

Vol. III.

On Elmer's veft beheld.

C

"Oh

The flighted lover fwell'd his breaft,

His eyes fhot living fire,

And all his martial heat before
To this was mild defire.

On his imagin'd rival's front
With whirlwind speed he preft,
And glancing to the fun, his fword
Refounds on Elmer's creft.

The foe gave way, the princely youth
With heedlefs rage purfu'd,
Till trembling in his cloven helm
Sir Elmer's javelin stood.

He bow'd his head, flow dropt his fpear,
The reins flipt through his hand,

Sod, ftain'd with blood, his ftately corfe
breathless on the strand,

ay

"Twa bear me off," Sir Elmer cried, W Before my painful fight

And e combat fwims-Yet Hengift's veft

ShI claim as victor's right."

(19

"Oh wafh my wounds, my fifter dear, "O pull this Saxon dart,

"That whizzing from young Hengift's arm "Has almost pierc'd my heart.

"Yet in my hall his veft fhall hang, "And Britons yet unborn

Shall with the trophies of to-day "Their folemn feafts adorn."

All-trembling Mey beheld the veft;

“Oh, Merlin;" loud fhe cried,
Thy words are true-my flaughter'd Love
"Shall have a breathless bride!

"Oh, Elmer, Elmer, boaft no more
"That low my Hengist lies!

O, Hengift, cruel was thine arm ;
My brother bleeds and dies!"

66

She fpake the rofes left her cheek,
And Life's warm fpirits filed:
So nipt by Winter's lingering blafts,
The fnowdrop bows the head.

Yet parting life one struggle gave,
She lifts her languid eyes;
*Return, my Hengift, oh return,
"My flaughter'd love!" fhe cries.
Cz

"Oh

Oh-fill he lives-he fmiles again, "With all his grace he moves: "I come-I come, where bow nor fpear

"Shall more disturb our loves.".

H'

At eafe my careless Fancy firay'd,

And o'er the landscape ran;

Review'd what scenes the feasons show,

And weigh'd what fhare of joy and woe
Is doom'd to toiling Man.

The nibbling flocks around me bleat,
The oxen low beneath my feet
Along the clover'd dale;

The golden fheaves the reapers bind,
The ploughman whistles near behind,
And breaks the new-mown vale.

"Hail, Knowledge! gift of heaven! I cried,
"E'en all the gifts of heaven befide,
"Compar'd to thee, how low!
"The bleflings of the earth and air
"The beafts of fold and foreft fhare,

"But godlike Beings KNOW:
C 3

"How