IV.

'Twas now, when flowery lawns the prospect made, And flowing brooks beneath a forest's shade;

A lowing heifer, lovelieft of the herd,

Stood feeding by; while two fierce bulls prepar'd
Their armed heads for fight; by fate of war, to prove
The victor worthy of the fair-one's love.

Unthought prefage, of what met next my view!
For foon the fhady fcene withdrew.

And now, for woods, and fields, and springing flowers; Behold a town arise, bulwark'd with walls, and lofty

towers !

Two rival armies all the plain o'erspread,
Each in battalia rang'd, and fhining arms array'd:
With eager eyes beholding both from far
Namur, the prize and mistress of the war.

√.

Now, thirst of conqueft, and immortal fame,
Does every chief and foldier's heart inflame.
Defenfive arms the Gallic forces bear,
While hardy Britons for the ftorm prepare:
For fortune had, with partial hand, before
Refign'd the rule to Gallia's power.
High on a rock the mighty fortress stands,

Founded by Fate, and wrought by Nature's hands, A wondrous tafk it is th' Afcent to gain,

Through craggy cliffs, that ftrike the fight with pain, And nod impending terrors o'er the plain.

To this, what dangers men can add, by force or skill, And great is human force and wit in ill)

Are

Are join'd; on every fide, wide-gaping engines wait, Teeming with fire, and big with certain fate; Ready to hurl deftruction from above,

In dreadful roar, mocking the wrath of Jove. Thus fearful does the face of adverse power appear; But British forces are unus'd to fear:

Though thus oppos'd, they might, if William where not

there.

VI.

But hark, the voice of war! behold the storm begin! The trumpet's clangor speaks in loud alarms, Mingling fhrill notes, with dreadful din

Of cannons burst, and rattling clash of arms. Clamours from earth to heaven, from heaven to earth re

bound,

Distinction in promifcuous noife is drown'd,

And Echo loft in one continued found.

Torrents of fire from brazen mouths are fent, Follow'd by peals, as if each pole were rent; Such flames the gulf of Tartarus difgorge, So vaulted Ætna roars from Vulcan's forge; Such were the peals from thence, fuch the vast blaze that broke,

Reddening with horid gloom the dusky smoke, When the huge Cyclops did with moulding thundersweat, And maffive bolts on repercuffive anvils beat.

VII.

Amidft this rage, behold, where William stands,
Undaunted, undismay'd!

With face ferene, difpenfing dread commands;

Which, heard with awe, are with delight obey'd.
A thousand fiery deaths around him fly ;
And burning balls hifs harmless by:

For ev'ry fire his facred head must spare,
Nor dares the lightning touch the laurels there.
VIII.

Now many a wounded Briton feels the rage
Of miffive fires that fefter in each limb,
Which dire revenge alone has power t' affuage;
Revenge makes danger dreadless seem.

And now, with defperate force, and fresh attack,
Through obvious deaths, resistless way they make;
Raifing high piles of earth, and heap on heap they lay,
And then afcend; refembling thus (as far
As race of men inferior may)

The fam'd gigantic war.

When those tall fons of earth did heaven aspire;
(A brave, but impious fire!)

Uprooting hills, with moft ftupendous hale,
To form the high and dreadful scale.

The gods, with horror and amaze, look'd down,
Beholding rocks from their firm basis rent?

Mountain on mountain thrown,

With threatening hurl, that shook th' ætherial firmamen Th' attempt did fear in heaven create ;

Even Jove defponding fate,

Till Mars, with all his force collected, ftood. And pour'd whole war on the rebellious brood; Who, tumbling headlong from th' empyreal skies, O'erwhelm'd thofe hills, by which they thought to rife. C

Mars

Mars on the gods did then his aid bestow,

And now in godlike William storms with equal force be

low.

IX.

Still they proceed, with firm unshaken pace,
And hardy breafts oppos'd to Danger's face,
With daring feet, on fpringing mines they tread
Of fecret fulphur, in dire ambush laid.

Still they proceed; though all beneath, the labouring earth
Trembles to give the dread irruptions birth.
Through this, through more, through all they go,
Mounting at laft amidst the vanquish'd foe.
See, how they climb, and fcale the fteepy walls!
See, how the Britons rife! fee the retiring Gauls!
Now from the fort, behold the yielding flag is spread,
And William's banner on the breach difplay'd,

X.

Hark, the triumphant fhouts from every voice!
The skies with acclamations ring!

Hark, how around, the hills rejoice,
And rocks reflected Ios fing!
Hautboys and fifes and trumpets join'd,

Heroic harmony prepare,

And charm to filence every wind,

And glad the late-tormented air.
Far is the found of martial mufic fpread,

Echoing through all the Gallic, host,

Whose numerous troops the dreadful ftorm furvey'd a But they, with wonder or with awe dismay'd,

Unmov'd beheld the fortrefs loft.

William,

William, their numerous troops with terror fill'd,
Such wondrous charms can godlike valour show!
Not the wing'd Perfeus, with petrific shield

Of Gorgon's head, to more amazement charm'd his foc.
Nor, when on foaring horfe he flew, to aid

And fave from monster's rage the beauteous maid; Or more heroic was the deed;

Or fhe to furer chains decreed,

Than was Namur, till now by William freed.
XI.

Defcend, my Mufe, from thy too-daring height,
Defcend to earth, and cafe thy wide-stretch'd wing;
For weary art thou grown of this unwonted flight,
And doft with pain of triumphs fing.

More fit for thee, refume thy rural reeds;

For war let more harmonious harps be ftrung: Sing thou of love, and leave great William's deeds To him who fung the Boyne; or him to whom he fung.