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THE CAROUSAL OF ODIN.

F

ILL the honey'd bev'rage high, Fill the fculls, 'tis ODIN's cry: Heard ye not the powerful call, Thund'ring thro' the vaulted hall? "Fill the meath, and spread the board, "Vaffals of the griefly Lord."

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The portal hinges grate, they come-
The din of voices rocks the dome.
In ftalk the various forms, and dreft

In various armours, various veft,

With helm and morion, targe and fhield,

Some quivering launces couch, fome biting maces

wield:

All march with haughty flep, all proudly shake the creft.

The feaft begins, the fcull goes round,
Laughter fhouts-the fhouts refound.
The guft of war subfides-- E'en now

The grim chief curls his cheek, and smooths his rugged brow.

"Shame to your placed front, ye men of death!" Cries HILDA, with disorder'd breath.

Hell echoes back her fcoff of shame

To the inactive rev'ling Champion's name. "Call forth the fong," fhe fcream'd;-the minstrels

came

The theme was glorious, war the dear delight
Of fhining beft in field, and daring moft in fight.

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Joy to the foul," the Harpers fung,
"When embattl'd ranks among,

"The fleel-clad Knight, in vigour's bloom,
("Banners waving o'er his plume)
"Foremost rides, the flower and boast

"Of the bold determin'd hoft!"

With greedy ears the guests each note devour'd;
Each flruck his beaver down, and grafp'd his faithful

fword.

The fury mark'd th' auspicious deed,

And bad the Scalds proceed.

"Joy to the foul! a joy divine!

"When conflicting armies join;

"When trumpets clang, and bugles found;
"When ftrokes of death are dealt around;
"When the fword feafts, yet craves for more;
"And every gauntlet drips with gore."-

The charm prevail'd, up rush'd the madden'd throng,
Panting for carnage, as they foam'd along,
Fierce ODIN's felf led forth the frantic band,
To fcatter havock wide o'er many a guilty land.

SELDOME COMES THE BETTER:

O R,

An admonition to all forts of people, as hufbands, wiues, mafters, and feruants, &c. to auoid mutability, and to fix their minds on what they posesse.

You

IN TWO PARTS.

PART THE FIRST.

OU men that are well wiued,
And yet doe rail on fate,
As though you were depriued
Thereby of happy state;
Learne well to be contented

With a good wife, if you get her,
For often when the old wife's dead,
Seldome comes the better.

I once had a wife,

O would to God fhe had liued!

For while the Lord lent me her life,

Indifferent well I thriued:

Yet cause that she would chide at me,
I wifht that death would fet her;
But fince I have got a worfe than fhee,
For feldome comes the better.

She would tell me for my good,
That I must leaue my vice,
But I not rightly understood

Her counfell of high price:
Full glad was I when she was dead,
So much at nought I fet her;

But fince I haue got a worse in her stead,
For feldome comes the better.

I now haue one that's not content
With any thing I doe;

The others tongue did me torment,
This fcolds-and beates mee too.
I thought when I was rid of one,
That Fortune was my debtor;

But now I fee, when one wife's gone,
That feldome comes the better.

That wife would only me reproue

For walling of my flore;

But this, as well as I, doth loue

The good als-pot, and more: She'll fit at the alchoufe all the day,

And if the house will let her, She'll run on the score, and I must pay; Thus feldome comes the better.

The other was a hufwife good,
When the a penny spent,

It went from her like drops of bloud,
Toth' alehoufe fhe ne're went,
Unleffe it were to fetch home me,
For which at nought I fet her;
But this wife is quite contrary,
For feldome conres a better.

And if I doe rebuke her, as

A husband ought and will,
She'll call me rogue and rafcall bafe,
Her tongue will ne're lye ftill;
Nay, much adoe I haue to fhun
Her blowes, if much I fret her:
The other quickly would have done;
Thus feldome comes the better.

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