III. 2. Nor second he* that rode sublime Upon the seraph-wings of ecstacy, He passed the flaming bounds of place and time :t Behold where Dryden's less presumptuous car Two coursers of ethereal race,§ ODE VI. THE BARD.-PINDARIC. Advertisement. The following Ode is founded on a tradition current in Wales, that Edward I. when he completed the conquest of that country, ordered all the bards that fell into his hands to be put to death. I. 1. "RUIN seize thee, ruthless king! With necks in thunder clothed and long resound- Helm nor hauberk'st twisted mail, ing pace. III. 3. Hark! his hands the lyre explore! Yet oft before his infant eyes would run Nor e'en thy virtues, tyrant! shall avail I. 2. On a rock, whose haughty brow Streamed like a meteor to the troubled air,++) Beneath the good how far-but far above the great. Struck the deep sorrows of his lyre. • Milton. ↑ flammantia mœnia mundi.-Lucretius. Mocking the air with colours idly spread. Shaksp. King John. The hauberk was a texture of steel ringlets or rings interwoven, forming a coat of mail that sat close to the body, and adapted itself to every motion. For the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. And above the firmament, that was over their heads, was the The crested adder's pride.-Dryden's Indian Queen. likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone.-§ Snowdon was a name given by the Saxons to that mounThis was the appearance of the glory of the Lord.-Eze-tainous tract which the Welsh themselves call Craigian-eryri: kiel, i. 20, 26, 28. it included all the highlands of Caernarvonshire and Merio Meant to express the stately march and sounding energy nethshire, as far east as the river Conway. R. Hygden, speakof Dryden's rhymes. I Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?-Job. Words that weep and tears that speak.-Cowley. "We have had in our language no other odes of the su blime kind than that of Dryden on St. Cecilia's day; for Cowley, who had his merit, yet wanted judgment, style, and harmony, for such a task. That of Pope is not worthy of so great Mr. Mason, indeed, of late days, has touched the true chords, and, with a masterly hand, in some of his chorusses above all, in the last of Caractacus; a man. Hark! heard ye not yon footstep dread? &c. it Pindar compares himself to that bird, and his enemies to ravens that croak and clamour in vain below, while it pursues its flight regardless of their noise. ing of the castle of Conway, built by King Edward L. says, Hertford, son-in-law to King Edward. ¶ Edmund de Mortimer, Lord of Wigmore. They both were Lord Marchers, whose 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 Ra. phael, representing the Supreme Being in the vision of Eze. kiel. There are two of these paintings, both believed original; one at Florence, the other at Paris. ↑ Shone like a meteor streaming to the wind. Milton's Paradise Lost. "Hark how each giant oak and desert cave Amazement in his van, with flight combined, Mighty victor, mighty lord, To high-born Hoel's harp or soft Llewellyn's lay. No pitying heart, no eye, afford I. 3. "Cold is Cadwallo's tongue, That hushed the storiny main; Brave Urien sleeps upon his craggy bed: Mountains! ye mourn in vain Modred, whose magic song A tear to grace his obsequies! Is the sable warriort fled? Thy son is gone; he rests among the dead. The swarm that in thy noontide beam were born, Fair laughs the morn,‡ and soft the zephyr blows, Made huge Plinlimmon bow his cloud-topped head. While proudly riding o'er the azure realm, On dreary Arvon's* shore they lie, I see them sit; they linger yet, Avengers of their native land; With me in dreadful harmony they join, In gallant trim the gilded vessel goes, Youth on the prow and pleasure at the helm, prey. II. 3. Fill high the sparkling bowl,s The rich repast prepare; Reft of a crown, he yet may share the feast. Fell thirst and famine scowl A baleful smile upon the baffled guest. And weaves with bloody hands the tissue of thy Lance to lance and horse to horse? line." II. 1. 'Weave the warp and weave the woof, Mark the year and mark the night When Severn shall re-echo with affright Long years of havoc urge their destined course, Ye towers of Julius!T London's lasting shame, The shrieks of death through Berkley's roofs that Twined with her blushing foe, we spread; ring, Shrieks of an agonizing king! She-wolf of France,¶ with unrelenting fangs The bristled Boar in infant gore Death of that king, abandoned by his children, and even From thee** be born who o'er thy country hangs robbed in his last moments by his courtiers and mistress The scourge of heaven. What terrors round him wait! ↑ Edward the Black Prince, dead some time before his father. Magnificence of Richard II.'s reign. See Froissard, and other contemporary writers. Richard II. (as we are told by Archbishop Scroop, and the • The shores of Caernarvonshire, opposite to the isle of An- confederate lords, in their manifesto, by Thomas of Walsing glesey. ↑ Camden and others observe, that eagles used annually to build their aerie among the rocks of Snowdon, which from thence (as some think) were named by the Welsh, Craigianeryri, or the crags of the eagles. At this day (I am told) the highest point of Snowdon is called The Eagle's Nest. That bird is certainly no stranger to this island, as the Scots, and the people of Cumberland, Westmoreland, &c. can testify: it even has built its nest in the Peak of Derbyshire. [See Wil loughby's Ornithol. published by Ray.] As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart.-Shaksp. Julius Cæsar. 5 See the Norwegian Ode that follows. Edward II. cruelly butchered in Berkeley Castle. Isabel of France, Edward II's adulterous queen. ** Triumphs of Edward III. in France. ham, and all the older writers) was starved to death. The story of his assassination by Sir Piers of Exon is of much later date. 1 Ruinous civil wars of York and Lancaster. Henry VI., George Duke of Clarence, Edward V., Richard Duke of York, &c. believed to be murdered secretly in the Tower of London. The oldest part of that structure is vulgar ly attributed to Julius Cæsar. **Margaret of Anjou, a woman of heroic spirit, who strug gled hard to save her husband and her crown. it Henry V. Henry VI. very near being canonized. The line of Lan. caster had no right of inheritance to the crown. $$ The white and red Roses, devices of York and Lancaster. The silver Boar was the badge of Richard III whence he was usually known in his own time by the name of The Boar "Girt with many a baron bold Sublime their starry fronts they rear, And gorgeous dames and statesmen old Her eye proclaims her of the Briton-line, What strings symphonious tremble in the air! III. 3. "The verse adorn again. Fierce war, and faithful love, Eleanor of Castile died a few years after the conquest of Wales. The heroic proofs she gave of her affection for her lord is well known. The monuments of his regret and sor row for the loss of her are still to be seen at Northampton, Gaddington Waltham, and other places. ↑ It was the common belief of the Welsh nation, that king Arthur was still alive in Fairyland, and should return again to reign over Britain. Both Merlin and Taliessin had prophesied that the Welsh should regair, their sovereignty over this island, which seemed ADVERTISEMENT. The Author once had thoughts (in concert with a friend) of giving a history of English poetry. In the introduction to it he meant to have produced some specimens of the style that reigned in ancient times among the neighbouring nations, or those who had subdued the greater part of this island, and were our progenitors: the following three imitations made a part of them. He afterwards dropped his design; especially after he had heard that it was already in the hands of a person well qualified to do it justice both by his taste and his research. es into antiquity. ODE VII. THE FATAL SISTERS. From the Norse tongue. To be found in the Orcades of Thermodus Torfæus, Hafnia, 1679, folio; and also in Bartholinus. Vitt er orpit fyrir Valfalli, &c. PREFACE. IN the eleventh century, Sigurd, Earl of the Orkney islands, went with a fleet of ships, and a considerable body of troops, into Ireland, to the assistance of Sigtryg with the silken Beard, who was then making war on his father-in-law, Brian, king of Dublin. The earl and all his forces were cut to pieces, and Sigtryg was in danger of a total defeat; but the enemy had a greater loss by § Speed, relating an audience given by queen Elizabeth to Paul Dzialinski, ambassador of Poland, says, "And thus she, the death of Brian, their king, who fell in the aclion-like rising, daunted the malapert orator no less with her tion. On Christmas-day (the day of the battle) a stately port and majestical deporture, than with the tartness native of Caithness, in Scotland, saw, at a disof her princelie cheekes." tance, a number of persons on horseback riding tury. His works are still preserved, and his memory held in full speed towards a hill, and seeming to enter into to be accomplished in the house of Tudor. Taliessin, the chief of the bards, flourished in the 6th cen high veneration among his countrymen. ↑ Milton. The succession of the poets after Milton's time. it. Curiosity led him to follow them, till, looking through an opening in the rock, he saw twelve gigantic figures, resembling women: they were all employed about a loom; and as they wove, they sung the following dreadful song, which, when they had finished, they tore the web into twelve pieces, and each taking her portion, galloped six to the north, and as many to the south. Now the storm begins to lower, Hurtlest in the darkened air. Where the dusky warp we strain, See the grisly texture grow, ('Tis of human entrails made,) And the weights that play below Each a gasping warrior's head. Shafts for shuttles, dipt in gore, Shoot the trembling cords along: Mista, black terrific maid! Sangrida and Hilda see, Join the wayward work to aid; "Tis the woof of victory. Ere the ruddy sun be set Pikes must shiver, javelins sing, Hauberk crash, and helmet ring. (Weave the crimson web of war) Wading through the ensanguined field, O'er the youthful king your shield. We the reins to slaughter give, Ours to kill and ours to spare: (Weave the crimson web of war.) Note.-The Valkyriur were female divinities, servants of Odin (or Wodin) in the Gothic mythology. Their name sig nifies choosers of the slain. They were mounted on swift horses, with drawn swords in their hands, and in the throng of battle selected such as were destined to slaughter, and conducted them to Valkalla, (the hall of Odin, or paradise of the brave,) where they attended the banquet, and served the departed heroes with horns of mead and ale. • How quick they wheeled, and flying, behind them shot Sharp sleet of arrowy shower.-Milt. Par. Reg. †The noise of battle hurtled in the air.-Shak. Jul. Cæs. They whom once the desert beach Low the dauntless earl is laid, Long his loss shall Erin* weep, Ne'er again his likeness see; Long her strains in sorrow steep, Strains of immortality! Horror covers all the heath, Clouds of carnage blot the sun: Sisters! weave the web of death: Sisters! cease, the work is done. Hail the task and hail the hands! Songs of joy and triumph sing; Joy to the victorious bands, Triumph to the younger king. Mortal! thou that hearest the tale Learn the tenor of our song; Scotland through each winding vale Far and wide the notes prolong. Sisters! hence with spurs of speed; Each her thundering falchion wield; Each bestride her sable steed: Hurry, hurry to the field. ODE VIII. THE DESCENT OF ODIN. From the Norse tongue. To be found in Eartholinus, decausis contemnendæ mortis Hasnia, 1689, Quarto. Upreis Odinn Allda gautr, &c. UP rose the king of men with speed, Ireland. † Niflheimr, the hell of the Gothic nations, consisted of nine worlds, to which were devoted all such as died of sickness, old age, or by any other means than in battle; over it presided Hela the goddess of Death. And long pursues with fruitless yell (The groaning earth beneath him shakes,) Right against the eastern gate, Slowly breathed a sullen sound. Till he on Hoder's corse shall smile Now my weary lips I close; Odin. Yet a while my call obey: Proph. Ha! no traveller art thou; King of men, I know thee now; Mightiest of a mighty line Odin. No boding maid of skill divine Proph. What call unknown, what charms pre-Art thou, no prophetess of good, sume To break the quiet of the tomb? Odin. A traveller, to thee unknown, Is he that calls, a warrior's son. For whom yon glittering board is spread, Proph. Mantling in the goblet see Odin. Once again my call obey: Proph. In Hoder's hand the hero's doom; His brother sends him to the tomb. Now my weary lips I close; Leave me, leave me to repose. Odin. Prophetess! my spell obey; By whom shall Hoder's blood be spilt? But mother of the giant-brood! Proph. Hie thee hence, and boast at home, That never shall inquirer come To break my iron-sleep again Till Lok has burst his tenfold chain; Has re-assumed her ancient right, Till wrapped in flames, in ruin hurled, ODE IX. THE TRIUMPH OF OWEN: A Fragment. From Mr. Evan's specimen of the Welsh poetry. London, 1764, Quarto. ADVERTISEMENT. OWEN succeeded his father Griffin in the principality of North Wales, A. D. 1120: this battle was near forty years afterwards. OWEN's praise demands my song, Lok is the evil being, who continues in chains till the twi light of the gods approaches, when he shall break his bonds; the human race, the stars, the sun, shall disappear, the earth sink in the seas, and fire consume the skies; even Odin him. self, and his kindred deities, shall perish. For a farther explanation of this mythology, see Introduction a l'Histoire de Danemare, par Mons. Mallat. 1755, 4to; or rather a translation of it published in 1770, and entitled Northern Antiquities, in which some mistakes in the original are judi ciously corrected. ↑ North Wales, |