But she still ftrained him to her heart,

To lengthen the adieu :

"Ah what, (fhe faid) fhould't thou depart,

"Shall I and forrow do?

"Say, valiant youth, when thou'rt away "Who'll raise my drooping head?

"How fhall I chace the fears that say "Thy lov'd CABEYS A's dead?

"With thine my fate I now involve, "Intent thy course to steer,

"No words fhall shake my firm refolve, "Not ev❜n that trickling tear:

"Fram'd for each fcene of foft delight,

66

(He faid) thy gentle form,

"As fhrinks the lily at the blight, "Will droop beneath the storm.

"Bleft in thy prefence! ev'ry pain

(She added) brings its charm, "And love, tho' falls the beating rain,

"Will keep this bosom warm.

Her

Her zeal (the fupplement of strength)

Upheld her many a day,

But Nature's pow'rs fubdu'd at length,
On Sickness' couch the lay

Three painful days unfeen the lay
Of him fhe held fo dear:

"Ah does he thus my love repay?
She faid-and dropt a tear :

"CABEYSA, at a league's remove,
"Dwells on the tent-spread hill :
"Ah wherefore did he vow true love,
"And not that vow fulfil?

Yet not deficiency of truth

Forbad to yield relief,

Stern pow'r with-held the tender youth,

And duty to his chief:

Who wifely-counfel'd drew a line,

To check the hand of Stealth, That ravag'd wide th' encircling vine,

The humble peafant's wealth:

To

To pafs the line, it was ordain'd,
Whoever fhou'd prefume,

Should a Deferter be arraign'd,

And meet the coward's doom:

This law by equity approv'd,
And to the peasant dear,

Soon to the brave CABEYSA prov'd
Destructively severe :

Now LAURA's image haunts his foul,
In Woe's dark tints array'd:
While to his breaft Compaffion ftole,
And all her claims display'd:

"For me her native home (he said) "For me each weeping friend,

"For me a father's arms fhe fled"And shall not love attend?

"Say, for a chofen lover's fake,

"What more cou'd woman do?

"And now that health and peace forfake,

"Shall I forfake her too?

"Now ftretch'd upon the naked ground,

"Opprefs'd with pain and fear,

"She cafts a languid eye around, "Nor fees CABEYSA near:

"Now, now she weeps at my delay,
"And shall neglect be mine?
"Submit, ye fears, to Pity's fway !"
He spoke and crofs'd the line.

Soon at his fight the fair refum'd
Each captivating grace :

On her pale cheek the rose rebloom'd,
And fmiles illum'd her face.

Yet to that cheek return'd in vain
Bright Health's vermilion dye,

For bitter tears that cheek shall ftain,
And dim her brilliant eye:

The youth returning thro' the gloom,

At midnight's fecret hour,

Was feiz'd-and to difhonour's tomb

Doom'd by the martial pow'r.

Το

To meet his fate at wake of day
(Love's victim) he was led,

No weakness did his cheek betray,
While to the chief he said:

"If in the battle death I've dar'd,

"In all its horror dreft,

"Think not this fcene,, by thee prepar'd, "Sheds terror on my breast:

"Yet then at LAURA's hapless fate,

"My fortitude impairs,

"Unmann'd I fink beneath the weight

"Of her oppreffive cares :

"Ah! when her grief-torn heart shall bleed,

“Some little solace grant,

"O guard her in the hour of need 66 From the rude hand of want.

Now, kneeling on the fatal spot,

He twin'd the dark'ning band:
The twelve who drew the unwelcome lot,

Reluctant took their stand.