[Page 212]

The Eagle, the Sow, and the Cat.

1 THE Queen of Birds, t'encrease the Regal Stock,
2 Had hatch'd her young Ones in a stately Oak,
3 Whose Middle-part was by a Cat possest,
4 And near the Root with Litter warmly drest,
5 A teeming Sow had made her peaceful Nest.
6 (Thus Palaces are cramm'd from Roof to Ground.
7 And Animals, as various, in them found.)
8 When to the Sow, who no Misfortune fear'd,
9 Puss with her fawning Compliments appear'd,
10 Rejoicing much at her Deliv'ry past,
11 And that she 'scap'd so well, who bred so fast.
12 Then every little Piglin she commends,
13 And likens them to all their swinish Friends;
14 Bestows good Wishes, but with Sighs implies,
15 That some dark Fears do in her Bosom rise.
16 Such tempting Flesh, she cries, will Eagles spare?
17 Methinks, good Neighbour, you shou'd live in Care:
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18 Since I, who bring not forth such dainty Bits,
19 Tremble for my unpalatable Chits;
20 And had I but foreseen, the Eagle's Bed
21 Was in this fatal Tree to have been spread;
22 I sooner wou'd have kitten'd in the Road,
23 Than made this Place of Danger my abode.
24 I heard her young Ones lately cry for Pig,
25 And pity'd you, that were so near, and big.
26 In Friendship this I secretly reveal,
27 Lest Pettitoes shou'd make th' ensuing Meal;
28 Or else, perhaps, Yourself may be their aim,
29 For a Sow's Paps has been a Dish of Fame.
30 No more the sad, affrighted Mother hears,
31 But overturning all with boist'rous Fears,
32 She from her helpless Young in haste departs,
33 Whilst Puss ascends, to practise farther Arts.
34 The Anti-chamber pass'd, she scratch'd the Door:
35 The Eagle, ne'er alarum'd so before,
36 Bids her come in, and look the Cause be great,
37 That makes her thus disturb the Royal Seat;
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38 Nor think, of Mice and Rats some pest'ring Tale
39 Shall, in excuse of Insolence, prevail.
40 Alas! my Gracious Lady, quoth the Cat,
41 I think not of such Vermin; Mouse, or Rat
42 To me are tasteless grown; nor dare I stir
43 To use my Phangs, or to expose my Fur.
44 A Foe intestine threatens all around,
45 And ev'n this lofty Structure will confound;
46 A Pestilential Sow, a meazel'd Pork
47 On the Foundation has been long at work,
48 Help'd by a Rabble, issu'd from her Womb,
49 Which she has foster'd in that lower Room;
50 Who now for Acorns are so madly bent,
51 That soon this Tree must fall, for their Content.
52 I wou'd have fetch'd some for th' unruly Elves;
53 But 'tis the Mob's delight to help Themselves:
54 Whilst your high Brood must with the meanest drop,
55 And steeper be their Fall, as next the Top;
56 Unless you soon to Jupiter repair,
57 And let him know, the Case demands his Care.
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58 Oh! may the Trunk but stand, 'till you come back!
59 But hark! already sure, I hear it crack.
60 Away, away — The Eagle, all agast,
61 Soars to the Sky, nor falters in her haste:
62 Whilst crafty Puss, now o'er the Eyry reigns,
63 Replenishing her Maw with treach'rous Gains.
64 The Sow she plunders next, and lives alone;
65 The Pigs, the Eaglets, and the House her Own.
66 Curs'd Sycophants! How wretched is the Fate
67 Of those, who know you not, till 'tis too late!

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Title (in Source Edition): The Eagle, the Sow, and the Cat.
Author: Anne Finch (née Kingsmill), countess of Winchilsea
Themes: animals
Genres: heroic couplet; beast tale
References: DMI 23853

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Winchilsea, Anne Kingsmill Finch, Countess of, 1661-1720. Miscellany poems, on several occasions: Written by the Right Honble Anne, Countess of Winchilsea. London: printed for J. B. and sold by Benj. Tooke, William Taylor, and James Round, 1713, pp. 212-215. [8],390p. ; 8⁰. (ESTC T94539; Foxon pp. 274-5; OTA K076314.000) (Page images digitized from a copy in the Bodleian Library [Buxton 100].)

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The text has been typographically modernized, but without any silent modernization of spelling, capitalization, or punctuation. The source of the text is given and all editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. Based on the electronic text originally produced by the TCP project, this ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

Other works by Anne Finch (née Kingsmill), countess of Winchilsea