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ODE ON THE REBELLION IN THE YEAR MDCCXLV.
1 DO thou, fair Liberty, descend
2 To tune my harp, and guide my hand,
3 Thy sacred Sister with thee bring,
4 She too shall aid me, as I sing,
5 And every Briton's breast engage
6 With well-becoming zeal, and kindle honest rage.
7 Daughter of royal Brunswick's line,
8 Great Anna,l
l Princess of Orange.
more than half divine,9 Thou too, the happy theme inspire,
10 So shall I strike the golden lyre
11 With manly force, and raise my voice
12 Above a common strain, if thou approv'st my choice.
13 Britannia hail! hail happy isle,
14 Where joys inhabit, pleasures smile;
15 Great nurse of heroes, seat of charms,
16 Supreme in arts, and first in arms,
17 Queen of the seas, and distant trade,
18 Arise, majestic nymph, and shew thy awful head.
19 Ambitious Caesar saw thee fair,
20 (What will not proud Ambition dare!)
21 And strait he courts thee as his own,
22 Fond to possess thy splendid throne.
23 Albion submits, tho' not to chains,
24 But ever uncontroul'd th' imperial virgin reigns.
25 The Roman eagle shrunk his head,
26 Before th' invited Saxons fled;
27 Aspiring nations shook her state,
28 (Dread consequence of being great)
29 Wild Heptarchy began her reign,
30 Till overaw'd she yields her scepter to the Dane.
31 Awhile in ignorance she lay,
32 The pagan worlds obscur'd her day:
33 The Goths, a wild barbarian train,
34 And savage Vandals, sweep her plain:
35 Soon of herself thro' clouds she shone,
36 And brighten'd once again a strong meridian sun
37 The royal Alfred, greatly born,
38 Britain to govern and adorn,
39 His kingdom's honour, subjects' good,
40 This well preserv'd, that understood,
41 Courted Astraea to his throne;
42 Oppression sunk disarm'd, nor more his people groan,
43 The happy prince nor rested here;
44 His ships to different regions steer,
45 And in Britannia's lap unlade
46 The sweet reward of gainful trade;
47 Far distant India's burning shore
48 Beheld his floating strength, and wonder'd at his power.
49 Commerce advance! by heaven design'd
50 To polish, and enrich mankind;
51 Old Maja's daughter, Albion's care,
52 Advance, and breathe thy native air!
53 Here dwell, and fix thy sweet resort,
54 Nations shall hither flock, to pay their eager court.
55 Thou gavest to hidden knowledge birth;
56 By thee, the limits of the earth
57 Greatly enlarg'd, show'd worlds unknown,
58 The frigid and the torrid zone;
59 Guided and influenc'd by thee,
60 We first were taught to learn divine Astronomy.
61 To thee her silk rich Persia brings,
62 The proud magnificence of kings,
63 Arabia's spice and India's mine,
64 Peru's vast golden womb is thine;
65 Behold the costly pillars rise,
66 And swell thy lofty seats, and temples to the skies.
67 Seated along th' Aonian spring,
68 No more the vocal Sisters sing:
69 Oxford, the seat of learning now,
70 Crowns with her bay Apollo's brow;
71 Again refreshing Science streams,
72 Poeonian Phoebus hence, sends forth his warmer beams.
73 Next Cambridge rear'd her awful head,
74 Whence Arts from Danish arms had fled;
75 Virgil and Homer here retir'd,
76 And pleas'd her studious sons inspir'd;
77 Philosophy shone heavenly bright,
78 The thickening clouds dispers'd, and all was wondrous light.
79 Favour'd of God, here Newton saw
80 Errors obscuring Nature's law;
81 He saw, and clear'd the gloomy way,
82 And shew'd mankind eternal day:
83 He shew'd, and worlds beheld with joy
84 Labours which distant time nor envy shall destroy.
85 Innately bright the diamond shines,
86 Tho' deep conceal'd in Indian mines;
87 The lapidary's nicer art
88 Luxuriant flames on every part;
89 Till then, false jewels we admire,
90 Behold their tinsel blaze, and artificial fire.
91 Priests thus with shew enslav'd the mind,
92 To shew, the human eye inclin'd;
93 To papal power our princes bend,
94 Nor see the errors they defend,
95 While monkish artifices long
96 Dazzled implicit worlds, and led a bigot throng.
97 Religion trembled at their crimes,
98 But pleas'd, foresaw succeeding times;
99 Succeeding times when she alone
100 Shou'd govern Britain's royal throne;
101 With undisturb'd and downy rest
102 Baffled the sons of Rome, but all her children blest.
103 Edward the happy theme began,
104 A glorious and immortal plan!
105 Skies azure-opening greet his day,
106 The Reformation points the way;
107 By Reason and by Virtue led,
108 Behold her beauteous form, and mark her solemn tread!
109 Not so imperious Mary sways,
110 Blind zeal again obscur'd her blaze.
111 Disgrac'd, Religion mournful stood,
112 While Persecution smil'd in blood:
113 Heaven saw, enrag'd, the horrid deed,
114 Shorten'd her tyrant reign, no more her subjects bleed.
115 Eliza shone serenely bright,
116 And on her throne reflected light;
117 Her royal brother's will maintain'd:
118 For this, the virgin princess reign'd,
119 Reign'd most supremely wise and great,
120 And neighb'ring realms preserv'd, and sav'd her sinking state.
121 When Spanish sleets her coasts alarm,
122 Eliza rais'd her mighty arm,
123 Her people's darling, she secure,
124 Smiling (of easy conquest sure),
125 Quell'd like a Jove their giant rage,
126 Her thunders burst aloud, nor dare the foe engage.
127 As when the sun darts forth his beams,
128 Whence trembling light refulgent streams,
129 And kindly gladdens for a while,
130 Alike adorns, and aids our toil,
131 A sudden cloud o'erspreads his rays,
132 Destroys our flattering hopes, and dims our golden days:
133 So when eclips'd Eliza's reign,
134 And heaven recall'd the saint again,
135 Too happy to be long admir'd,
136 With her our short-liv'd bliss retir'd:
137 Darkness returns, the light disdains
138 To shine on a soul series of inglorious reigns.
139 Thou awful shade of Pope, inspire,
140 And give expression to my lyre!
141 Lend harmony to every line,
142 And teach my verse to flow like thine!
143 Maria's wonderous charms I'd sing,
144 Would'st thou, lov'd poet, dictate to the silver string.
145 Her William saw Britannia's grief,
146 And swift he flew to her relief,
147 With noble resolution draws
148 The sword vindictive in her cause;
149 The glorious cause demands his sword,
150 Religion once again, and Liberty restor'd.
151 With horror he beheld the state
152 Oppress'd beneath the papal weight;
153 He kindled not War's fiercer flame,
154 But like a guardian angel came,
155 (Britannia's best and surest friend)
156 To save the fading honours of a groaning land.
157 The grand event, the bold design,
158 Th' immortal task, Nassau, were thine;
159 The British lion, rous'd by thee,
160 First broke his chain, and dar'd be free;
161 The royal line of great Nassau
162 Was sent mankind by heaven to keep the world in awe.
163 The dark horizon clear'd again,
164 And shone propitious on his reign;
165 Fair Liberty assum'd her seat,
166 And crush'd Oppression at her feet:
167 Religion triumph'd, Albion smiles,
168 Once more the first of states, again the queen of isles.
169 Inspir'd by heaven, the wise Nassau
170 Her rising greatness well foresaw
171 Rising from royal Brunswick's care,
172 Brunswick by senates mark'd his heir;
173 Britons rejoicing shout applause,
174 By him secur'd our faith, our property, our laws.
175 But first our powerful realms obey,
176 Illustrious Anne, thy easy sway.
177 Check'd by thy power, insulting Gaul
178 Beheld with grief his legions fall:
179 They fell, for Malbro' drew the sword,
180 Pre-eminent in arms, victorious, and ador'd.
181 Gallia beholds with treacherous eyes
182 Sophia's high-born offspring rise
183 To glory, empire, and renown,
184 Deck'd with Britannia's glittering crown:
185 Again she dar'd the isle engage,
186 And stir intestine war, and raise seditious rage.
187 The rancorous hate of France in vain
188 Threatens Mavortian Brunswick's reign;
189 Guardian of liberty and peace,
190 He bids rebellious Discord cease;
191 The injur'd monarch soon forgives,
192 And by his nod, again th' offending rebel lives.
193 With distant conquests he extends
194 The throne his royal son ascends;
195 Imperial dignity and grace
196 Serenely smile upon his face:
197 Brunswick to martial honour bred,
198 Governs, by Virtue counsell'd, and by Glory led.
199 Trade, Arts, and Science, flourish here,
200 And bless each fair revolving year;
201 Gay-smiling Plenty reigns around,
202 And golden harvests load the ground;
203 So Liberty, and George, and Britons should be crown'd!
204 While Brunswick Europe's rights maintains,
205 And fights her cause on Flandria's plains,
206 Proud Gallia, treacherously brave,
207 Calls coward Treason from her cave,
208 Tho' Agincourt and Blenheim tell,
209 How all her valour sunk, and boasting heroes fell.
210 Fam'd Dettingen still reeks with blood,
211 Where like a God great Brunswick stood;
212 Triumphant Fame on silken wing
213 Rode smiling on before the king;
214 Like Mars he shook the pointed spear,
215 The Gauls retreat, and all their battle shrunk with fear.
216 Tremendous Death and Horror stride
217 Close by intrepid William's side:
218 William, he bled, and soldiers griev'd;
219 "Revenge (they cry) the wound receiv'd"!
220 Bright Venus mourn'd her favourite care,
221 And quick she bid her nymphs the healing drugs prepare.
222 The Cyprian goddess stood confest,
223 As when Aeneas' wound she drest:
224 Her weeping nymphs around her wait,
225 Impatient for the prince's fate;
226 With healing herbs, and balmy sweets,
227 The Dionoean queen the cannons rage defeats.
228 Who are these base, these dastard foes,
229 That dare their country's laws oppose!
230 Their lives and fortunes not their own,
231 But given in mercy from the throne:
232 Do they, ungrateful men, presume
233 To act the scheme of France, or play the part of Rome?
234 Discord and Horror stalk along,
235 With pale Rebellion in the throng;
236 Bellona stains the purple field,
237 And Mars displays his brazen shield;
238 William his brother-god appears,
239 To curb the traitorous war, and ease Britannia's fears.
240 He comes, the hero comes, and strait
241 Conscious Rebellion knows her fate;
242 His troops, with manly rage inspir'd,
243 Rush on, by his example fir'd;
244 His name strikes terror to the foe,
245 Precipitate they fly, nor wait th' impending blow.
246 Brave Huske and Hawley strive in vain
247 To animate th' embattled plain;
248 Train'd up in arms, the warriors fly
249 From rank to rank, resolv'd to die,
250 Or conquer, in their country's cause;
251 But heaven to Cumberland decrees the crown'd applause.
252 Hence worthless slaves, and wear the chain
253 Of punick France, and haughty Spain;
254 Blinded by Rome, your ruin court,
255 And be your very masters' sport;
256 Like Cain roam, of bliss bereft,
257 No clime, no country yours, no friendly shelter left.
258 Shall Gauls insult the wide domain,
259 When Neptune views them with disdain?
260 Shall they with dark invafive schemes
261 (The mere result of idle dreams)
262 Threaten Britannia's guarded shore,
263 Nor dread the angry god, nor fear his cannons' roar?
264 Proud boasters hence, and learn to know,
265 Our Albion dreads no foreign foe;
266 Her fleets but ask propitious gales,
267 But ask, and Conquest swells her sails;
268 France strikes the flag, our colours near,
269 Whitens her golden flowers, and shrinks with coward fear.
270 Britons, united by their laws,
271 Can never swerve from Freedom's cause;
272 Blest in great George, we guard his reign,
273 And Gallic insolence disdain!
274 Well may we guard th' imperial throne,
275 Which every Briton's voice, and Virtue made his own.
276 Calm as a god, behold him there,
277 Express his soft paternal care;
278 Mercy sits mourning on his face,
279 To see severer Law take place;
280 And whilst rebellious subjects die,
281 Sighs swell his royal breast, and tears his pitying eye.
282 Such Brunswick is who rules our land!
283 Such is the monarch we defend!
284 Blessing and bless'd! (a mutual good,
285 By Britons only understood)
286 Late may he England's scepter wield,
287 Protect our laws at home, and guard us in the field!
288 A long illustrious race of kings
289 From Frederick and Augusta springs;
290 This Brunswick views with joyous eye,
291 And knows in them he ne'er shall die;
292 He sees his royal offspring smile,
293 The grace of future worlds, and honour of their isle.
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About this text
Author: Ralph Schomberg
Themes:
politics; war; Jacobitism; patriotism; glory of the British nation
Genres:
ode
References:
DMI 32508
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Source edition
Pearch, G. A collection of poems in four volumes. By several hands. Vol. II. [The second edition]. London: printed for G. Pearch, 1770, pp. 169-176. 4v. ; 8⁰. (ESTC T116245; DMI 1135; OTA K093079.002) (Page images digitized from a copy in the Bodleian Library [(OC) 280 o.789].)
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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.