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But he, your fex's mirrour, free from pride,
Was much too meek to prove a homicide.

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445

450

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But to fly tale: Some figes have defin'd
Pleasure the fovereign blifs of human-kind :
Our Knight (who itudy'd much, we may fuppofe)
Deriv'd his high philofophy from thole;
For, like a prince, he bore the vast expence
Of lavish pomp, and proud magnificence:
His house was fately, his retinue gay;
Large was his train, and gorgeous his array.
Ha fpacious garden, made to yield to none,
Was compafs'd round with walls of folid ftone;
Priapus could not half defcribe the grace
(Though Godof gardens) of this charming place:
A place to tire the rambling wits of France
In long deferiptions, and exceed Romance ;
Enough to frame the gentleft bard that sings
Of painted meadows, and of purling fprings. 455
Full in the centre of the flowery ground,
A crystal fountain fpread its ftreams around.
The fruitful banks with verdant laurels crown'd;
About this fpring (if ancient fame fay true)
The dapper Elves their moon-light fports purfue:
Their pigmy king, and little fairy queen,
In circling dances gambol'd on the green,
While tuneful fprites a merry concert made,
And airy mufic warbled through the fade.
Hither the noble knight would oft repair, 465
(His feene of pleafure, and peculiar care)
For this he held it dear, and always bore
The filver key that lock'd the garden-door.
To this fweet place, in fummer's fultry heat.
He us'd from noife and bufinefs to retreat;
And here in da'lia es fpand the live-long day,
«Solus cum icla," with his forightly May:
For whate'er work was undischarg'd a-bed,
The duteous knight in this fair garden sped.
But, ah! what mortal lives of blifs fecure?
How fhort a space our worldly joys endure! 476
Fortune, fair, like all thy treacherous kind,
But faithlefs ftill, and wavering as the wind!
O painted moniter, form'd mankind to cheat
With pleafing poifon, and with foft deceit!
This rich, this amorous venerable knight,
Amidit his cafe, his folace and delight,
Struck blind by thee, reigns his days to grief,
And calls on death, the wretch's laft relief.

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490

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The rage of jealousy then feiz'd his mind,
For much he fear'd the faith of wo.nan-kind.
His wife, not fuffer'd from his fide to fray,
Was captive kept; he watch'd hernight and day,
Abridg'd her pleafures, and confin'd her fway.
Full oft in tears did hapless May complain, 490
And gd full of; but figh'd and wept in vaia:
She look'd on Da nian with a lover's eye;
for, oh, 'twas fix'd, the inuft po Te's or die!
Nor lefs impatience vey'd her amorous Squire,
Wild with delay, and burning with defire.
Watch'd as the w15, yet could he not refrain
By fecret writing to diclofe his pain :
The dame by gas reveal'd her kind intent,
Till both were confcious what each other meant.

495

Ah, gentle Knight, what could thy eyes avail,
Though they could fee as far as fhips can fail ?

Vol. VI.

345

'Tis better, fure, when blind, deceiv'd to be, Than be deluded when a man can fee!

510

Argus himself, o cautious and fo wi,
Was over-watch'd, for all his hundred vos: 505
So many an honeft hufband may, 'tis known,
Who, wifely, neverthin's the case his own.
The dame at last, by diligence and care,
Procur'd the key her Knight was wat to bear;
She took the wards in wax before the fire,
And gave th' impreffion to the trusty Squire.
By means of this, fome wonder fall appear,
Which, in due place and feafon, you may hear.
What fight is that, which love will not explore?
Well fung fweet Ovid, in the days of yore,
And Pyramus and Thibe plainly fhow
The feats true lovers, when they list, can do :
They found the art of kiffing through a wall.
Though watch'd and captive, yet in fpite of all,

But now no longer from our tale to stray;
It happ'd, that once upon a fummer's day,
Our reverend Knight was urg'd to amorous
He rais'd his fpoufe ere Matin-bell was rung,
play;
And thus his moraing cauticle he fung.

Awake, my love, difclore thy radiaat eyes;
Arife, my wife, my beauteous lady, rife!
The winter's paft; the clouds and temperts fly;
Hear how the doves with penfive notes complaia,
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And in foft murmus tell the trees their pain:
The fun adorns the fields, and brightens all the
fky.

Fair without fpot, whofe everv a mio part
My bofom wounds, and captivates my heart;
Come, and in mutual pleafures let's engage,
Joy of my life, and comfort of my age.

This heard, to Damian traight a fign fhe made,
To hafte before; the gentle Squire obey'd: 536
Secret, and undefery'd, he took his way,
And ambuf'd clofe behind an arbour lay.

It was not long ere january came,
And hand in hand with him his lovely dame; 540
Blind as he was, not doubting all was fure,
He turn'd the key, and made the gate fecure.

Here let us walk, he faid, obferv❜d by none,`
Confcious of pleatures to the world unknown:
So may my foul have joy, as thou, my wife, 545
Art far the dearest folace of my life;
Reflect what truft was in my pattion fhown,
And rather would I chufe, by Heaven above,
To die this inftant, than to lofe thy love.
When unendow'd I took thee for my own, 550
And fought no treasure but thy heart alone."
Old as I am, and now depriv'd of fight,
Whilft thou art faithful to thy own true Knight,
Nor age nor blindaefs rob me of delight.
Each other lofs with patience I can bear,
The lofs of thee is what I only fear,

555

Confder then, my lady, and my wife,
The folid comforts of a virtuous life.
As, firit, the love of Chrift himself you gain;
Next, your own honour undefil'd maiatain; 5f0
And lastly, that which fure your mind muft

move,

My whole estate fhall gratify your love:
Make your own terms, and ere to-morrow's fua
Difplays his light, by Heaven, it fhall, be done.
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He ceas'd and May with modeft grace reply'd (Weak was her voice, as while the fpoke the cry'd): 576 Heaven knows (with that a tender figh she drew) I have a foul to fave as well as you; And, what no less you to my charge commend, My dearest honour, will to death defend. To you in holy Church I gave my hand, And join'd my heart in wedlock's facred band: Yet, after this, if you distrust my care, Then hear, my Lord, and witnefs what I fwear. First may the yawning earth her bofom rend, And let me hence to bell alive defcend; Or die the death I dread no less than hell, Sew'd in a fack, and plung'd into a well; Ere I my fame by one lewd aft di grace, Or once renounce the honour of my race: For know, Sir Knight, of gentle blood I came; I loath a whore, and fartle at the name. But jealous men on their own crimes reflect, And learn from hence their ladies to fufpect: Elfe why thefe needlefs cautions, Sir, to me? 595 Thefe doubts and fears of female conftancy! This chime ftill ring in every lady's ear, The only train a wife muft hope to hear.

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Thus while frefpoke, a i delong glance the caft, Where Damian, kneeling, word ipp'd as fhe past. She faw him watch the motions of her eye, 601 And fingled out a pear-tree pla ted nigh: 'Twas charg'd with fruit that made a goodly show, And hung with dargling pears was every bough, Thither the obfequious Squire addrefs'd his pace, And, climbing, in the fummit too: his place; The Knight and Lady walk'd beneath in view, Where let us leave them, and our tale purfue.

'I'was now the feafon when the glorious fun
His heavenly progress through the Twins had run;
And ove, exalted, his mild influence yields,
To glad the globe, and paint the Howery fields.
Clear was the day, and Phoebus, rifing bright,
Had ftrea 'd the azure firmament with light;
He piere'd the glittering clouds with golden
ftreams,

And warm'd the wombof earth with genialbeams.
It fo befel, in that fair morning-tide,
The Fairies fported on the garde. -"d",
And in the midft their Monarch and his bride.
So featly tripp'd the light-foot ladies round, 620
The knights fo nimbly o'er the greenfword
bound,

That fcarce they bent the flowers, or touch'd the ground.

The dances ended, all the fairy train

For pinks and daifies fearch'd the flowery plain;

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So may fome wildfire on your bodies fall,
Or fome devouring plague confume you all.
As well you vi w the leacher in the tree,
And well this honourable Knight you fee:
But fince he's blind and old (a helpless cale),
His Squire fall cuckold him before your face.
Now, by my own dread majefty I swear,
And by this awful fceptre which I hear,
No impious wretch fhall 'fcape unpurifh'd long,
That in my prefence offers fuch a wrong.
I will this inftant undeceive the Knight,.
And in the very at restore his fght;
And fet the ftrumpet here in oper view,
A warning to these Ladies, and to you,
And all the faithlefs fex, for ever to be true.

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And will you fo, reply 'd the Queen, indeed? Now, by my mother's foul it is decreed, She fall not want an aufwer at her reed. For her, and for her daughters, I'll engage, And all the fex in each fucceeding age! Art fall be theirs, to varnish an ofterce, And fortify their crime with confidence. Nay, were they taken in a ftrifl embrace, Seen with both eyes, and pinion'd on the place; All they fall need is to protest and swear, Breathe a foft figh, and drop a tender tear 3 Till their wife huftands, guild by arts lile there, Grow gentle, tractable, and tame as geefe.

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What though this flanderous Jew, this Solomon, Call'd women fools, and knew full many a one; The wifer wits of later times declare,

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| How.conftant, chatte, and virtuous, women are:
Witnefs the martyrs, who ref gn'd their breath,
Serene in torments, unconceri'd in death;
And with fs next what Roman authors tell, 675
How Arria, Portia, and Lucretia feli.

But, fnce the facred leaves to all are free, And men interpret texts, why fhould not we? By this no more was meant, than to have showr,) That fovereign goodness dwells in him alone Who only is, and is but only Que. 681) But grant the worft; fhall, women then be weigh'd

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By every word that Solomon has faid?
What though this King (as ancient flory boafts)
Built a fair Temple to the Lord of Hofts;
He ceas'd at laft his Maker to adore,
And did as much for Idel gods, or more

Beware what lavih praises you confer
On a rank Pacher and idolater;
Whofe reig, indulgent God, fays holy writ,
Did but for David's righteous fake permit;
David, the march after Heaven's own mind,
Who lov'd our fex, and honour'd all our kind.
Well, I'm a Woman, and as fuch muft fpeak;
Silence would fwell me, and my heart would
break.

Know then, I fcorn your dull authorities,
Your idle wits, and all their leaned lies.

By Heaven, thofe authors are our fex'; foes,
Whom, in our right, I muft and will oppofe.
Nay (quoth the King) dear Madam, be not
wroth:

1

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We leave them here in this heroic ftrain, And to the Knight our ftory turns again; Who in the garden, with his lovely May, Sung merrier than the Cuckow or the Jay. This was his fong; “Oh kind and constant be, "Conftant and kind I'll ever prove to thee." Thus finging as he went, at latt he drew By eafy fteps, to where the Pear-tree grew : The longing dame look'd up, and spy'd her Love Full fairly perch'd among the boughs above. She ftopp'd, and fighing: Oh good Gods! fhe cry'd,

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What pangs, what fudden fhoots, diftend my

fide!

O for that tempting fruit, fo fresh, so green;
Help, for the love of Heaven's immortal Queen!
Help, dearest Lord, and fave at once the life
Of thy poor infait, and thy longing wife!

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Sore figh'd the Kaight to hear his Lady's cry, But could not climb, and had no fervant nigh: Old as he was, and void of eye-fight too, What could, alas! a helpless hufband do? And muft I languin then, the faid, and die, Yet view the lovely fruit before my eye? At least, kind Sir, for charity's fweet fake, Vouchsafe the trunk between your arms to take ; Then from your back I might afcend the tree; Do you but stoop, and leave the reft to me.

With all my foul, he thus reply'd again, I'd spend my deareft blood to eafe thy pain. With that, his back against the truak he bent, She feiz'd a twig, and up the tree she went. Now prove your patience, gentle ladies all! Nor let on me your heavy anger fall;

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Fis truth I tell, though not in phrafe refin'd; Though bluot my tale, yet honett is my mind. What feats the Lady in the Tree might do, Ipafs, as gambols never known to you; But fure it was a merrier fit, fhe fwore, Thap in her life the ever felt before.

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In that nice moment, lo! the wondering

knight

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Look'd out, and ftood reftor'd to fudden fight.
Straight on the tree his cager eyes he bent,
As one whofe thoughts were on his fpoufe intent;
But when he faw his bofom-wife fo dress'd,
His- rage was fuch as cannot be exprefs'd:
Not frantic mothers when their infants die,
-With louder clamours rend the vaulted sky: 755
He cry'd, he roar'd, he ftorm'd, he tore his hair;
Death! hell! and furies! what doft thou de
there?

What ails my Lord? the trembling dame re-
ply'd;

760

I thought your patience had been better try'd:
Is this your love, ungrateful and unkind,
This my reward for having cur'd the blind?
Why was I taught to make my husband fee,
By ftruggling with a Man upon a Tree?
Did I for this the power of magic prove?
Unhappy wife, whofe crime was too much love!
If this be ftruggling, by this holy light, 766
'Tis ftruggling with a vengeance (quoth the
Kigat):

So Heaven preferve the fight it has reftor'd,
As with these eyes I plainly faw thee whor'd;
Whor'd by my flave-perfidious wretch! may

hell

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As furely feize thee, as I faw too well!
Guard me, good Angels! cry'd the gentle

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(Reply'd the dame): are these the thanks I find?
Wretch that I am, that e'er I was fo kind!
She faid; a rifing gh exprefs'd her woe,
The ready tears apace began to flow,
And, as they fell, the wip'd from either eye 785
The drops (for women, when they lift, can cry).
The Knight was touch'd, and in his looks ap-
pear'd

Signs of remorfe, while thus his spouse he chear'd:

Madam, 'tis paft, and my fhort anger o'er;
Come down, and vex your tender heart no more;
Excufe me, dear, if aught amifs was faid,
For, on my foul, amends shall foon be made:
Let my repentance your forgiveness draw,
By Heaven, Ifwore but what I thought I faw.
Ah, my lov'd lord! 'twas much unkind (she
cry'd)

On bare fufpicion thus to treat your bride.
But, till your ght's eftablish'd, for a while,
Imperfect objects may your fenfe beg .
Thus when from fleep we firft our eyes dif-

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So, juft recovering from the fhades of night, Your fwimming eyes are drunk with fudden light,

Strange phantoms dance around, and fkim before your ght:

Then, Sir, be cautious, nor too rafhly deem; Heaven knows how feldom things are what they feem! 806

Confult your rea on, and you foon fhall find
'Twas you were jealous, not your wife unkind:
Jove ne'er poke oracle more true than this,
None judge fo wrog as thofe who think amifs.
With that the leap'd into her Lord's embrace,
With well-diffembled virtue in her face.
He hugg'd her clofe, and lid her o'er and o'er,
Disturb'd with doubts and jealouí es no more:
Both, pleas'd and blefs'd, re.cw'd their mutual

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To dear-bought wifdom give the credit due,
And think, for once, a woman tells you true.
In all thefe trials I have borse a part,
I was myfelt the fcourge that caus'd the fmart;
For, fince fifteen in triumph have I led
Five captive Hufbands from the Church to bed.
Chrift faw a wedding once, the Scripture fays,
And faw but one, 'tis thought, in all his days;
Whence fome infer, whofe confcience is too nice,
No pious Chritian ought to marry twice.

But let them read, and folve me, if they can, The words addrefs'd to the Samaritan: Five times in lawful wedlock she was join'd; 15 And fire the certain ftint was ne'er defin❜d. “Encr:ase and multiply," was Heaven's command,

And that's a text I clearly understand.

This too, «Let man their fires and mothers kave,

And to their dearer wives for ever cleave." 23 lore wives than one by Solomon were try'd, Or elfe the wifeft of mankind's bely'd. · I've had myself full many a merry fit; And truft in heaven, I may have many yet, For when my transitory fpoufe unkind, Shall die, and leave his woeful wife behind, 1 il take the next good Chriftian I can find.

25)

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Paul, knowing one could nevër fervé our tură Declar'd 'twas better far to wed than burn. There's danger iu affembling fire and tow; I grant them that, and what it means you know. The fame apostle too has elfewhere own'd, No precept for Virginity he found: 'Tis but a cousfel-and we women ftill Take which we like, the counfel, or our will. 35 I envy not their blifs, if he or she Think fit to live in perfect chafity; Pure let them be, and free from taint of vice; I, for a few Light spots, am not so nice. Heaven calls us different ways, on thefe beftows One proper gift, another grants to thofe : Not every man's obliged to fell his store, And give up all his fubftance to the poor; Such as are perfect may, I can't deny; But, by your leaves, Divinės, fo am not 1.

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Full inany a Saint, fince firft the world began,
Liv'd an unspotted Maid, in fpite of man:
Let fuch (a-God's-name) with fine wheat be
fed,

And let us honeft wives eat barley bread.
For me,
I'll keep the poft affign'd by heaven, 50
And ufe the copious talent it has given:
Let my good fpoufe pay tribute, do me right,
And keep an equal reckoning every night.
His proper body is not his, but mine?
For fo faid Paul, and Paul's å found divine.
Know then, of thofe five husbands I have had,
Three were just tolerable, two were bad.
The three were old, but rich and fond befde,
And toil'd most piteously to please their bride :
But fnce their wealth (the beft they had) was

mine,

The rest, without much lofs, I could refign, Sure to be lov'd, I took no pains to pleafe, Yet had more Pleasure far than they had Eafe.

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60

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Prefents How'd in apace: with fhowers of gold, They made their court, like Jupiter of old. If I but fmil'd a fudden youth they found, And a new pally feiz'd them when I frown'd.

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Ye fovereign wives! give eat and understand, Thus fhall ye fpeak, and exercise command. For never was it given to mortal man, To lie fo boldly as we women can: Forfwear the fact, though feen with both his

eyes,

And call your maids to witness how he lies.

fiend!

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Hark, old Sir Paul, ('twas thus I us'd to fay) Whence is our neighbour's wite fo rich and gay? Treated, carefs'd, where'er she's pleas'd to ream→ I fit in tatters, and immurd at home. Why to her houfe do thou fo oft repair? Art thou fo amorous? and is the fo fair? If I but fee a coufin or a friend, Lord! how you fwell, and rage like any But you reel home, a drunken beaftly bear, Then preach till midnight in your eafy chair; Cry, wives are falfe, and every woman evil, And give up all that's female to the devil. If poor (you fay) the drains her husband's purse; If rich, the keeps her prieft, or fomething worfe; If highly born, intolerably vain, Vapours and pride by turas poffefs her brain,

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Now gayly mad, now fourly fplenetic;
Freakish when well, and fretful when the 's fick.
If fair, then chafte fhe cannot long abide,
By preffing youth attack'd on every fide;
If fool, her wealth the lufty lover lures,
Or elfe her wit fome fool-gallant procures,
Or elfe the dances with becoming grace,
Or fhape excufes the defects of face.

95

I told them, thus you fay, and thus you do, 150
And told them fale, but Jenkin fwore 'twas true.
I, like a dog, could bite as well as whine,

And firft complain'd, whene'er the guilt was

mine.

I tax'd them oft with wenching and amours, When their weak legs fearce dragg'd them out of doors;

There fwims no goofe fo grey, but, foon or late, And fwore the rambles that I took by night, She ands fome honeft gander for her mate.

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155

160

Were all to spy what damfels they bedight.
That colour brought me many hours of mirth;
For all this wit is given us from our birth.
Heaven gave to women the peculiar grace,
To fpin, to weep, and cully human race.
By this nice conduct, and this prudent course,
By murmuring, wheedling, ftratagem, and force,
I till prevail'd, and would be in the right,
165

Hories (thou fay'ft) and affes men may try, 100
And ring fufpected veffels ere they buy:
But wives, a random choice, untry'd they take;
Txy dream in courtship, but in wedlock wake:
Then, ner till then, the veil 's remov'd away,
And all the woman glares in open day.
You tell me, to preferve your wife's good grace,Or curtain-lectures made a refiles night.
Your eyes mult always fanguifh on my face,
Your tongue with conftaat hatteries feed my ear,
And tag each fentence with, My life! my dear!
If, by itrange chance, a modeft blush be rais'd,
Be lure my fine complexion must be prais'd.
My garments always must be new and gay,
And feafts ftill kept upon my wedding-day.
Then must my nurie be pleas'd, and favourite

maid;

And endless treats, and endless vifts paid,
To a long train of kindred, friends, allies.
All this thou fay'ft, and all thou fay'ft are lies.

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How merrily foever others fare?
Though all the day I give and take delight.
Doubt not, fufficient will be left at night.
'Tis but a juft and rational defire,

To light a taper at a neighbour's fire.

170

If once my husband's arm was o'er my fide,
What! fo familiar with your spouse ? I cry'd :
I levied firít a tax upon his need:
Then let him--was a nicety indeed!
Let all mankind this certain maxim hold,
Marry who will, our fex is to be fold,
With empty hands no taffels you can lure,
But fulfome love for gain we can endure;
For gold we love the impotent and old,
And heave, and pant, and kifs, and cling, for
gold.
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Yet with embraces, curfes oft I mix'd,
Then kifs'd again, and chid, and rail'd betwixt.
Well, I may make my will in peace, and die,
For not one word in man's arrears am I.
To drop a dear difpute I was unable,
Ev'n though the Pope himself had fat at table.
But when my point was gain'd, then thus I fpoke:
Billy, my dear, how theepishly you look!
"Approach, my fpoufe, and let me kifs thy
"cheek;

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"Thou should be always thus, refign'd and "meek!

185

"Of job's great patience fince fo oft you preach, "Well fhould you practise, who fo well can "teach.

190

'Tis difficult to do, I must allow, "But I, my deareft, will inftruct you how, "Great is the blefling of a prudent wife, "Who puts a period to domeftic ftrife. "One of us two must rule, and one obey; "And nce in man right reafon bears the fway, 335" Let that frail thing, weak woman, have her

141

There's danger too, you think, in rich array,
And none can long be modeft that are gay.
The Cat, if you but finge her tabby skin,
The chimmey keeps, and fits content within;
But once grown fleek, will from her corner run,
Sport with her tail, and wanton in the fun; 145
She licks her fair round face, and frifks abroad,
To fhew her fur, and to be catterwaw'd.

Lo thus, my friends, I wrought to my defires
Thefe three right ancient venerable fires,

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