by John Dryden
Where Coin and first Commerce he did invent.
159
Rude as their Ships was Navigation, then;
No useful Compass or Meridian known;
Coasting, they kept the Land within their ken, 635
And knew no North but when the Pole-star shone.
160
Of all who since have used the open Sea,
Than the bold English none more Fame have won;
Beyond the Year, and out of Heav’n’s high-way,
They make discoveries where they see no Sun. 640
161
But what so long in vain, and yet unknown,
By poor man-kinds benighted Wit is sought,
Shall in this Age to Britain first be shewn,
And hence be to admiring Nations taught.
162
The Ebbs of Tides and their mysterious Flow, 645
We, as Arts Elements shall understand,
And as by Line upon the Ocean go,
Whose Paths shall be familiar as the Land.
163
Instructed ships shall sail to quick Commerce,
By which remotest Regions are alli’d; 650
Which makes one City of the Universe;
Where some may gain, and all may be suppli’d.
164
Then we upon our Globes last verge shall go,
And view the Ocean leaning on the Sky:
From thence our rolling Neighbours we shall know, 655
And on the Lunar world securely pry.
165
This I fore-tel from your auspicious Care,
Who great in search of God and Nature grow;
Who best your wise Creator’s Praise declare,
Since best to praise his works is best to know. 660
166
O truly Royal! who behold the Law,
And rule of Beings in your Makers mind:
And thence, like Limbecks, rich Idea’s draw,
To fit the levell’d use of Human-kind.
167
But first the toils of War we must endure, 665
And from th’ injurious Dutch redeem the Seas,
War makes the valiant of his right secure,
And gives up Fraud to be chastis’d with ease.
168
Already were the Belgians on our Coast,
Whose Fleet more mighty every day became 670
By late success, which they did falsely boast,
And now by first appearing seem’d to claim.
169
Designing, Subtil, Diligent, and Close,
They knew to manage War with wise delay:
Yet all those arts their Vanity did cross, 675
And, by their pride, their prudence did betray.
170
Nor staid the English long: But well suppli’d,
Appear as numerous as th’ insulting Foe:
The Combat now by Courage must be tri’d,
And the Success the braver Nation shew. 680
171
There was the Plimouth Squadron new come in,
Which in the Streights last Winter was abroad;
Which twice on Biscay’s working-Bay had been,
And on the Mid-land sea the French had aw’d.
172
Old expert Allen, Loyal all along, 685
Fam’d for his action on the Smirna fleet:
And Holmes, whose name shall live in Epick Song,
While Musick Numbers, or while Verse has Feet.
173
Holmes, the Achates of the Gen’ral’s Fight;
Who first bewitch’d our eyes with Guinny gold: 690
As once old Cato in the Roman’s sight
The tempting Fruits of Africk did unfold.
174
With him went Sprag, as bountiful as brave,
Whom his high Courage to command had brought:
Harman, who did the twice fir’d Harry save, 695
And in his burning ship undaunted fought.
175
Young Hollis on a Muse by Mars begot,
Born, Cæsar-like, to write and act great Deeds:
Impatient to revenge his fatal Shot,
His right hand doubly to his left succeeds. 700
176
Thousands were there in darker fame that dwell,
Whose Deeds some nobler Poem shall adorn:
And though to me unknown, they, sure, fought well,
Whom Rupert led, and who were British born.
177
Of every size an hundred fighting Sail, 705
So vast the Navy now at Anchor rides,
That underneath it the press’d Waters fail,
And, with its weight, it shoulders off the Tides.
178
Now Anchors weigh’d, the Sea-men shout so shrill,
That Heav’n, and Earth, and the wide Ocean rings: 710
A Breeze from Westward waits their Sails to fill,
And rests, in those high beds, his downy Wings.
179
The wary Dutch this gathering storm foresaw,
And durst not bide it on the English-coast:
Behind their treacherous Shallows they withdraw, 715
And there lay Snares to catch the British Host.
180
So the false Spider, when her Nets are spread,
Deep ambush’d in her silent Den does lie:
And feels, far off, the trembling of her thread,
Whose filmy Cord should bind the struggling Fly. 720
181
Then, if at last she find him fast beset,
She issues forth, and runs along her Loom:
She joys to touch the Captive in her Net,
And drag the little Wretch in triumph home.
182
The Belgians hop’d that, with disorder’d haste, 725
Our deep-cut Keels upon the Sands might run:
Or, if with caution leisurely were past,
Their numerous Gross might charge us one by one.
183
But with a Fore-wind pushing them above,
And swelling Tide that heav’d them from below, 730
O’er the blind Flats our warlike Squadrons move,
And, with spread Sails, to welcom Battel go.
184
It seem’d as there the British Neptune stood,
With all his hosts of Waters at Command,
Beneath them to submit th’ officious Floud; 735
And, with his Trident, shov’d them off the Sand.
185
To the pale Foes they suddenly draw near,
And summon them to unexpected Fight;
They start like Murderers when Ghosts appear,
And draw their Curtains in the dead of night. 740
186
Now Van to Van the foremost Squadrons meet,
The midmost Battels hastning up behind:
Who view, far off, the storm of falling Sleet;
And hear their Thunder ratling in the wind.
187
At length the adverse Admirals appear; 745
(The two bold Champions of each Countries right)
Their Eyes describe the lists as they come near,
And draw the lines of Death before they fight.
188
The distance judg’d for Shot of every size,
The Linstocks touch, the pond’rous Ball expires: 750
The vigorous Sea-man every Port-hole plies,
And adds his heart to every Gun he fires.
189
Fierce was the Fight on the proud Belgians side,
For Honour, which they seldom sought before:
But now they by their own vain Boasts were ti’d 755
And forc’d, at least in show, to prize it more.
190
But sharp remembrance on the English part
And shame of being match’d by such a Foe,
Rouze conscious Virtue up in every heart,
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sp; And seeming to be stronger makes them so. 760
191
Nor long the Belgians could that Fleet sustain,
Which did two Gen’rals fates, and Cæsar’s bear:
Each several Ship a Victory did gain,
As Ruperl or as Albemarl were there.
192
Their batter’d Admiral too soon withdrew, 765
Unthank’d by ours for his unfinish’d Fight;
But he the Minds of his Dutch Masters knew,
Who call’d that providence which we call’d flight.
193
Never did Men more joyfully obey,
Or sooner understood the sign to flie: 770
With such alacrity they bore away,
As if to praise them All the States stood by.
194
O famous leader of the Belgian fleet,
Thy Monument inscrib’d such praise shall wear,
As Varro timely flying once did meet, 775
Because he did not of his Rome despair.
195
Behold that Navy, which a while before
Provok’d the tardy English close to Fight;
Now draw their beaten Vessels close to shore,
As Larks lie dar’d to shun the Hobbies flight. 780
196
Who e’re would English Monuments survey,
In other Records may our Courage know:
But let them hide the Story of this day,
Whose Fame was blemish’d by too base a Foe.
197
Or if too busily they will enquire 785
Into a Victory which we disdain:
Then let them know, the Belgians did retire
Before the Patron Saint of injur’d Spain.
198
Repenting England this revengeful day
To Philip’s Manes did an offering bring 790
England, which first, by leading them astray,
Hatch’d up Rebellion to destroy her King.
199
Our Fathers bent their baneful industry,
To check a Monarchy that slowly grew;
But did not France or Holland’s Fate fore-see, 795
Whose rising Pow’r to swift Dominion flew.
200
In fortunes Empire blindly thus we go,
And wander after pathless Destiny;
Whose dark resorts since Prudence cannot know,
In vain it would provide for what shall be. 800
201
But what e’re English to the bless’d shall go,
And the fourth Harry or first Orange meet;
Find him disowning of a Burbon foe,
And him detesting a Batavian Fleet.
202
Now on their Coasts our conquering Navy rides, 805
Way-lays their Merchants, and their Land besets;
Each day new Wealth without their Care provides;
They lie asleep with Prizes in their Nets.
203
So, close behind some Promontory lie
The huge Leviathans t’ attend their Prey; 810
And give no Chace, but swallow in the Frie,
Which through their gaping Jaws mistake the way.
204
Nor was this all: In Ports and Roads remote,
Destructive Fires among whole Fleets we send;
Triumphant Flames upon the Water flote, 815
And out-bound Ships at home their Voyage end.
205
Those various Squadrons, variously design’d
Each Vessel fraighted with a several Load,
Each Squadron waiting for a several wind,
All find but one, to burn them in the Road. 820
206
Some bound for Guinny, golden Sand to find,
Bore all the Gauds the simple Natives wear:
Some for the pride of Turkish Courts design’d,
For folded Turbants finest Holland bear.
207
Some English wool, vex’d in a Belgian Loom, 825
And into Cloth of spungy softness made,
Did into France or colder Denmark doom,
To ruine with worse ware our staple Trade.
208
Our greedy Sea-men rummage every hold,
Smile on the Booty of each wealthier Chest; 830
And, as the Priests who with their Gods make bold,
Take what they like, and sacrifice the rest.
209
But, ah! how unsincere are all our Joys!
Which, sent from Heav’n, like Lightning, make no stay:
Their palling Taste the Journeys Length destroys, 835
Or Grief, sent post, o’retakes them on the way.
210
Swell’d with our late Successes on the Foe,
Which France and Holland wanted power to cross,
We urge an unseen Fate to lay us low,
And feed their envious Eyes with English loss. 840
211
Each Element his dread Command obeys,
Who makes or ruines with a Smile or Frown;
Who as by one he did our Nation raise,
So now, he with another pulls us down.
212
Yet London, Empress of the Northern Clime, 845
By an high Fate thou greatly didst expire:
Great as the Worlds, which, at the death of time,
Must fall, and rise a nobler frame by fire.
213
As when some dire Usurper Heav’n provides
To scourge his Country with a lawless sway: 850
His birth perhaps some petty Village hides,
And sets his Cradle out of Fortune’s way.
214
Till fully ripe his swelling Fate breaks out,
And hurries him to mighty Mischiefs on:
His Prince, surpriz’d at first, no ill could doubt, 855
And wants the pow’r to meet it when ’tis known.
215
Such was the Rise of this prodigious fire,
Which in mean Buildings first obscurely bred,
From thence did soon to open Streets aspire,
And straight to Palaces and Temples spread. 860
216
The diligence of Trades and noiseful Gain,
And luxury, more late, asleep were laid:
All was the nights, and in her silent reign
No sound the rest of Nature did invade.
217
In this deep quiet, from what scource unknown, 865
Those seeds of Fire their fatal Birth disclose;
And first, few scatt’ring Sparks about were blown,
Big with the flames that to our Ruin rose.
218
Then, in some close-pent Room it crept along,
And, smouldring as it went, in silence fed; 870
Till th’ infant Monster, with devouring strong,
Walk’d boldly upright with exalted head.
219
Now like some rich or mighty Murderer,
Too great for Prison, which he breaks with Gold,
Who fresher for new Mischiefs does appear 875
And dares the World to tax him with the old:
220
So scapes th’ insulting Fire his narrow Jail
And makes small out-lets into open air:
There the fierce Winds his tender Force assail,
And beat him down-ward to his first repair. 880
221
The Winds, like crafty Courtezans, withheld
His Flames from burning, but to blow them more:
And every fresh attempt he is repell’d
With faint Denials, weaker than before.
222
And now, no longer letted of his Prey, 885
He leaps up at it with inrag’d desire:
O’relooks the Neighbours with a wide survey,
And nods at every House his threatning Fire.
223
The Ghosts of Traitors from the B
ridge descend,
With bold Fanatick Spectres to rejoyce: 890
About the fire into a Dance they bend,
And sing their Sabbath Notes with feeble voice.
224
Our Guardian Angel saw them where he sat
Above the Palace of our slumbring King;
He sigh’d, abandoning his charge to Fate, 895
And, drooping, oft lookt back upon the wing.
225
At length the crackling noise and dreadful blaze
Call’d up some waking Lover to the sight;
And long it was ere he the rest could raise,
Whose heavy Eye-lids yet were full of Night. 900
226
The next to Danger, hot persu’d by Fate,
Half-cloth’d, half-naked, hastily retire:
And frighted Mothers strike their Breasts, too late,
For helpless Infants left amidst the Fire.
227
Their Cries soon waken all the Dwellers near; 905
Now murmuring Noises rise in every Street;
The more remote run stumbling with their fear,
And, in the dark, Men justle as they meet.
228
So weary Bees in little Cells repose;
But if Night-robbers lift the well-stor’d Hive, 910
An humming through their waxen City grows,
And out upon each others wings they drive.
229
Now Streets grow throng’d and busie as by day:
Some run for Buckets to the hallow’d Quire:
Some cut the Pipes, and some the Engines play; 915
And some more bold mount Ladders to the fire.
230
In vain: For from the East a Belgian wind
His hostile Breath through the dry Rafters sent;
The Flames impell’d soon left their Foes behind
And forward, with a wanton fury went. 920
231
A Key of Fire ran all along the Shore,
And lighten’d all the River with a blaze:
The waken’d Tides began again to roar,
And wond’ring Fish in shining waters gaze.
232
Old Father Thames rais’d up his reverend head, 925
But fear’d the fate of Simoeis would return:
Deep in his Ooze he sought his sedgy Bed,
And shrunk his Waters back into his Urn.
233
The Fire, mean time walks in a broader gross;
To either hand his Wings he opens wide: 930
He wades the Streets, and streight he reaches cross,
And plays his longing Flames on th’ other side.
234
At first they warm, then scorch, and then they take;
Now with long Necks from side to side they feed:
At length, grown strong, their Mother-fire forsake, 935
And a new Colony of Flames succeed.
235
To every nobler Portion of the Town
The curling Billows roll their restless Tide:
In parties now they straggle up and down,