148.

Some the gall'd ropes with dawby marline bind, Or fear-cloth mafts with ftrong tarpawling

coats:

To try new shrouds one mounts into the wind,
And one below their ease or stiffness notes.

149.

Our careful monarch stands in person by,
His new-caft cannons firmness to explore:
The strength of big-corn'd powder loves to try,
And ball and cartrige forts for every bore.

150.

Each day brings fresh fupplies of arms and men,
And ships which all laft winter were abroad;
And such as fitted fince the fight had been,
Or new from stocks, were fallen into the road,
151.

The goodly London in her gallant trim,
The Phoenix, daughter of the vanish'd old,
Like a rich bride does to the ocean swim,
And on her shadow rides in floating gold,

152.

Her flag aloft fpread ruffling to the wind,

M.

And fanguine streamers feem the flood to fire;

The weaver charm'd with what his loom defign'd, Goes on to fea, and knows not to retire,

153.

With roomy decks, her guns

of mighty strength,

Whofe low-laid mouths each mounting billow

laves:

Deep in her draught, and warlike in her length, She feems a fea-wafp flying on the waves, 154.

This martial prefent, piously design'd,

The loyal city give their best-lov'd king: And with a bounty ample as the wind,

Built, fitted and maintain'd, to aid him bring 155.

By viewing nature, nature's handmaid, art Makes mighty things from fmall beginnings grow: Thus fishes first to shipping did impart,

Their tail the rudder, and their head the

156.

Some log perhaps upon the waters swam,

1.

prow.

An useless drift, which rudely cut within, And hollow'd first a floating trough became, And cross fome rivulet paffage did begin.

157.

In fhipping fuch as this, the Irish kern,

And untaught Indian on the stream did glide : Ere fharp-keel'd boats to ftem the flood did learn,

Or fin-like oars did fpread from either side.

158.

Add but a fail, and Saturn fo appear'd,

. When from loft empire he to exile went,

And with the golden age to Tyber steer'd,

Rude as their ships was navigation then ;

No useful compass or meridian known; Coasting, they kept the land within their ken, And knew no North but when the Pole-star

fhone.

160.

Of all who fince have us'd the open fea,

Than the bold English none more fame have won: Beyond the year, and out of heaven's high way, They make discoveries where they see no fun. 161.

But what fo long in vain, and yet unknown,
By poor mankind's benighted wit is fought,
Shall in this age to Britain first be shown,
And hence be to admiring nations taught.
162.

The ebbs of tides and their mysterious flow,
We, as arts elements, fhall understand,

And as by line upon the ocean go,

Whose paths shall be familiar as the land.

163.

Inftructed fhips fhall fail to quick commerce,
By which remotest regions are ally'd;
Which makes one city of the universe;

Where fome

may gain, and all may

164.

be supply'd.

Then we upon our globe's last verge fhall

go,

And view the ocean leaning on the sky: From thence our rolling neighbors we shall know, And on the lunar world fecurely pry.

165.

This I foretel from your aufpicious care,

Who

great

in fearch of God and nature grow;

Who beft your wife creator's praise declare, Since best to praise his works is best to know. 166.

O truly royal! who behold the law

And rule of beings in your maker's mind: And thence, like limbecs, rich ideas draw, To fit the levell'd use of human-kind.

167.

But first the toils of war we must endure,

And from the injurious Dutch redeem the seas. War makes the valiant of his right fecure, And gives up fraud to be chaftis'd with ease.

1

.168.

Already were the Belgians on our coast,

Whose fleet more mighty every day became By late fuccefs, which they did falsly boast, And now by first appearing seem'd to claim. 169.

Defigning, fubtle, diligent and close,

They knew to manage war with wife delay:
Yet all thofe arts their vanity did cross,

And by their pride their prudence did betray.

170.

Nor ftaid the English long; but well fupply'd,
Appear as numerous as the infulting foe:
The combat now by courage must be try'd,
And the fuccess the braver nation show.

171.

There was the Plymouth fquadron now come in,

Which in the Straights laft winter was abroad; Which twice on Biscay's working bay had been, And on the midland sea the French had aw'd, 172.

Old expert Allen, loyal all along,

Fam'd for his action on the Smyrna fleet :
And Holmes, whose name shall live in epic fong,
While mufic numbers, or while verse has feet.