extended about four-fcore miles; from the river Eden in Cumberland, to the banks of the river Tine. The materials of which this mound was compos'd were wood and earth; tho' by Spenfer's defcription one wou'd imagine that one of Frier Bacon's predeceffors had been the chief engineer.

Next thefe came Tyne, along whofe ftony bank
That Roman monarch built a brazen wall;
Which mote the feebled Britons ftrongly flank
Against the Picts, that fwarmed over all;
Which yet thereof Gualfever they do call.

Fairy Queen, B. IV. C. 11.

When for more worlds the Macedonian cry'd.] Plutarch in his difcourfe on the tranquillity of the mind fays, that Alexander express'd this vain paffion on hearing Anaxarchus affert à plurality of worlds.

Unus Pellao juveni non fufficit orbis ;

fuat infelix, angufto limite mundi,

Ut Gyara claufus fcopulis, parvâque Seripho.

Juvenal. Sat. X.

One world fuffic'd not Alexander's mind;
Coop'd up, he feem'd in earth and feas confin'd;
And struggling ftretch'd his restless limbs about
The narrow globe, to find a paffage out.

Mr. Dryden.

So, when a lion shakes his dreadful mane &c.] Imitated from Fairfax's tranflation of Tasso, Book VIII. Stan. 83.

So, when a lion shakes his dreadful mane,

And beats his tail, with courage proud, and wroth,
If bis commander come, who first took paine
To tame his youth, his lofty creft down go'th, &c.

+ Page 116..

T 2

|| Page 120.

Like

+ Like Joseph's Sheaves &c.] See Genefis Chap.

xxxviii.

* Of a war with Spain, and fight at sea.

As Mr. Waller defign'd in the preceding Panegyric to perfuade the nation to think itself fafe, and happy, under the new Protector: so, in this Poem, his principal aim was to recommend the Protector to their reverence under the title of King; which the Ufurper ambitiously affected. But, finding that the fame evil fpirit, which he had artfully conjur'd-up against his lawful Sovereign, ftill poffefs'd the Houfe of Commons to perplex his own affairs; he projected the fcheme of engaging in a war with Spain; to be inabled by foreign fpoil to establish his Government in what form, and under what denomination, he pleas'd; without depending on Parliamentary counsel or supplies. With this view he concluded a Peace with France against Spain; which is cenfur'd by Ludlow, Welwood, and others, for the falsest step he ever made, and the most fatal to the tranquillity of Europe. However, his own hopes were fufficiently answer'd by the success of that naval expedition, which is the subject of this Poem; which will be illuftrated by my Lord Clarendon's account of the action.

Montagu, a young Gentleman of a good family, who had been drawn into the party of Cromwell, and ferv'd under him as a Colonel in his army with much courage, was fent with an addition of ships to join with Blake; and join'd in commiffion of Admiral and General with him: Blake having found himself much indifpos'd in his health; and having defir'd that another might be fent to affift him, and to take care of the Fleet, if worse fhould befal him. Upon his arrival with the Fleet, they

lay

+ Page 121.

*Ibid.

lay long before Cales, in expectation of the Spanish Weft-India Fleet, and to keep-in all fhips from going out to give notice of their being there. After fome months attendance they were at laft compell'd to remove their station, that they might get fresh water, and fome other provifions which they wanted: and fo drew-off to a convenient Bay in Portugal; and left a fquadron of fhips to watch the Spanish Fleet: which, within a very short time after the remove of the English Fleet, came upon the coaft: and before they were difcover'd by the Commander of the fquadron, ("Cap"tain Richard Stayner,") who was to the lee"ward, made their way fo faft, that when he got-up with them, though he was inferior to them in number ("having with him but two Frigates, befides that in "which himself fail'd; and the Spanish Fleet con"fifting of eight men of war and galleons ;") they rather thought of faving their wealth by flight, than of defending themselves and fo, the Spanish Admiral run on fhore in the Bay; and the Vice-admiral, in which was the ("Marquefs of Bajadox") Vice King of Mexico, with his wife, and fons, and daughters, fir'd; in which the poor Gentleman himself, his wife, and eldest daughter perifh'd: his other daughters, and his two fons, and near one hundred others, were fav'd by the English; who took the Rere-admiral, and another ship very richly laden, " having above two millions "of plate on board," which, together with the prifoners, were fent into England; the reft efcap'd into Gibraltar. *** This action having happen'd in the beginning of that aufpicious month to the Ufurper September, 1656, we may conclude that Mr. Waller writ this Poem when he was enter'd into the fifty first year of his age.

The lab'ring winds &c.] Florus fpeaking of Anthony's large fhips at the fight near Altium, fays, gemitu maris & labore ventorum ferebantur.

+ Born under diff'rent ftars, one fate they have.] Imitated from Cicero, Omnefne qui Çannenfi pugnâ ceciderunt, uno aftro fuerint? Exitus quidem omnium unus & idem fuit. de Divinat. lib. 2.

So Jove from Ida &c.] See page xviii.

And, fince he could not fave her, with her dy'd.] Imitated from our English Taffo, where he speaks of the deaths of Edward and Gildippe, Book 20. Stan. 98. He let her fall, himself fell by her fide; And, for he could not fave her, with her dy'd.

§ And, phenix-like, in that rich neft they dye.] See Ovid's Metamorphofes, Book xv.

Hæc, ubi quinque fuæ complevit fæcula vitæ,
Ilicis in ramis, tremulave cacumine palma,
Unguibus & pando nidum fibi conftruit ore.
Quo fimul ac cafias, & nardi lenis ariftas,
Quaffaque cum fulvâ fubftravit cinnama myrrhâ,
Se fuper imponit, finitque in odoribus ævum.
He (his five centuries of life fulfill'd)

His neft on oaken boughs begins to build,
Or trembling tops of palm: and firft he draws
The plan, with his broad bill, and crooked claws,
Nature's artificer: on this the pile

Is form'd, and rifes round: then, with the spoil
Of caffia, cinnamon, and ftems of nard,

For foftnefs ftrew'd beneath, his fun'ral bed is rear'd;
Fun'ral and bridal both: and all around
The borders with corruptlefs myrrh are crown'd.

On

Page 122. Ibid. Page 123. Ibid. § Ibid.

On this incumbent, 'till ætherial flame
Firft catches, then confumes, the coftly frame;
Confumes him too, as on the pile he lies;

He liv'd on odors, and in odors dyes.

Mr. Dryden.

With thefe returns victorious Montagu.] In fome late editions the title of this Poem injuriously gives the glory of this action to general Montagu, which is entirely due to Stayner: who, for his bravery on this occafion, and foon afterwards at Santa Cruz, was knighted by Cromwell: and had his valor been employ'd in a better caufe, by a better mafter, he might have been justly rank'd amongst those who have merited moft of the English nation. But, when Montagu came back from the coaft of Portugal, the Marquis's two fons, and two furviving daughters, with about ninety other prisoners, and all the buillion, were committed to his care. With thefe returns he to Portsmouth, where he receiv'd the Protector's orders to bring them by land to London; and his orders were executed with great oftentation.

*

Upon the death of the Lord Protector.

Mr. Waller wrote this Poem, Anno Ætat. 53.

$ *** So Romulus was loft.] From the unanimous accounts of the best hiftorians we may conclude that Romulus was murther'd by the Patricians, to whom his arbitrary spirit was grown insupportable: and to cover their revenge from the refentments of the populace, they publish'd how he fuddenly vanish'd, whilst he was surrounded by the Senate; and was affum'd into the order of the Gods. While he was affaffinated, there happen'd an eclipfe of the fun, attended with a violent

+ Page 124.

T. 4
*Ibid.

Ibid.