Page:The Hind and the Panther - Dryden (1687).djvu/151

That Conscience which to all their Crimes was mute,
Now calls aloud, and cryes to Persecute.
No rigour of the Laws to be releas'd,
And much the less, because it was their Lords request:
They thought it great their Sov'rain to controul,
And nam'd their Pride, Nobility of Soul.

'Tis true, the Pigeons, and their Prince Elect
Were short of Pow'r their purpose to effect:
But with their Quills, did all the hurt they cou'd,
And cuff'd the tender Chickens from their food:
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$And much the Buzzard in their Cause did stir,
Tho' naming not the Patron, to infer
With all respect, He was a gross Idolater.
But when th' Imperial owner did espy
That thus they turn'd his Grace to villany,
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$Not suff'ring wrath to discompose his mind,
He strove a temper for th' extreams to find,
So to be just, as he might still be kind.

Then,