Page:Poems upon Several Occasions.djvu/31

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Poems upon several Occasions.
19

Some Love-Device is wrought on ev'ry Sword,
And ev'ry Ribban bears some Mystick Word;
As when we see the winged Winds engage,
Mounted on Coursers foaming Flame and Rage,
Rustling from ev'ry Quarter of the Sky,
North, East, and West, in airy Swiftness vy,
One Cloud repuls'd, new Combatants prepare
To meet as fierce, and form a thund'ring War:
So when the Trumpet sounding gives the Sign,
The justling Chiefs in rude Rencounter join;
So meet, and so renew the dextrous Fight,
Each fair Beholder trembling for her Knight;
Their clattering Arms with the fierce shock resound,
Helmets and broken Lances spread the Ground.
Still as one falls, another rushes in,
And all must be o'ercome, or none can win;
The Victor, from the glittering Dame, whose Eyes
Aided hi conqu'ring Arm, receives a precious Prize.

Thus flourish'd Love, and Beauty reign'd in State,
'Till the proud Spaniard gave these Glories Date;
Past is the Gallantry, the Fame remains,
Transmitted safe in Dryden's lofty Scenes;
Granada lost, beheld her Pomps restor'd,[1]
And Almahide again by Kings ador'd.[2]


  1. The Conquest of Granada, written by Mr. Dryden.
  2. The Part of Almahide acted by Nell Gwyn.

Love