Page:The art of dress - a poem (IA artofdresspoem00gayj).pdf/17

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Hence the great Change ensu'd, ordain'd by Fate,
Which turn'd this Empire to an Heptarch State;
The Conquer'd Britons to their ^[1]Alps withdrew,
And Antient Habits soon gave way to New.

 Of all the Saxon Courts, which, bore the Bell,
For Beauty, Air, and Dress, no Records tell;
For Lies, and Legends, only flourish'd then,
(The stupid Labours of the Monkish Pen,)
'Till valiant ^[2]Egbert made the Crowns unite,
And his Lay-Subjects first began to write.
Now followed some Luxurious Peaceful Reigns,
Till Time and Fate brought in the Cruel Danes:
In War and Bloodshed Ages pass'd away,
Whilst these prevailed by Turns, and lost the Day;

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1. The Welch Mountains.
2. First, sole Monarch of England.

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