Mean time, the GUISES, fortunate and brave,
Catch'd the fair moment which his weakness gave.
Then rose the fatal League in evil hour,
That dreadful rival of his waning pow'r.

The people blind, their facred Monarch brav'd,
Led by those Tyrants, who their rights enflav'd.
His friends forfook him, helpless and alone,
His fervants chas'd him from his royal throne;
Revolted Paris, deaf to kingly awe,

Within her gates the crouding ftranger faw.
Through all the city burst rebellion's flame;
And all was loft, when virtuous BOURBON came;
Came, full of warlike ardour, to restore
That light his prince, deluded, had no more.
His active presence breath'd an instant flame ;
No longer now the sluggish sons of shame,
Onward they prefs, where glory calls, to arms,
And spring to War from Pleasure's filken charms :
To Paris gates both kings advance amain,
Rome felt th' alarm, and trembled haughty Spain :
While Europe, watching where the tempest falls,
With anxious eyes beheld th' unhappy walls.

Within

Within was DISCORD, with her hell-born train,
Stirring to war the League, and haughty MAYNE,
The people, and the church: and from on high
Call'd out to Spain, rebellion's prompt ally.
DISCORD, dread monster, deaf to human woe,
To her own fubjects an avengeful foe,
Bloody, impetuous, eager to destroy,
In man's misfortune founds her hateful joy;
To neither party ought of mercy shown,
Well-pleas'd she stabs the dagger in her own;
Dwells a fierce tyrant in the breast she fires,
And fmiles to punish what herself inspires.

Weft of the city, near those borders gay, Where Seine obliquely winds her floping way, (Scenes now, where pleasure's foft retreats are found, Where triumphs art, and nature smiles around, Then, by the will of fate, the bloody ftage

For war's ftern combat and relentless rage)

Th' unhappy VALOIS bad his troops advance,

There rush'd at once the generous ftrength of France.

A

A thousand heroes, eager for the fight,.
By fects divided, from revenge unite.

These virtuous BOURBON leads, their chofen guide,
Their cause confederate, and their hearts allied.
It seem'd the army felt one common flame,
Their zeal, religion, cause, and chief the fame.

The facred LOUIS, fire of BOURBON's race, From azure skies, befide the throne of grace, With holy joy beheld his future heir, And ey'd the Hero with paternal care ; With fuch as prophets feel, a bleft prefage, He faw the virtues of his ripening age: Saw Glory round him all her laurels deal, Yet wail'd his errors, tho' he lov'd his zeal ; With eye prophetic he beheld e'en now, The crown of France adorn his royal brow; He knew the wreath was deftin'd which they gave, More will'd the Saint, the light which shines to fave.

Still HENRY'S fteps mov'd onward to the throne, By secret ways, e'en to himself unknown.

His help from Heaven the Holy Prophet fent,
But hid the arm his wife indulgence lent;

Left fure of conquest, he had flack'd his flame,
Nor grappl'd danger for the meed of fame.

Already MARS had donn'd his coat of mail, And doubtful Conqueft held her even scale ; Carnage with blood had mark'd his purple way, And flaughter'd heaps in wild confufion lay, When VALOIS thus his part'ner king addrest, The figh deep-heaving from his anxious breast.

"You fee what fate, what humbling fate is mine, "Nor yet alone, — the injury is thine.

"The dauntless League, by hardy Chieftains led, "Which hiffes faction with her Hydra head,

Boldly confederate by a desperate oath, "Aims not at me alone, but ftrikes at both. "Tho' I long fince the regal circle wear, "Tho' thou by rank fucceed my rightful heir, "Paris difowns us, nor will homage bring "To me their prefent, you their future king.

"Thine, well they know the next illuftrious claim, "From law, from birth, and deeds of loudest fame; «Yet from that throne's hereditary right

"Where I but totter, wou'd exclude thee quite. Religion hurls her furious bolts on thee,

"And holy councils join her firm decree: "ROME, tho' fhe raise no foldier's martial band, "Yet kindles war thro' every awe-struck land; "Beneath her banners bids each hoft repair, "And trufts her thunder to the Spaniard's care, "Far from my hopes each fummer friend is flown, "No fubjects hail me on my facred throne; "No kindred now the kind affection fhows, « All fly, their king, abandon, or oppose: "Rich in my spoils, with greedy treacherous hafte, "While the base Spaniard lays my country waste. "Midft foes like thefe, abandon'd, and betray'd, "France in her turn fhall feek a foreign aid: "Shall Britain's court by fecret methods try, "And win ELIZA for a firm ally.

"Of old I know between each pow'rful state, "Subfifts a jealous and immortal hate;