His scepter'd hand, and thus dissembling speaks: "This graceful ardour, Turon, well beseems His hostile inroad on our country's peace; Wealth I have store. Within my spacious hall From bleeding Greece, or from the boastful Gaul, Torn in the bloody conflict, when the might Of Brutus foil'd their bravest: nor alone The spoils by Brutus won, my sword achiev'd Freely your king shall give, and more than these, Resign his martial fame, to purchase peace, And from his people turn the rage of war. But who our offer to the foe shall bear? Will great Assaracus, in arms renown'd? Or sage Mempricius, from whose honied tongue Persuasion flows?" He ended. With a frown, The stern Assaracus thus answer'd fierce, And shook the hoary honours of his head, "To others, king, commit th' ungrateful task: If in the numerous host a slave be found So poor of soul, so lost to sense of shame. Degenerate prince! Not thus our noble sires Su'd to confed'rate Greece; but with bold arms Repell'd her fierce assault, and ten long years. Maintain'd the doubtful war with adverse heav'n. Shall we, Loëgria's gather'd strength in arms, Purchase precarious safety, and belie Our honourable scars? Go thou, base prince! Go ransom that unwarlike head, while we By hardy daring, and illustrious deeds, Assert our ancient fame!" As when the gale Slow rising, first invades the rustling leaves; Now scarcely heard, now loud, and louder still Swells on the ear the sullen sound, prophetic Of the swift-rushing tempest: as he spoke. So rose th' indignant murmur. Ev'ry chief Darts on the king his angry eyes. With joy He marks their warlike ardour. Now arose The hoary sage Mempricius, and at once In mute attention all was hush'd around, While thus experienc'd age discerning spoke. "Blest is the monarch of the brave and free. His throne is fix'd secure, and Fame for him The laurel wreath prepares, th' immortal verse: And blest the people, whom a prince commands In action valiant, and in council wise. These eyes, oh king, have seen thy crested helm Flame like a meteor foremost in the war, While, like the pestilence, thy dreadful sword Made armies fall. I wish'd my years renew'd Our youth, by thy example fir'd, display'd Ten thousand warriors by Elanius led, Morindus, Elidurus, and the might Of Britomarus, now with rapid march and ere six times the sun has dipp'd His flaming axle in the western wave, Their friendly banners, and their glitt'ring arms, Shall greet our eyes. Let some illustrious chief, Approach Cornubia's leaders, thence to note Their posture, strength, and number; (to prevail By fraud or force, alike is victory,) The cause of their fierce inroad to demand; And with fair shew of words, and specious gloss, Or else with terms allure, and proffer'd treaty, To some suspense of war. So may our vengeance Pour on their heads inevitable ruin." Thus spake the wily chief. The king approv'd. Mempricius, Malim, Galgacus, receive The royal mandate. To the hostile camp They bend their course: the heralds march before. Beyond the hills of Mendip, where the soil The grass nutritious, and the fragrant herb, Yields rarely, but the ore of useful lead |