Repays with wealth immense the searchers toil;

And the fam'd cavern, from whose mouth the voice

Of Fate oft speaks in thunder, or compell'd

With mystic rites, and spells of dreadful pow'r,

The regions of the gloomy dead give up

Their dreadful secrets, had Cornubia pass'd,
Vainly presumptuous, deeming to surprize
With swift incursion, in his secret bower
By Avon, and the stream to future times
By Sabra's fate renown'd, th' unguarded king.
But now the scouts report, the gather'd pow'rs
From Tamar to Alaunus, by the wave

Of Sture encamp'd, and Locrine's rapid march.
Cornubia's chief, Belinus, to Corineus

By kindred race allied, by friendship more;

Straight gives command, and with converted ensigns

The host moves onward, with impetuous course.

And now Ebrancus to the right his station

Okey Hole.

Fixes against the stream, which winding flows

By sacred Glastonbury, and the isle

Of fabled Avalon, and seeks the sea.

Hymner, Vigenius, Elidaucus, plant

Their banners on the left, where its dark shade

The forest spreads." The middle space the bands

By Danius, Lago, and Molmutius led;

And those which under brave Rudaucus came;

Andragius, Urianus, and the strength

Of Brennus, fam'd for many an hardy deed,

Possess'd. With these in arms the marshal'd pow'rs

Of Capis, Ænus, and Bleduno join.

Catellus, and Gerontius, Leoline

By Pallas lov'd, the prudent and the brave.

And young Sisilius, whose well-practis'd limbs.
Oft on the sand the sinewy wrestler foil'd.

And huge Gorbodion, fam'd for brutal strength,
But headstrong, fierce, inexorable: war

Selwood.

His sole delight, to cruel deeds inur'd.

Maglaunus, Peridurus: one on foot

Shakes in the foremost rank his mighty spear,
While two proud coursers, like the winds in speed,"
Whirl bold Maglaunus o'er th' ensanguin'd plain,
Thron'd in the glitt'ring car. Now great Belinus
Darts o'er the growing camp his watchful eye,
And bids his legions round the vast extent

Raise the high rampart. In the trench profound,
Compell'd from his accustom'd bed, the stream
Reluctant flows. Each to his several post
The stated guards repair, and in six bands
Six valiant chiefs obey: Gorbodion, Capys,
Vigenius, Lago, godlike Leoline,

And Elidaucus, gay with golden arms.

And now Loëgria's embassy approach'd

Where Leoline held watch. The chief, who saw

The heralds' holy ensigns, and the troop

Few and unarm'd, springs from the mound, and bids

Unbar the massy gates; then mildly thus:

"Whoe'er ye be, that thus in friendly guisé

Approach our lines, by holy heralds led;

Fearless advance, and freely speak your purpose.
Dear to the gods, who see with pitying eyes
Man's wretched race, as emulous of woe,

Rushing with frantic rage to mutual slaughter,
Ye come, perhaps, the messengers of peace."
Mempricius thus replies, "Yes, generous chief,
Whose prudent words bespeak a noble mind,
We come, indeed, the messengers of peace,

From kingly Locrine, whose paternal eye

Grieving beholds the ills which threat his people.

Then lead us to Belinus, and convene

Cornubia's heroes, that th' assembled council

May learn our monarch's worth, and war no more

To impious fury urge our kindred swords."

He ended. Leoline thus answer'd glad.

"Whate'er thy message, be it peace or war,

We know, and we respect the sacred laws

Which heav'n prescribes the nations. Of safe conduct,

And all observance meet, proceed secure.

If peace thou bring'st, most welcome: for we draw

The sword of justice, not of wild ambition.”

So saying, on he march'd: Loëgria's heroes Pursue his steps. The great Belinus now Summons the leaders. His capacious tent Receives the warlike train. High-thron'd o'er all Appears their injur'd queen, and by her side

Her blooming son. In royal state she sate;

For since Persephone's relentless power
Extinguish❜d great Corineus' noble life,

To her, his daughter, and her youthful Madan,

His people vow'd their homage. Next the throne

Belinus stood: the rest in order round.

Loëgria's chiefs advance: Mempricius thus

With studied speech the purpos'd fraud pursues.
Princes, and leaders of Cornubia's pow'rs,

And thou great queen, before whose awful throne
We bow submissive; may th' immortal gods,

Upon whose nod the fates of empire wait,