XVIII. On the late maffacre in Piemont. Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughter'd faints, whose bones Lie fcatter'd on the Alpine mountains cold; Ev'n them who kept thy truth so pure of old, When all our fathers worshipt stocks and stones, Forget not in thy book record their groans : Who were thy fheep, and in their ancient fold Their moans The vales redoubled to the hills, and they To Heav'n. Their martyr'd blood and ashes sow 10 O'er all th' Italian fields, where still doth sway The triple Tyrant; that from these may grow A hundred fold, who having learn'd thy way Early may fly the Babylonian woe. XIX. On his blindness. When I confider how my light is spent Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide, Lodg'd with me ufelefs, though my foul more bent To ferve therewith my Maker, and prefent My true account, left he returning chide; Doth God exact day-labor, light deny'd? I fondly afk: But patience to prevent 5 That That murmur, foon replies, God doth not need And poft o'er land and ocean without reft; XX. To Mr. LAWRENCE'. Lawrence, of virtuous father virtuous fon, The frozen earth, and clothe in fresh attire Of Attic tafte, with wine, whence we may rife IO 10 XXI. To CYRIAC SKINNER Cyriac, whose grandfire on the royal bench 10 And what the Swede intends, and what the French. To measure life learn thou betimes, and know Toward folid good what leads the nearest way; For other things mild Heav'n a time ordains, And difapproves that care, though wife in show: That with fuperfluous burden loads the day, And, when God fends a chearful hour, refrains. XXII. To the fame. Cyriac, this three years day these eyes, though clear, * Son of William Skinner, Efq; and grandfon of Sir Vincent Skinner; and his mother was Bridget, one of the daughters of the famous Sir Edward Coke Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench. Of 5 Of fun, or moon, or ftar, throughout the year, Of which all Europe talks from side to fide. This thought might lead me through the world's vain mafk Content though blind, had I no better guide. XXIII. On his deceased WIFE *. Methought I faw my late espoused faint Brought to me like Alceftis from the grave, Whom Jove's great son to her glad husband gave, Rescued from death by force, though pale and faint. Mine, as whom wash'd from spot of child-bed taint 5 Purification in the old Law did fave, And fuch, as yet once more I trust to have 10 * This was his fecond wife, Catharine the daughter of Captain Woodcock of Hackney, who lived with him not above a year after their marriage, and died in childbed of a daughter. So clear, as in no face with more delight. But O as to embrace me she inclin'd, I wak'd, fhe fled, and day brought back my night. XXIV. On occafion of the PLAGUE in LONDON. Found on a glafs window at Chalfont, in Buckinghamfhire, where Milton refided during the continuance of that calamity. [From Birch's Life.] Fair mirror of foul times; whose fragile sheen Shall, as it blazeth, break; while Providence (Aye watching o'er his faints with eye unseen) Spreads the red rod of angry peftilence, To fweep the wicked and their counsels hence; Yea, all to break the pride of luftful kings, Who heaven's lore reject for brutish sense; As erft he fcourg'd Jeffides' fin of yore, For the fair Hittite, when, on feraph's wings, He fent him war, or plague, or famine fore. PSALM S. |