A RECONCILIATION

EFFECTED BETWEEN THE TWO BROTHERS, BRENN AND BELINE, AT THE INTERCESSION OF THEIR MOTHER, CONUVENNA.

I

DARE to name ye sons, because I am your mother, yet
I doubt to term you brothers that do brotherhood forget.
These prodigies, their wrothful shields, forbodden foe to foe,
Do ill beseem allied hands, even yours allied so.

O, how seem Oedipus his sons in you again to strive?
How seem these swords in me (aye me) Jocasta to revive?
I would Dunwallo lived, or ere death, had lost again
His monarchy, sufficing fewer, but now too small for twain.
Then either would you, as did he, employ your wounds else-
where,

Or, for the smallness of your power, agree at least for fear.
But pride of rich and roomsome thrones, that wingeth now

your darts,

It will (I would not as I fear) work sorrow to your hearts. My sons, sweet sons, attend my words, your mother's words attend,

And for I am your mother, do conclude I am your friend : I cannot counsel, but entreat, nor yet I can entreat

But as a woman, and the same whose blood was once your

meat:

Hence had ye

milk (she bar'd her paps) these arms did hug ye oft:

These filed hands did wipe, did wrap, did rock, and lay ye

soft:

These lips did kiss, or eyes did weep, if that ye were unqu'et Then ply I did, with song, or sighs, with dance, with tongue or teat:

For these kind causes, dear my sons, disarm yourselves: if

not,

Then for these bitter tears that now your mother's cheeks

do spot:

Oft urge I son's and mother's names, names not to be forgot. j Send hence these soldiers: ye, my sons, and none but ye should fight:

When none should rather be as one, if nature had her right. What comfort, Beline? shall I speed? sweet Brenn, shall I

prevail?

Say yea, sweet youths, ah yea, say yea: or if I needs must

fail,

Say no: and then will I begin your battle with my bail, Then, then some stranger, not my sons, shall close me in the

earth

When we by armour oversoon shall meet, I fear, in death.' This said, with gushing tears eftsoons she plies the one and

other,

Till both did show themselves at length sons worthy such a

mother;

And with those hands, those alter'd hands, that lately threat'

ned blows,

They did embrace: becoming thus continual friends of foes.

Albion's England, by W. Warner,

B. III. Chap. xvi.

SUPPLEMENT.

1

SUPPLEMENT.

145

Notwithstanding the following incidental Remarks bear no relation to particular passages in the Extracts which compose these Volumes, yet they are intimately connected with some of the respective Authors from whom those Extracts are taken; and being in themselves both too foreign as well as too extensive for insertion in the course of the Notes, it was thought necessary to give them a place here.

IN

F. QUARLES.

In selecting from this author, I have been obliged to omit many of his beauties, from their unfortunate intermixture with the most unpardonable vulgarisms; in gathering flowers from such soils, weeds will unavoidably obtrude themselves; in order however that the elegance and exactness of some of his similies, which were too short to be admitted into the body of the book, may not be overlooked, I take the opportunity of introducing them to the reader here, and should think that critic more fastidious than clear-sighted, who should be displeased with them.

Even as the soil (which April's gentle showers

Have fill'd with sweetness, and enrich'd with flowers)
Rears up her suckling plants, still shooting forth
The tender blossoms of her timely birth,

But if deny'd the beams of cheerly May,
They hang their wither'd heads, and fade away;
VOL. II.

L