Haft thou no verse, no hymn, or folemn strein, To welcome him to this his new abode,

Now while the Heav'n by the Suns team untrod, Hath took no print of the approaching light, And all the spangled host keep watch in squadrons bright?

4.

See how from far upon the Eastern rode
The Star-led Wifards hafte with odours sweet,
O run, prevent them with thy humble ode,
And lay it lowly at his bleffed feet;

Have thou the honour first, thy Lord to greet,
And joyn thy voice unto the Angel Quire,
From out his fecret Altar toucht with hallow'd fire.

THE HYMN.

I.

Ir was the Winter wilde,

While the Heav'n-born childe,

All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies; Nature in awe to him

Had doff't her gawdy trim,

With her great Master so to sympathize:

It was no season then for her

To wanton with the Sun her lufty Paramour.

Only with speeches fair

She woo's the gentle Air

2.

To hide her guilty front with innocent Snow, And on her naked fhame,

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Pollute with finfull blame,

The Saintly Veil of Maiden white to throw, Confounded, that her Makers

eyes

Should look fo near upon her foul deformities.

3.

But he her fears to cease,

Sent down the meek-ey'd Peace,

She crown'd with Olive green, came softly sliding Down through the turning sphear

His ready Harbinger,

With turtle wing the amorous clouds dividing, And waving wide her mirtle wand,

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She strikes a univerfal Peace through Sea and Land.

4.

No War, or Battels found

Was heard the World around

The idle Spear and Shield were high up hung, The hooked Chariot stood

Unftain'd with hoftile blood,

The Trumpet spake not to the armed throng, And Kings fate still with awfull eye,

As if they furely knew their fovran Lord was by.

5.

But peacefull was the night

Wherein the Prince of light

His raign of peace upon the earth began: The Winds with wonder whift,

Smoothly the waters kist,

Whispering new joyes to the milde Ocean,

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Who now hath quite forgot to rave,

[wave. While Birds of Calm fit brooding on the charmed

6.

The Stars with deep amaze

Stand fixt in ftedfast gaze,

Bending one way their pretious influence, And will not take their flight,

For all the morning light,

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Or Lucifer that often warn'd them thence; But in their glimmering Orbs did glow, Untill their Lord himself befpake, and bid them go.

7.

And though the fhady gloom

Had given day her room,

The Sun himself with-held his wonted speed, And hid his head for shame,

As his inferiour flame,

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The new enlightn'd world no more should need ;

He faw a greater Sun appear

[bear.

Then his bright Throne, or burning Axletree could

8.

The Shepherds on the Lawn,

Or ere the point of dawn,

Sate fimply chatting in a rustick row ;

Full little thought they than,

That the mighty Pan

Was kindly come to live with them below; 90

Perhaps their loves, or else their sheep,

Was all that did their filly thoughts fo bufie keep.

9.

When fuch mufick fweet

Their hearts and ears did greet,

As never was by mortal finger strook, Divinely-warbl❜d voice

Answering the ftringed noise,

As all their fouls in blissfull rapture took :

The Air such pleasure loth to lose,

[close.

With thousand echo's ftill prolongs each heav'nly

IO.

Nature that heard fuch found

Beneath the hollow round

Of Cynthia's feat, the Airy region thrilling, Nor was almost won

To think her part was done,

ΙΟΙ

And that her reign had here its last fulfilling;

She knew fuch harmony alone

Could hold all Heav'n and Earth in happier union.

That with long beams the shame-fac't night ar

The helmed Cherubim

And fworded Seraphim,

[ray'd,

Are seen in glittering ranks with wings difplaid, Harping in loud and folemn quire,

With unexpreffive notes to Heav'ns new-born Heir.

12.

Such Mufick (as 'tis faid)
Before was never made,

But when of old the fons of morning fung, While the Creator great

His Constellations fet,

And the well-ballanc't world on hinges hung, And caft the dark foundations deep,

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[keep.

And bid the weltring waves their oozy channel

13.

Ring out ye Crystall sphears,

Once blefs our humane ears,

(If ye

have power to touch our fenfes fo)

And let your filver chime

Move in melodious time;

And let the Base of Heav'ns deep Organ blow, And with your ninefold harmony

Make up full confort to th'Angelike fymphony.

For if fuch holy Song

Enwrap our fancy long,

14.

Time will run back, and fetch the age

And fpeckl'd vanity

Will ficken foon and die,

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of gold,

And leprous fin will melt from earthly mould, And Hell it felf will pass away,

And leave her dolorous manfions to the peering day.

15.

Yea Truth, and Justice then

Will down return to men,

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Orb'd in a Rain-bow; and like glories wearing

Mercy will fit between,

Thron'd in Celestial sheen,