To his Excellency the Lord Privy Seal, on the Prospect of Peace

"——sacerdos Fronde super Mitram, & felici comptus Oliva."2VIRG.

ontending kings and fields of death too long Have been the subject of the British song. Who hath not read of fam'd Ramillia's plain, Bavaria's fall, and Danube chok'd with slain? Exhausted themes! a gentler note I raise, And sing returning Peace in softer lays. Their fury quell'd, and martial rage allay'd, I wait our heroes in the sylvan shade. Disbanding hosts are imag'd to my mind, And warring pow'rs in friendly leagues combin'd, While ease and pleasure make the nations smile, And Heav'n and Anna bless Britannia's isle. Well sends our queen her mitred Bristol forth, For early counsels fam'd and long-try'd worth, Who thirty rolling years had oft' withheld The Swede and Saxon from the dusty field, Completely form'd to heal the Christian wounds, To name the kings, and give each kingdom bounds, The face of ravag'd Nature to repair, By leagues to soften earth, and Heav'n by pray'r, To gain by love where rage and slaughter fail, And make the crosier o'er the sword prevail. So when great Moses with Jehovah's wand Had scatter'd plagues o'er stubborn Pharaoh's land, Now spread an host of locusts round the shore, Now turn'd Nile's fatt'ning streams to putrid gore, Plenty and gladness mark'd the priest of God, And sudden almonds shot from Aaron's rod. O Thou! from whom these bounteous blessings flow, To whom as chief the hopes of Peace we owe, (For next to thee, the man whom kings contend To style companion, and to make their friend, Great Strafford! rich in ev'ry courtly grace, With joyful pride accepts the second place) From Britain's isle and Isis' sacred spring One hour, oh! listen while the Muses sing. Tho' ministers of mighty monarchs wait With beating hearts to learn their masters' fate, One hour forbear to speak thy queen's commands, Nor think the world thy charge neglected stands; The blissful prospects in my verse display'd May lure the stubborn, the deceiv'd persuade; Ev'n thou to Peace shalt speedier urge the way, And more be hasten'd by this short delay.