THE CHILD BIRTH.

IN THE MANNER OF GAY.

THE doleful dumps I fing, and tearful woes,

Of MARIAN teeming with unlawful throes: The sheenest lafs in Berkshire was she known, Of all that butter fell to Reading town: Not the fev'n fifters could o'er her prevail, The golden farmer's daughters of the vale, Tho' every Oxford muse their charms has fung, And graveft doctors * join'd the tuneful throng.

Ye peers! who careless of ambition, chuse
To court the labours of the past'ral muse;
And all the wond'rous bards who try the lay,
Where black Cam rolls, or Ifis' eddies play,
Affift the labours of an humble swain,
Rude to the pipe, and novice on the plain.

;

Nine months fucceffive now had rolled round Since MARIAN firft the pleasing mischief found In vain her hands had cull'd th' abortive weed, Nor aught avail'd the 'pothecary's aid:

*The Rev. Dr WILKES wrote a poem upon them.

Her womb began with fatal fize to fwell,
And fickening qualms the blushful fecret tell :
Then all in fad despair she made her moan,
Lodona's waters echoed groan for groan.

"Ah! faithlefs COLIN CLOUT! ah, lucklefs I!
"And canst thou, cruel! from thy MARIAN fly?
"How often haft thou fuck'd my panting breath?
"How often fwore to love me true till death?
"But to the Juftice I'll reveal my plight,
"And with a constable pursue thy flight.

"Ah! how unequal, as our parfon preaches, "Are this world's goods! and fure he rightly teaches; "For what to maidens brings eternal stain, "(Sad management !) gives honour to the swain. ""Twas on the blitheft morn of all the year, "When new-born May bids ev'ry fhepherd chear; "When artful maids their rival fancies show, "And well-wrought garlands bloom on every bough; "When gaudy fairs bespangle ev'ry street, "And lowing cows the novel pasture greet; "Fresh rose I, MARIAN hight, from rustic bed, "The morning dream ftill hov'ring o'er my head; Gay fhews and sweethearts had employ'd my thought,

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"The kifs imprinted, and the fairing bought!
"From lavender I drew the tucker'd smock,
"And hosen boastful of a various clock;
"The filver'd knot well fcollop'd on my head,

"And donn'd the funday gown berob'd with red.

"Thus all bedight, and ready for the fair, "I fat impatient with a wiftful air,

Expecting COLIN CLOUT, my perjur'd fwain, "Who always follow'd MARIAN on the plain : "With him the moon-light walk I us'd to tread, "With him I danc'd upon the fportive mead; "That very morn had taught the fnails to crawl, "And print mysterious letters on the wall. "At length he came, and I with joyous meed "Mounted behind him on the pillion'd fteed: "Sweetly I fung, he whiftled to the lay, "Sweetly I fung the fong, and fung the day: "What beauteous fcenes began the tuneful tale! "And next I humm'd the fweets of Arno's vale; "Then MOLLY MOGG, fair damfel of the Rose, “And lovely PEGGY, tafte of London beaux. "And now in view gay Reading strikes our eyes, "And all the dainties of the fair arife: "Here* Birmingham its boasted ware displays, "There leather breeches hight, and bodice stays; "Here pofied garters flutter'd in the way, "There painted hobby-horfes feem to neigh; "Here belles in gingerbread all gilded over, "And little gew-gaw Ys act the lover. Shepherds and nymphs from every part repair, "All who from Oxford hills direct the fhare,

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* A town famous for working in fteel.
Q

"Who fell the forest, or who mow the mead, "Or drag in little boats the finny breed:

"Her wide-mouth'd fons low-feated Henley sends, "And fmoky Okingham it's tribute lends. "But far did MARIAN all the rest outvie, "No cheek fo ruddy, nor fo black an eye; "Scarce DOLLY C----K the daughter of the may'r, "With all the flaxen ringlets of her hair, "With all the fnowy fulness of her breast, "In blithfome features might with me contest. "All youths ambitiously around me ftrove, "Each gave fome chofen emblem of his love; "One queintly bought the garters for my thighs, "While fimple archness fparkled in his eyes. "But all their fairings unfuccefsful prove, "Still true to COLIN CLOUT I held my love. -Ah! fly deceiver! you enclafp'd my arm, "And feem'd my faviour, while you meant my harm; "Far too unequal was the high reward,

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"My maidenhead must pay thee for thy guard; "Already warm'd with joy you win my heart, "And ftamp a little COLIN e'er we part. "Yet now, when nature fills my womb, to fly

Nor yet one tear to iffue from thine eye

'My flighted love to quick refentment turns ; "Lo my blood rifes, and my cheek all burns! "O could I tear thee as I tear this glove"Go, horrid monfter! I defpife thy love,

"Thy oaths I quit, thy fairings I refign,

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Forget, renounce thee, hate whate'er was thine. *No christian mother bound thy infant head, "Some Turk begat thee, or fome Papist bred; "Or dropt on Cambrian hills, a fquallid brat, "Some fhe-goat fuckled thee with favage teat.

σε

-Go to thy drab, whoe'er has won thy heart, "And may the pox devouring make thee fmart; "My vengeful ghost shall haunt thee o'er the plain, "Yes, thou fhalt fuffer, villain, for my pain. "But ah! my rage relents, my forrow flows; "Come COLIN,! faithlefs fhepherd! cafe my woes. "And muft I in the sheet opprobrious stand?

"Thy plight is troth'd, ah! come and give thy hand: My conscience starts, whene'er I hear a knell,

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"And is a little love deferving hell?

"Too hard a penance for a sin so flight!
"Ah how my heart mifgives me every night?

*Nec tibi diva parens, generis nec Dardanus auctor, Perfide, fed duris genuit te cautibus horrens Caucafus, Hyrcanaque admorunt ubera tigres.

+1, fequere Italiam ventis, &c.

Spero equidem mediis, fiquid pia numina, &c.

Omnibus umbra locis adero, dabis, improbe, panas.

An. 4.