THE OAK. 7 



and the Briar, in his Shepherd's Calendar, 

 which, as being of true Englifh growth, I 

 (hall copy. 



There grew an aged tree on the green, 

 A goodly oak fometime had it been, 

 With arms full ftrong and largely difplay'd, 

 But of their leaves they were difarray'd : 

 The body big and mightily pight, 

 Throughly rooted, and of wondrous height} 

 Whylom had been the king of the field, 

 And mochel maft to the hufband did yield, 

 And with his nuts larded many fwine ; 

 But now the gray mofs marred his rine, 

 His bared boughs were beaten with ftorms, 

 His top was bald and wafted with worms, 

 His honour decay 'd, his branches fere. 



February. 



A more exact vifible reprefentation of 

 the fame object cannot be given, than by 

 the figure of the old oak of Cowthorpe, 

 Yorkfliire, which meafures fixteen yards in 

 circumference within three feet of the 

 ground, in Dr. Hunter's edition of Evelyn's 

 Sylva. 



B 4 THE 



