l693-] I^' PKAISE OF RODRIGUEZ. 129 



And let uo more hurt ever happen to thee, 



Than what 1 wou'd do thee ! 



Further, 



I cou'd not leave thee this Memorial, 



In a more Universal and more Noble^ Tongue, 



Than that of Glorious and Formidable France^ 



My Dear and Desolate Country. 



Given in the Palace of the Eight Kings of Rodrigo, 



The Twenty First of the Month we call May, 

 And the Year which the Christians, Successors to the 



Israelites, 



Compute to be One thousand six hundred ninety three 



After the coming of the Messias : 



The fourth Year of the Reign 



Of the Most Wise and most INIighty Princes, 



WILLIAM and MARY, 



Defenders of the Faith, 



Restorers of Religion, 



And of Liberty when they were shaken in Europe.^ 



In that year of the World which no true Learned Man 



Will ever be so bold as to pretend to Design, 



Thou 



Little and lovely Island, 



I wou'd render thee famous above all the Isles of the East, . 



If my Power was answerable to my Will ; 



My Mouth confesses from the abundance of my Heart, 



That my Soul is touch'd with Sorrow,^ 



Now I am about to leave thy wholesom Air, 



Thy good Palm- Wine, thy excellent IVIelons ; 



Thy Solitaries ; thy Lamentines ; 



Thy Hills always Verdant ; 



The clear Water of thy Rivers ; 



Thy fruitful and smiling Sun ; 



And all thy Innocent and Rare Delights. 



Can I forget the precious Treasure of Liberty ? 



Thou shalt never be call'd Barren, 



trince thou broughtest us forth Plenty of exquisite Meats ; 



And at the Day of Eternal Doom,* 



A new ISAAC who has been sown in Corruption 



1 Plus honoree. 



2 In orig. : " que I'Europe voyoit ebranlee." 



3 In orig. : "triste regret." 



* In oriof. : " Retablissement eternel." 



