Son gouverneur qui se trouble
S'enfuit sous son dernier mur.
Déjà jusques à ses portes
Je voy monter nos cohortes,
La flame & le fer en main :
Et sur les monceaux de piques,

De corps morts, de rocs, de briques,
S'ouvrir un large chemin.

XVI.

C'en est fait. Je viens d'entendre
Sur ces rochers éperdus

Battre un signal pour se rendre :
Le feu-cesse. Ils sont rendus.
Dépouillez votre arrogance,
Fiers ennemis de la France,
Et desormais gracieux,
Allez à Liege, à Bruxelles,
Porter les humbles nouvelles
De Namur pris à vos yeux.

150

160

Leave them behind you, honest friend;
And with your countrymen retire.
Your ode is spoilt; Namur is freed;

*

For Dixmuyd something yet is due:
So good Count Guiscard may proceed;
But Boufflers, Sir, one word with you-

XVI.

Tis done. In sight of these commanders,
Who neither fight, nor raise the siege,

160

The foes of France march safe through Flanders; Divide to Bruxelles, or to Liege.

Send, Fame, this news to Trianon,

That Boufflers may new honours gain :
He the same play by land has shown,
As Tourville did upon the main,†

Yet is the marshal made a peer !

O William, may thy arms advance; That he may lose Dinant next year, And so be constable of France.

170

Count Guiscard was commander of the town of Namur. Marshal Boufflers of the castle there.

†M. de Tourville was commander of the French squadron which engaged Admiral Russell in 1692, off La Hogue.

PRESENTED TO THE KING,

AT HIS ARRIVAL IN HOLLAND, AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF THE CONSPIRACY,* MDCXCVI.

Serus in cœlum redeas; diuque
Lætus intersis populo Quirini:

Neve te nostris vitiis iniquum

Ocyor aura

Tollat

HOR. ad Augustum.

E careful angels, whom eternal Fate
Ordains, on earth and human acts to

wait;

Who turn with secret power this rest-
less ball,

And bid predestin'd empires rise and fall:
Your sacred aid religious monarchs own,
When first they merit, then ascend the throne:
But tyrants dread ye, lest your just decree
Transfer the power, and set the people free.
See rescu'd Britain at your altars bow;
And hear her hymns your happy care avow:
That still her axes and her rods support
The judge's frown, and grace the awful court;
That Law with all her pompous terror stands,

10

This conspiracy is generally called the Assassination Plot. Sir John Fenwick was executed for being concerned in it.