108
COWLEY'S POEMS.
To perfect his distracted nation's cure,
Or stop the fatal bondage 't was t' endure;
Yet for his pains he soon did him remove,
From all th'oppression and the woe
Of his frail body's native soil below,
To his soul's true and peaceful country above:
So Godlike kings, for secret causes, known
Sometimes but to themselves alone,
One of their ablest ministers elect,
And send abroad to treaties which they' intend
Shall never take effect;
But, though the treaty wants a happy end,
The happy agent wants not the reward,
For which he labour'd faithfully and hard;
His just and righteous master calls him home,
And gives him, near himself, some honourable room.
Or stop the fatal bondage 't was t' endure;
Yet for his pains he soon did him remove,
From all th'oppression and the woe
Of his frail body's native soil below,
To his soul's true and peaceful country above:
So Godlike kings, for secret causes, known
Sometimes but to themselves alone,
One of their ablest ministers elect,
And send abroad to treaties which they' intend
Shall never take effect;
But, though the treaty wants a happy end,
The happy agent wants not the reward,
For which he labour'd faithfully and hard;
His just and righteous master calls him home,
And gives him, near himself, some honourable room.
Noble and great endeavours did he bring
To save his country, and restore his king;
And, whilst the manly half of him (which those
Who know not Love, to be the whole suppose)
Perform'd all parts of virtue's vigorous life;
The beauteous half, his lovely wife,
Did all his labours and his cares divide;
Nor was a lame nor paralytic side:
In all the turns of human state,
And all th'unjust attacks of Fate,
She bore her share and portion still,
And would not suffer any to be ill.
Unfortunate for ever let me be,
If I believe that such was he,
To save his country, and restore his king;
And, whilst the manly half of him (which those
Who know not Love, to be the whole suppose)
Perform'd all parts of virtue's vigorous life;
The beauteous half, his lovely wife,
Did all his labours and his cares divide;
Nor was a lame nor paralytic side:
In all the turns of human state,
And all th'unjust attacks of Fate,
She bore her share and portion still,
And would not suffer any to be ill.
Unfortunate for ever let me be,
If I believe that such was he,
