Page:Poems of Anne Countess of Winchilsea 1903.djvu/414

276 THE POEMS OF ANNE �Here too, sh' has slept without her train of fears. �Only because we said she might dismisse them 40 �And when she talk'd of seizing and confinement, �We bid her think herself as free as air; �And shall we now, to that, convert our words, �Making them lighter then the chaff itt plays with �Oh no! my Lord, she is, she shall be free. �Laur. She shall, and curs' d be he that wou'd opose itt, She shall be free, on me repose that trust. �Avb. 'Tis lodg'd in us, and when we give itt up, Our honour, at that moment we resign. �And think my Lord, what we have done for honour, 50 �Who when th' Imperial Turk came proudly on, Folio w'd by numbers, countlesse as the stars, T' exact a shamefull tribute worse then death, With handfulls, in that cause, repuls'd the Tyrant And struck him, in his Tent, with such dispair, As made his Soul, a sacrafice to peace, That long had trembl'd, underneath his fury. Oh! Lauredan, lett Venice still remember 'Twas honour, made us stem that high wrought tide, And force an ebb on that prodigious Sea. 60 �And since 'tis in this cause as much engag'd, Tell 'em, that with like vigour wee'll maintain it. �Laur. My Lord I've done, but cou'd me thinks have wisht, That ere you'd urg'd so fully your refusall, The reasons might have been at large discuss' d, On which the Senate built this fair request. �[To Aub �Vil. The reasons, ought to have been heard, my Lord. �Lin. We're all concern' d, and tis no private cause. �Rivalt. 'Tis fitt, that Venice who bestows that Crown, Shou'd in her pow'r, haue all that are pretenders; 70 �We are not to decide whose right itt is. ��� �