65.

O all-preparing Providence divine,

In thy large book what secrets are enrolled! What sundry helps doth thy great power assign, To prop the course which thou intend'st to hold! What mortal sense is able to define

Thy mysteries, thy counsels manifold?

It is thy Wisdom strangely that extends
Obscure proceedings to apparent ends.

66.

This was the means by which the Fates dispose
More dreadful plagues upon that age, to bring
Utter confusion on the heads of those
That were before the Barons' ruining;
With the subversion of the public's foes,
The murder of the miserable King;

And that which 'came castrophe to all,
Great Mortimer's inevitable fall.

67.

This to these troubles lends a little breath, As the first pause to hearten this affair, And for a while defers oft-threatening death, Whilst each their breach by leisure would repair, And as a bound their fury limiteth.

But in this manner whilst things strangely fare, Horror beyond all wonted bounds doth swell, As the next Canto fearfully shall tell.

THE SECOND CANTO.

THE ARGUMENT.

At Burton Bridge the puissant powers are met;
The form and order of the doubtful fight,
Whereas the King the victory doth get,
And the proud Barons are enforced to flight;
When they again towards Borough forward set,
Where they by him were vanquished outright:
Lastly, the laws do execute their power

On those which there the sword did not devour.

I.

THIS chance of war, that suddenly had swept So large a share from their selected store, Which for their help they carefully had kept, That to their aid might still have added more, By this ill luck into their army crept, Made them much weaker than they were before: So that the Barons reinforced their bands, Finding their hearts to stand in need of hands.

2.

For deadly hate so long and deeply rooted,
Could not abide to hear the name of peace,
So that discretion but a little booted
'Gainst that, thereby which only did increase:
For the least grief by malice was promoted,
Anger set on, beginning to surcease;

So that all counsel much their ears offended
But what to spoil and sad invasion tended.

3.

All up in action for the public cause,
Scarcely the mean'st but he a party stood,
Taxed by the letter of the censuring laws
In his estate, if failing in his blood;
And who was freest, entangled by some clause;
Which to their fury gives continual food,

For where confusion once hath gotten hold,
Till all fall flat, it hardly is controlled.

4.

And now by night, whenas pale leaden sleep Upon their eyelids heavily did dwell

And step by step on every sense did creep,
Mischief, that black inhabitant of hell,
Which never fails continual watch to keep,
Fearful to think, a horrid thing to tell,

Entered the place whereas those warlike lords
Lay mailed in armour, girt with ireful swords.

5.

She, with a sharp sight and a meagre look, Was always prying where she might do ill, In which the fiend continual pleasure took (Her starvéd body plenty could not fill), Searching in every corner, every nook, With wingéd feet, too swift to work her will, Furnished with deadly instruments she went Of every sort, to wound where so she meant.

B

6.

Having a vial filled with baneful wrath (Brought from Cocytus by that cursed spright), Which in her pale hand purposely she hath, And drops the poison upon every wight; For to each one she knew the ready path, Though in the midst and dead time of the night; Whose strength too soon invadeth every Peer, Not one escaped her that she cometh near.

7.

That the next morning breaking in the east, With a much troubled and affrighted mind, Each whom this venom lately did infest, The strong effect in their swoln stomachs find; Now doth the poison boil in every breast, To sad destruction every one's inclined; Rumours of spoil through every ear doth fly, And threatening fury sits in every eye.

8.

This done, in haste she to King Edward hies, Who late grown proud upon his good success, His time to feasts and wantonness applies, And with crowned cups his sorrows doth suppress, Upon his fortune wholly that relies,

And in the bosom of his courtly press,

Vaunteth the hap of this victorious day,

Whilst the sick land in sorrow pines away.

9.

Thither she comes, and in a minion's shape
She getteth near the person of the King;
And as he tastes the liquor of the grape,

Into the cup her poison she doth wring:
Not the least drop untainted doth escape,
For to that purpose she her store did bring :
Whose strong commixture, as the sequel tried,
Filled his hot veins with arrogance and pride.

IO.

That having both such courage and such might As to so great a business did belong,

Neither yet think by their unnatural fight
What the Republic suffered them among :
For misty error so deludes their sight

(Which still betwixt them and clear reason hung),
And their opinions in such sort abused,
As that their fault can never be excused.

II.

Now our Minerva puts on dreadful arms
Further to wade into this bloody war,
And from her slumber wakened with alarms
Riseth to sing of many a massacre,
Of gloomy magics and benumbing charms,
Of many a deep wound, many a fearful scar:

For that low sock wherein she used to tread,
Marching in greaves, a helmet on her head.