Who prowl'd the country far and near,
Bewitch'd the children of the peasants,
Dry'd up the cows, and lam'd the deer,
And fuck'd the eggs, and kill'd the pheafants.

My Lady heard their joint petition,

Swore by her coronet and ermine, .

She'd iffue out her high commiflion

To rid the manour of fuch vermin.

The Heroines undertook the task,

Thro' lanes unknown, o'er ftiles they ventur'd,
Rapp'd at the door, nor ftay'd to afk,

But bounce into the parlour enter'd.

The trembling family they daunt,

They flirt, they fing, they laugh, they tattle,
Rummage his Mother, pinch his Aunt,

And up ftairs in a whirlwind rattle.

Each hole and cupboard they explore,

Each creek and cranny of his chamber,

Run hurry-furry round the floor, And o'er the bed and tefter clamber,

Into the Draw'rs and China pry,

Papers and books, a huge Imbroglio!
Under a tea-cup he might lie,

Or creas'd, like dogs-ears in a folio.

On

On the first marching of the troops The Mufes, hopeless of his pardon, Convey'd him underneath their hoops To a fmall clofet in the garden.

So Rumour fays. (Who will, believe)

But that they left the door a-jarr,

Where, fafe and laughing in his fleeve, He heard the diftant din of war.

Short was his joy. He little knew,

The power of Magic was no fable.

Out of the window, whisk they flew,

But left a pell upon the table.

The

C 5

The words too eager to unriddle

The poet felt a ftrange diforder:

Tranfparent birdlime form'd the middle,

And chains invifible the border.

So cunning was the apparatus,

The powerful pot-hooks did fo move him,
That, will he, nill he, to the Great-house
He went, as if the Devil drove him.

Yet on his way (no fign of grace, For folks in fear are apt to pray)

To Phœbus he prefer'd his cafe,

And begg'd his aid that dreadful day.

The

The God-head would have back'd his quarrel,

But with a blush, on recollection

Own'd, that his quiver and his laurel 'Gainst four such eyes were no protection.

The Court was fate, the Culprit there, Forth from their gloomy manfions creeping The Lady Janes and Joans repair,

And from the gallery ftand peeping.

Such as in filence of the night

Come (fweep) along fome winding entry

(*Styack has often feen the fight)

Or at the chapel-door ftand fentry,

*The HOUSE-KEEPER.

In