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The following ODE is founded on a Tradition current in Wales, that Edward THE FIRST, when he compleated the conquest of that country, ordered all the Bards, that fell into his hands, to be put to death.

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UIN feize thee, ruthless King!

Confufion on thy banners wait,

"Tho' fann'd by Conqueft's crimson wing

They mock the air with idle ftate.

"Helm

Mocking the air with colours idly spread.

Shakespeare's King John.

"Helm, nor* Hauberk's twifted mail,

"Nor even thy virtues, Tyrant, fhall avail "To fave thy fecret foul from nightly fears, "From Cambria's curse, from Cambria's tears!" Such were the sounds, that o'er the + crested pride Of the firft Edward fcatter'd wild difmay, As down the steep of ‡ Snowdon's fhaggy fide He wound with toilfome march his long array.

Stout

*The Hauberk was a texture of fteel ringlets, or rings interwoven, forming a coat of mail, that fate close to the body, and adapted itfelf to every

motion.

+

The crefted adder's pride.

Dryden's Indian Queen. Snowdon was a name given by the Saxons to that mountainous tract, which the Welch themfelves call Craigian-eryri : it included all the highlauds of Caernarvonshire and Merionethfhire, as far east as the river Conway. R. Hygden, fpeaking of the caftle of Conway built by King Edward I. fays, "Ad ortum amnis Conway ad clivum montis "Erery ;" and Matthew of Westminster, (ad ann. 1283,) "Apud Aberconway ad pedes montis. "Snowdoniæ fecit erigi caftrum forte."

Stout

To arms

Glo'fter ftood aghaft in fpeechlefs trance:

cried + Mortimer, and couch'd his

quiv'ring lance.

I. 2.

On a rock, whofe haughty brow

Frowns o'er old Conway's foaming flood,

Rob'd in the fable garb of woe,

With haggard eyes the Poet ftood;

(Loofe his beard, and hoary hair

§ Stream'd, like a meteor, to the troubled air)

"And

* Gilbert de Clare, furnamed the Red, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, fon-in-law to K. Edward. + Edmond de Mortimer, Lord of Wigmore. They both were Lords-Marchers, whose lands lay on the borders of Wales, and probably accompa nied the King in this expedition.

The image was taken from a well-known picture of Raphaël, reprefenting the Supreme Being in the vision of Ezekiel: there are two of these paintings (both believed original) one at Florence, the other at Paris.

Shone, like a meteor, fireaming to the wind.
Milton's Paradife Loft.

And with a Mafter's hand, and Prophet's fire,
Struck the deep forrows of his lyre.

"Hark, how each giant-oak, and defert cave,

66 Sighs to the torrent's awful voice beneath!

"O'er thee, oh King! their hundred arms they

wave,

"Revenge on thee in hoarfer murmurs breathe; "Vocal no more, fince Cambria's fatal day,

"To high-born Hoel's harp, or foft Llewellyn's

lay.

I. 3.

"Cold is Cadwallo's tongue,

"That hufh'd the ftormy main :

"Brave Urien fleeps upon his craggy bed:

"Mountains, ye mourn in vain

"Modred, whofe magic fong

"Made huge Plinlimmon bow his cloud-top'd

head,

"On

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