When now he turns his last to wreak
The palizadoes of his beak,
The raging foe impatient,
Wrack'd with revenge, and fury rent,
Swift as the thunderbolt he strikes
Too sure upon the stand of pikes;
There she his naked breast doth hit,
And on the case of rapiers's split.
But ev'n in her expiring pangs
The heron's pounc'd within her phangs,
And so above she stoops to rise,
A trophee and a sacrifice;
Whilst her own bells in the sad fall
Ring out the double funerall.
Ah, victory, unhap'ly wonne!
Weeping and red is set the Sun;
Whilst the whole field floats in one tear,
And all the air doth mourning wear.
Close-hooded all thy kindred come
To pay their vows upon thy tombe;
The hobby<70.2> and the musket<70.3> too
Do march to take their last adieu.
The lanner<70.4> and the lanneret<70.5>
Thy colours bear as banneret;
The GOSHAWK and her TERCEL<70.6> rows'd
With tears attend thee as new bows'd,
All these are in their dark array,
Led by the various herald-jay.
But thy eternal name shall live
Whilst quills from ashes fame reprieve,
Whilst open stands renown's wide dore,
And wings are left on which to soar;
Doctor robbin, the prelate pye,
And the poetick swan, shall dye,
Only to sing thy elegie.
<70.1> i.e. VERVELS. See Halliwell's DICTIONARY OF ARCHAIC AND
PROVINCIAL WORDS, art.
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