Song 4

55

The fourth Song.

✼ THE ARGUMENT.

England and Wales strive, in this Song,
To whether, Lundy doth belong:
When eithers Nymphs, to cleere the doubt,
By Musick meane to try it out.
Of mightie Neptune leave they aske:
Each one betakes her to her taske;
The Britaines, with the Harpe and Crowd:
The English, both with still and loud.
The Britaines chaunt King Arthurs glory:
The English sing their Saxons storie.
The Hills of Wales their weapons take,
And are an uprore like to make,
To keepe the English part in awe.
There’s heave, and shove, and hold, and draw;
That Severne can them scarce divide,
Till Judgment may the Cause decide.

his while in Sabrin’s Court strong factions strangely grew,
Since Cornwall for her owne, and as her proper due,
Claim’d Lundy, which was said to Cambria to belong,
Who oft had sought redresse for that her ancient wrong:
5But her inveterate Foe, borne-out by Englands might,
O’re-swaies her weaker power; that (now in eithers right)
As Severne finds no Flood so great, nor poorelie meane,
But that the naturall Spring (her force which doth maintaine)
a From this or that shee takes; so from this Faction free
10(Begun about this Ile) not one was like to bee.
This Lundy is a Nymph to idle toyes inclin’d;
And, all on pleasure set, doth whollie give her mind
To see upon her shores her Fowle and Conies fed,
§. And wantonlie to hatch the Birds of Ganimed.
15Of trafique or returne shee never taketh care:
Not provident of pelfe, as many Ilands are:
a From England or
Wales.