With Aaron I delighted went, His Favour was my Bliss and Pride; In growing Hope our Days we spent, Love, growing Charms in either spied, It saw them, all which Nature lent, It lent them, all which she denied. Could I the Father’s Kindness prize, Or grateful Looks on him bestow; Whom I beheld in wrath arise, When Aaron sank beneath his Blow? He drove him down with wicked Hand, It was a dreadful Sight to see; Then vex’d him, till he left the Land, And told his cruel Love to me;-- The Clan were all at his Command, Whatever his Command might be. The Night was dark, the Lanes were deep, And one by one, they took their way; He bade me lay me down and sleep, I only wept and wish’d for Day. Accursed be the Love he bore,-- Accursed was the Force he us’d,-- So let him of his GOD implore For Mercy, and be so refus’d! You frown again,--to show my Wrong, Can I in gentle Language speak? My Woes are deep, my Words are strong,-- And hear me, or my Heart will break. MAGISTRATE. I hear thy Words, I feel thy Pain; Forbear awhile to speak thy Woes; Receive our Aid, and then again, The Story of thy Life disclose. For, though seduc’d and led astray, Thou’st traveil’d far and wander’d long; Thy GOD hath seen thee all the way, And all the Turns that led thee wrong. THE HALL OF JUSTICE. Part the Second. Quondam ridentes oculi, nunc fonte perenni Deplorant pœnas nocte dieque suas. CORN. Galli Eleg. MAGISTRATE Come, now again thy Woes impart, Tell all thy Sorrows, all thy Sin; We cannot heal the throbbing Heart, Till we discern the Wounds within. Compunction weeps our Guilt away, The Sinner’s Safety is his Pain; Such Pangs for our Offences pay, And these severer Griefs are Gain. VAGRANT. The Son came back--he found us wed, Then dreadful was the Oath he swore;-- His Way through _Blackburn_ Forest led,-- His Father we beheld no more. Of all our daring Clan, not one, Would on the doubtful Subject dwell; For all esteem’d the injur’d Son, And fear’d the Tale, which he could tell. But I had mightier Cause for Fear, For slow and mournful round my Bed, I saw a dreadful Form appear,-- It came when I and Aaron wed. (Yes! we were wed, I know my Crime,-- We slept beneath the Elmin Tree; But I was grieving all the time, And Aaron frown’d my Tears to see. For he not yet had felt the Pain, That rankles in a wounded Breast; He wak’d to Sin, then slept again, Forsook his GOD, yet took his Rest.--