Then came his neighbour flouds, which nigh him dwell, xxx And water all the English soile throughout; They all on him this day attended well; And with meet seruice waited him about; Ne none[211] disdained low to him to lout: No not the stately Seuerne grudg’d at all, Ne storming Humber, though he looked stout; But both him honor’d as their principall, And let their swelling waters low before him fall. There was the speedy Tamar, which deuides xxxi The Cornish and the Deuonish confines; Through both whose borders swiftly downe it glides, And meeting Plim, to Plimmouth thence declines: And Dart, nigh chockt[212] with sands of tinny mines. But Auon marched in more stately path, Proud of his Adamants, with which he shines And glisters wide, as als’ of wondrous Bath, And Bristow faire, which on his waues he builded hath. And there came Stoure with terrible aspect, xxxii Bearing his sixe deformed heads on hye, That doth his course through Blandford plains direct, And washeth Winborne meades in season drye. Next him went Wylibourne with passage slye, That of his wylinesse his name doth take, And of him selfe doth name the shire thereby: And Mole, that like a nousling Mole doth make His way still vnder ground, till Thamis he ouertake. Then came the Rother, decked all with woods xxxiii Like a wood God, and flowing fast to Rhy: And Sture, that parteth with his pleasant floods The Easterne Saxons from the Southerne ny, And Clare, and Harwitch both doth beautify: Him follow’d Yar, soft washing Norwitch wall, And with him brought a present ioyfully Of his owne fish vnto their festiuall, Whose like none else could shew, the which they Ruffins call. Next these the plenteous Ouse came far from land, xxxiv By many a city, and by many a towne, And many riuers taking vnder hand Into his waters, as he passeth downe, The Cle, the Were, the Grant[213], the Sture, the Rowne. Thence doth by Huntingdon and Cambridge flit, My mother Cambridge, whom as with a Crowne He doth adorne, and is adorn’d of it With many a gentle Muse, and many a learned wit. And after him the fatall Welland went, xxxv That if old sawes proue true (which God forbid) Shall drowne all Holland with his excrement, And shall see Stamford, though now homely hid, Then shine in learning, more then euer did Cambridge or Oxford, Englands goodly beames. And next to him the Nene[214] downe softly slid; And bounteous Trent, that in him selfe enseames Both thirty sorts of fish, and thirty sundry streames.