_Huc, pia Calliope, propera, mea casta puella,_ _Et mecum resona carmina plena deo._ _Septimus Henricus, Britonum memorabilis heros,_ _Anglica terra, tuus magnanimus Priamus,_ _Attalus hic opibus, rigidus Cato, clarus Acestes,_ _Sub gelido clausus marmore jam recubat.[691]_ _Sic[692] honor omnis, opes, probitas, sic gloria regum,_ _Omnia nutabunt[693] mortis ad imperium._ _Anglia, num lacrymas? rides; lacrymare quid obstas?_ _Dum vixit, lacrymas; dum moritur, jubilas._ 10 _Canta,[694] tamen penses, dum vixerat, Angligenenses_ _Vibrabant enses, bella nec ulla timent._ _Undique bella fremunt nunc, undique prœlia surgunt:_ _Noster honor solus, filius, ecce, suus!_ _Noster honor solus, qui pondera tanta subire_ _Non timet, intrepidus arma gerenda vocat;_ _Arma gerenda vocat, (superi sua cœpta secundent!)_ _Ut quatiat Pallas ægida sæpe rogat._ _Sors tamen est versanda diu, sors ultima belli:_ _Myrmidonum dominus Marte[695] silente ruit;_ 20 _Et quem non valuit validis superare sub armis_ _Mars, tamen occubuit insidiis Paridis._ _Nos incerta quidem pro certis ponere rebus_ _Arguit, et prohibet Delius ipse pater._ _Omnia sunt hominum dubio labentia fato,_ _Marte sub incerto militat omnis homo._ _Omne decus nostrum, nostra et spes unica tantum,_ _Jam bene qui regnat, hunc Jovis umbra tegat!_ _Ut quamvis mentem labor est inhibere volentem,_ _Pauca tamen liceat dicere pace sua:_ 30 _Pace tua liceat mihi nunc tibi dicere pauca,_ _Dulce meum decus, et sola Britanna salus._ _Summa rei nostræ remanet, celeberrime princeps,_ _In te præcipuo, qui modo sceptra geris._ _Si tibi fata favent, faveant[696] precor atque precabor,_ _Anglia, tunc plaude; sin minus, ipsa[697] vale._ _Polychronitudo basileos._ [689] _Vel mage ... humo_] Not in _Reges_, &c. These lines (containing an allusion to the battle of Flodden) are of a later date than the preceding poem, to the 12th verse of which they are intended as a sort of note. This is not the only passage in our author’s Latin pieces where two pentameters occur without an intervening hexameter: see conclusion of _The Garlande of Laurell_. [690] _hunc_] Ed. “hunc _hunc_.” [691] _recubat_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “recubit.” [692] _Sic_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “Hic.” [693] _nutabunt_] _Reges_, &c. “mutabunt.” [694] _Canta_] Marshe’s ed. “Cauta.” _Reges_, &c. “Tanta.” [695] _Marte_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “mater.” [696] _faveant_] So _Reges_, &c. Not in Marshe’s ed. [697] _ipsa_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “ipse.” TETRASTICHON VERITATIS. _Felix qui bustum formasti,[698] rex, tibi cuprum;_ _Auro si tectus fueras, fueras spoliatus,_ _Nudus, prostratus, tanta est rabiosa cupido_ _Undique nummorum: rex, pace precor requiescas. Amen._ [698] _formasti_] So _Reges_, &c. Marshe’s ed. “torniasti.”