Page:Macflecknoe a poem.djvu/9

 A Watch-Tower once; but now, o Fate ordains,

Of all the Pile an empty Name remains.

From its old Ruins Brothel-houes rie,

Scenes of lewd Loves, and of polluted Joys.

Where their vat Courts the Mother-Strumpets keep,

And, unditurb'd by Watch, in ilence leep.

Near thee a Nurery erects its head,

Where Queens are form'd, and future Hero's bred; Great Fletcher never treads in Buskins here,

Nor greater Johnon dares in socks appear.

But gentle Simkin jut reception finds

Amidt this Monument of vaniht minds:

Pure Clinches, the uburbian Mue affords;

And Panton waging harmles War with words.

Here Fleckno, as a place to Fame well known,

Ambitiouly deign'd his Sh——'s Throne. To whom true Dullnes hou'd ome Pyches owe,

But Worlds of Miers from his Pen hou'd flow;

Humorits and Hypocrites it hou'd produce,

Whole Raymond Families, and Tribes of Bruce.

Now Empress Fame had publih'd the Renown,

Of Sh——'s Coronation through the Town.

Rows'd by report of Fame, the Nations meet,

From near Bun-Hill, and ditant Watling-treet.

No Perian Carpets pread the Imperial way,

But catter'd Limbs of mangled Poets lay:

From duty Shops neglected Authors come,

Martyrs of Pies, and Reliques of the Bum.

Much Heywood, Shirly, Ogleby there lay,

But Loads of Sh—— almot choak'd the way.

Bilk'd Stationers for Yeomen tood prepar'd,

And H——— was Captain of the Guard.