Page:The works of Anne Bradstreet in prose and verse.djvu/332

 246 Anne BradJireeVs Works.

But let us leave thefe Greeks to difcord bent,

And turn to Perjia., as is pertinent.

The King from forreign parts now well^ at eafe,

His home-bred troubles fought how to ^ appeafe;

The two Queens by his means feem '' to abate,

Their former envy and inveterate hate:

But the old Queen implacable in ftrife,

By poyfon caus'd, the young one lofe her life.

The King highly inrag'd doth hereupon [122]

From Court exile her unto Babilon'.

But fhortly calls her home, her counfells prize,

(A Lad}^ very wicked, but yet wife) ^

Then in voluptuoufnefs he leads his life.

And weds his daughter for a fecond wife.

But long in eafe and pleafure did not lye,

His fons fore vext him by difloyalt3\

Such as would know at large his warrs and reign.

What troubles in his houfe he did fuftain,

His match inceftuous, cruelties of th' Queen,

His life may read in Plutarch to be feen.

Forty three years he rufd, then turn'd to dull,

A King nor good, nor valiant, wife nor juft.''

/ foes, and all. Q feeketh to. '' 'gin.

■s This and the five preceding lines are not in the first edition.

t Instead of this and the seven preceding lines, the first edition has the following : —

His Mothers wicked counfell was the caufe, Who fooths him up, his owne defires are Lawes : But yet for all his greatnefle, and long reign, He mult lca\e all, and in the pit remain;

�� �