Page:The works of Anne Bradstreet in prose and verse.djvu/376

 290 Anne BradJlreeVs Works.

And Roxane fair whom late he married,

Was near her time to be delivered.

By natures right these had enough to claim,

But meanels of their mothers bar'd the fame,

Alledg'd by thofe who by their fubtile Plea

Had hope themfelves to bear the Crown away.

A Sifter Alexander had, but fhe [160]

Claim'd not, perhaps, her Sex might hindrance be.

After much tumult they at laft proclaim'd

His bafe born brother Aridisus nam'd.

That fo under his feeble wit and reign.

Their ends they might the better ftill attain.

This choice Perdiccas vehemently difclaim'd.

And Babe unborn of Roxajie he proclaimed;

Some wiflied him to take the ftyle of King,

Becaufe his Mafter gave to him his Ring,

And had to him ftill lince Ephejiion di'd

More then to th' reft his favour teftifi'd.

But he refus'd, with feigned modefty,

Hoping to be ele6l more generally.

He hold on this occafton fhould have laid,

For fecond offer there was never made.

'Mongft tliefe contentions, tumults, jealoulies,

Seven dayes the corps of their great mafter lies

Untoucht, uncovered flighted and negle6ted,

So much these princes their own ends refpe6led:

A Contemplation to aftonifli Kings,

That he who late pofleft all earthl}^ things,

�� �