UPON

Several Occafions.

Compos'd at several times.

BY

Mr. JOHN MILTON.

Baccare frontem

Cingite, ne vati noceat mala lingua futuro.

Virgil. Eclog. 7.

LONDON:

Printed for J. TONSON in the Strand. 1727.

POEMS

Ο Ν

Several Occafions.

LYCIDA S.

In this Monody the Author bewails a learned Friend, unfortunately drowned in his passage from Chefter on the Irish Seas, 1637. And by occafion foretells the ruin of our corrupted Clergy, then in their height.

ET once more, O ye Laurels, and once

YE

more

Ye Myrtles brown, with Ivy never fear,

I come to pluck your Berries harsh and crude,
And with forced fingers rude,

Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year.
Bitter constraint, and fad occafion dear,

Com

Compels me to disturb your season due:
For Lycidas is dead, dead ere his prime,
Young Lycidas, and hath not left his peer:
Who would not fing for Lycidas? he knew
Himself to fing, and build the lofty rhyme.
He must not flote upon his watry bier

Unwept, and welter to the parching wind,
Without the meed of fome melodious tear.

Begin then, Sifters of the facred well, That from beneath the feat of Jove doth spring, Begin, and somewhat louder sweep the string. Hence with denial vain, and coy excufe,

So may fome gentle Mufe

With lucky words favour my destin'd Urn,
And as he paffes turn,

And bid fair peace be to my fable shroud.

For we were nurft upon the self-fame hill,

Fed the fame flock, by fountain, fhade, and rill.

Together both, ere the high Lawns appear'd
Under the opening eye-lids of the morn,
We drove a-field, and both together heard

What