ADVERTISEMENT.

The following Ode is founded on a Tradition current

in Wales, that EDWARD THE FIRST, when

he compleated the conqueft of that country, order

ed all the Bards, that fell into his hands, to be put

to death.

Helm, norf Hauberk's twifted mail,

'Nor e'en thy virtues, Tyrant, shall avail

• To fave thy fecret soul from nightly fears,

'From Cambria's curfe, from Cambria's tears! '

Such were the founds, that o'er the crefted pride

Of the firft Edward scatter'd wild dismay,

Ꮒ

As down the steep of h Snowdon's shaggy fide

He wound with toilfome march his long array.

Stout

f The Hauberk was a texture of steel ringlets, or rings interwoven, forming a coat of mail, that fat close to the body, and adapted itself to every motion.

Snowdon was a name given by the Saxons to that mountainous tract, which the Welsh themselves call Craigian-eryri: it included

all

Stout i Glo'fter ftood aghaft in fpeechlefs trance:

To arms! cried Mortimer, and couch'd his quiv'ring [lance.

all the highlands of Caernarvonshire and Merionethshire, as far east as the river Conway. R. Hygden, speaking of the caftle of Conway built by King Edward the firft, fays, "Ad ortum amnis Conway ad clivum "montis Erery ;" and Matthew of Westminster, (ad ann. 1283,) "Apud Aberconway ad pedes montis Snowdoniæ fecit erigi caftrum * forte."

Gilbert de Clare, furnamed the Red, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, fon-in-law to King Edward.

* Edmond de Mortimer, Lord of Wigmore.

They both were Lords-Marchers, whose lands lay on the borders of Wales, and probably accompanied the King in this expedition,

I. 2.

On a rock, whose haughty brow

Frowns o'er old Conway's foaming flood,

Rob'd in the fable garb of woe,

With haggard eyes the Poet ftood;

(Loofe his beard, and hoary hair

m Stream'd, like a meteor, to the troubled air)

And with a Master's hand, and Prophet's fire,

Struck the deep forrows of his lyre.

I The image was taken from a well-known picture of Raphaël, reprefenting the Supreme Being in the vision of Ezekiel: there are two of these paintings (both believed original), one at Florence, the other at Paris.

Shone, like a meteor, ftreaming to the wind.

Milton's Paradife Loft.

· Hark,