73

Miscellaneous Poe m s.

To Alison he does his Fate deplore,

And tells a Secret which she knew before :

Tut yet she trembled, like an Assen Leas,

And seem’d to perish with dissembled Grief;

'Crying, Alas ! what shall I do ?-Be gone—.—

Helpt us t’efcape, or we are all undone :

I am thy true and very wedded Wife,

Go, dear, dear Spouse, and help to save my Life.

What frong hnprefjions does Affection give !

By Fancy Men have often ceas'd to live.

Howe'er absurd Things in themselves appear,

Weak Minds are apt to credit what they fear.

This filly Carpenter is almost Wood,

And thinks of nothing else but Noah's Flood .;

Believes he fees it, and begins to quake,

And all for Alison his Honey’s Sake.lie’s over-run with Sorrow, and with Fear,

And fends forth many a Groan, and many a Tear,

A Kneading-Trough, a Tub, and * Kemeling,

He gets by Stealth, and fends ’em to his Inn.

He makes three Ladders, whence he climbs aloof, ■And privately he hangs them in the Roof.

But first he victuall’d them, both Trough and Tub,

With Bread and Cheese, and Bottles full of mighty Bub ;Enough o’Conscience to relieve their Fast,

And be sufficient for a Day’s Repast.

But 'e’er this Preparation had been made,

He sent to London both. his Man and Maid,

On certain Matters which concern’d his Trade.

And now came oa the fatal Monday Light,

Barr’d are the Doors, out goes the Candle-light ;

And when all Things in Readiness were set,

These Three their Ladders take, and up they get.

Now pater-nofkr, J Clum, said Alison,

And Chan, quoth Nicholas, and Clum, quoth John,

E This

* A Brewer's Vessel.J A Note of Silence.