Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Charms of melody, or, Siren medley

=.^5'^/^ BALLADS ANCIENT and modern, legendaries, &c
The Triumphs of Owen.'*
A FRAGMENT.
BY MR. GRAY.
^WEN's praife demands my fong,
Owen fwift, and Ozuen ftrong ;
Faireft flower oi Roderic's, ftem,_
§ Gwyneth'sihield, and Britain's gem.
He nor heaps his brooded ftores, '
Nor on all profufely pours,
lord of every regal art,
Lib'ral hand, ftnd open heart.
Big with hoSs of mighty name,
Squadrons three againft him came ;
This the force of Eirin hiding.
Side by fide as proudly riding.
On her Ihadow long and gay
jl Lochlin ploughs the wat'ry way -,
There the Norman fails afar,
Catch the winds, and join the war;
Black and huge along they fweep,
Burdens of the angry deep.
Dauntlefs on the native fands
"f The dragoh-fon of Mona ftands;
In glitt'ring arms and glory dreft.
High he rears his ruby creft.
There the thund'ring firokes beginv
■ There the prefs, and there the din ;
Talymalfra's roclcy ftiore
'Echoing to the battle's roar.
J Check'd by the torrent-tids of blood
Backward Meinai rolls his flood ;
While heap'd his mafter's feet around,
Proftrate warriors gnaw the ground.
Where his glowing eye-balls turn,
Thoufand banners round- him burn.
Where he points his purple fpear,
Hafty, hafty rout is there.
Marking witK indignant eye
Fear to flop, an.d fhame to fly.
There Confufion, Terror's child,
' Conflift fierce, and Ruin wildj
Agony, that pants for breath,
Defpair and honourable death.
******* -^ *
* From Mr. Evans's fpccimen of the Welch poetry, London,
l^6^. QiKivto. Owen fucttcuen his falher, Griffin, in'.the prin-
cipality t>r North Wales, A. D. 1 1 io. This battle was fought
near 40 years afterwards.
!| Denmark.
§ North Wales,
f The Red Dragon is the Device of Cadivallader,v,-hich a!! his
Dcicendants bore on their Uanaers.
t This and the three following Lines are not in the former
Eoi'tonsbttarenow addedfrom the Author's MSiS.
The Caroufal of Odin.
BY MR. FENROSE.
TT'ILL the honey'd bev'rage high,
-*■ Fill the fculls, 'tis OJinVciy -.
Heard you not the powerful call,
Thund'ring thro' the vaulted hall ?
" Fill the meath, and fpread the board,
" Vaffals of the grifly lord."
The portal hinges grate, — they come —
■ The din of voices rocks the dome. ,
In ftalk the various forms, and dreft |
In various armour) various veft,
With helm and morion, targe and fhield, y
Some ;quivering launces couch, fome bitiog macesl
wield :
All march with haughty ftep, allproudly fhake llie
creft.
The feaft begins, the fcuU goes round,
Laughter fhout-E — the fhouts refound 1
The guft of war fubfides -e'en now
.The grim chief curls his cheek, ^nd fraooths his
. rugged brow.
" Shame to your pilacid front, ye men of death!"
• Cries Hilda, with diforder'd breath.
' Hell echoes back her fcofF of ihame
To the inaftive rev'ling champion's Same.
" Call forth the fong," ihe fcream'd, — the mhSirek
came — ■
The theme was glorious war, the'dsar deliijht
.-Of fhining beft- in field, and daring nioft in fight.
' " Joy to the foiil," the harpers -fung,
" Vv'hen embattl'd- ranks among,
" The fteel-clad knight, in vigour's bloom,
(Banners waving o'er his plume)
"•Foremoft rides, the flower and boaft
" Of the bold deterinin'd hoft '."
With greedy ears the guefts each note devour'd.
. Each ilriick his beaver down, and grafp'd his faith-
ful. fword. I
The fury mark'd th' aufpiciou.' deed,
And bad the Scalds procetd.
'■■ Joy to the foul I a joy divine !
" V\ hen confiicHing armies join ;
" Vi hen trumpets clang, and bugles found ;
" When ftrokes of death are dealt around;
" W hen the fword feafls, yet craves fortnorej
" And every gaunlet drips with gore." —
T;ie charm jjrevaii'd, up rufh'd the madden'd throng
Panting for carnage, as ihey foam'd along,
Fierce Odin's felf led forth the frantic band.
To fcatter havock wide o'er many a guilty iand. ;