Of all good things (quoth he) once in my power,
I've nothing left, at this my dying hour;

m

Thy service and compaffion to reward,

But Alexander will, for this regard."

This faid, his fainting breath did fleet away,

And though a Monarch late, now lyes like clay;
And thus muft every Son of Adam lye,

[143]

Though Gods on Earth like Sons of men they dye. Now to the Eaft, great Alexander goes,

To fee if any dare his might oppose,

For fcarce the world or any bounds thereon,
Could bound his boundless fond Ambition;

Such as fubmits again he doth restore

Their riches, and their honours he makes more,
On Artabaces more then all bestow'd,
For his fidelity to's Mafter show'd.

Thaleftris Queen of th' Amazons now brought
Her Train to Alexander, (as 'tis thought.)

Though most of reading beft and foundest mind,
Such Country there, nor yet such people find.

Then tell her errand, we had better spare

To th' ignorant, her title will declare:

As Alexander in his greatness grows,
So dayly of his virtues doth he lose.
He baseness counts, his former Clemency,
And not befeeming fuch a dignity;

His past fobriety doth also bate,

As most incompatible to his State;

His temperance is but a fordid thing,
No wayes becoming fuch a mighty King;
His greatness now he takes to represent
His fancy'd Gods above the Firmament.
And fuch as fhew'd but reverence before,
Now are commanded strictly to adore;
With Perfian Robes himself doth dignifie,
Charging the fame on his nobility,
His manners habit, geftures, all did" fashion
After that conquer'd and luxurious Nation.
His Captains that were virtuously inclin'd,
Griev'd at this change of manners and of mind.
The ruder fort did openly deride,

His feigned Diety and foolish pride;

The certainty of both comes to his Ears,
But yet no notice takes of what he hears:
With those of worth he ftill defires efteem,
So heaps up gifts his credit to redeem
And for the reft new wars and travails" finds,
That other matters might take up their minds,
And hearing Beffus, makes himself a King,
Intends that Traitor to his end to bring."
Now that his Hoft from luggage might be free,
And with his burthen no man burthened be;
Commands forthwith each man his fardle bring,
Into the market place before the King;

[144]

VVhich done, fets fire upon those goodly* fpoyles, The recompence of travails" wars and toyles.

"now doth.

v travels.

w Intends with speed, that Traitor down to bring;

x costly.

And thus unwifely in a mading" fume,

The wealth of many Kingdomes did consume,
But marvell 'tis that without mutiny,
The Souldiers fhould let pass this injury;
Nor wonder lefs to Readers may it bring,
Here to obferve the rashness of the King.
Now with his Army doth he post" away
Falfe Beffus to find out in Bactria:

b

But much diftreft for water in their march,

[145]

The drought and heat their bodies fore did parch.
At length they came to th' river Oxus brink,
Where fod immoderately thefe thirsty drink,

e

Which more mortality to them did bring,

Then all their warrs against the Perfian King.
Here Alexander's almoft at a ftand,

To pass the River to the other land.

For boats here's none, nor near it any wood,

To make them Rafts to waft them o're the flood:
But he that was refolved in his mind,

h

Would without means fome transportation find.
Then from the Carriages the hides he takes,

i

And ftuffing them with straw, he bundles makes.
On these together ti'd, in fix dayes fpace,

They all pafs over to the other place.

Had Beffus had but valour to his will,

With little pain there might have kept them still:/

But Coward durft not fight, nor could he fly,

Hated of all for's former treachery,

Is by his own now bound in iron chains,

A Coller of the fame, his neck contains.
And in this fort they rather drag then bring
This Malefactor vile before the King,
Who to Darius brother gives the wretch,
With racks and tortures every limb to stretch.
Here was of Greeks a town in Bactria,
Whom Xerxes from their Country led away,
These not a little joy'd, this day to fee,

Wherein their own had got the fov'raignty'

And now reviv'd, with hopes held up their head
From bondage long to be Enfranchised.

But Alexander puts them to the fword

-[146]

Without least cause from " them in deed or word;
Nor Sex, nor age, nor one, nor other fpar'd,
But in his cruelty alike they fhar'd:
Nor reafon could he give for this great wrong,
But that they had forgot their mother tongue.
While thus fome time he spent in Bactria,
And in his camp ftrong and fecurely lay,
Down from the mountains twenty thousand came
And there moft fiercely fet upon the fame:
Repelling thefe, two marks of honour got
Imprinted in his" leg, by arrows shot.

; He easily might have made them stay there stil;
I had foveraignity. m Without caufe, given by.

k vild.

" deep in's.

The Bactrians against him now rebel;

But he their ftubborness in time doth quell.
From hence he to Faxartis River goes,
Where Scythians rude his army doth oppofe,
And with their outcryes in an hideous fort
Befet his camp, or military court,

Of darts and arrows, made fo little spare,
They flew fo thick, they seem'd to dark the air:
But foon his fouldiers' forc'd them to a flight,
Their nakedness could not endure their might.
Upon this rivers bank in seventeen dayes
A goodly City doth compleatly raise,
Which Alexandria he doth likewife name,
And fixty furlongs could but round the same.
A third Supply Antipater now fent,
Which did his former forces" much augment;
And being one hundred twenty thousand strong;
He enters then the Indian Kings among:
Those that submit, he gives them rulc again,"
Such as do not, both them and theirs are flain.
His warrs with fundry nations I'le omit,
And alfo of the Mallians what is writ.

His Fights, his dangers, and the hurts he had,
How to fubmit their necks at laft they're glad.*

[147]

• full foone.

t not.

s alfo. Instead of this and the three preceding lines, the first edition has,

u His. v Army. w he doth restore again.

To age, nor fex, no pitty doth expreffe,
But all fall by his sword, most mercilesse.