Page:The muses threnodie (Adamson, 1638).djvu/55
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
The third muse
35
The river likewise verie opportune
For lighter vessels to passe up and downe,
And correspondence with their Navie make,
As Souldiers wise, they all occasions take,
And do conclude to winter in that place,
To foile their foes, by voluntarie chace.
Meane while couragiously they do advise
A bridge to build, for further enterprise,[1]
Then forthwith fall they with redoubling stroaks
To fell the tall firre trees, and aged oaks;
Some square the timber with a stretched line,
Some do the tenons, and the morties joine,
Some frame an ovall, others make a cub,
Some cut a section, other some do grub,
Some with great compasse semicircles forme,
Some drive the wadges, painfullie some worme,
Some do hoyse up the standers, others fixe them;
And some lay goodly rafters ov'r betwixt them;
What strength or skill can work, from point to point
They cunningly contrive with angular joint,
And do most strongly binde these contignations,
To make them stand against all inundations.
All men are set on frame, all hands are working,
And all ingines are bussied without irking.
Thus in short space, a bridge they strongly make,
With passage fair; and for their safeties sake
A mightie strength to be, they frame withall,
On either end, a bridge to lift and fall,
That souldiers might within it keep at ease,
Admitting, or repelling, as they please
For lighter vessels to passe up and downe,
And correspondence with their Navie make,
As Souldiers wise, they all occasions take,
And do conclude to winter in that place,
To foile their foes, by voluntarie chace.
Meane while couragiously they do advise
A bridge to build, for further enterprise,[1]
Then forthwith fall they with redoubling stroaks
To fell the tall firre trees, and aged oaks;
Some square the timber with a stretched line,
Some do the tenons, and the morties joine,
Some frame an ovall, others make a cub,
Some cut a section, other some do grub,
Some with great compasse semicircles forme,
Some drive the wadges, painfullie some worme,
Some do hoyse up the standers, others fixe them;
And some lay goodly rafters ov'r betwixt them;
What strength or skill can work, from point to point
They cunningly contrive with angular joint,
And do most strongly binde these contignations,
To make them stand against all inundations.
All men are set on frame, all hands are working,
And all ingines are bussied without irking.
Thus in short space, a bridge they strongly make,
With passage fair; and for their safeties sake
A mightie strength to be, they frame withall,
On either end, a bridge to lift and fall,
That souldiers might within it keep at ease,
Admitting, or repelling, as they please
- ↑ Wright work.