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36
The third muse
Thus fortified, lest that they should neglect
Due honour to their gods, they did erect
To Mars a temple, rather did restore
The temple built by Cunidag before:
For time on all things worketh demolition,
And heathen men maintaine like superstition.
Then did this valiant chiftaine name the river
In Italies remembrance Neo-Tiber.
Which afterwards it kept for many a day,
How long I know not, now its called Tay.
Likewise an house of mightie stone he framed,
From whence our Castell-gavell, as yet is named.
And, if Domitian had not cald him home,
I think he should have built another Rome.
But all these monuments were worne away
Ere did King William Perths foundation lay,
Only Mars temple stood upon that greene,
And th'house built by Agricola was seene,
And some characters cunningly incisde
With Iulius Agricola imprisde
In solid marmor, and some print was found,
Where camped had an armie, and the ground
Where there had beene a bridge: all which did yeeld
Occasion to King William for to beild,
After old Bertha's overthrow, that citie,
These ancient walls, and famous bridge; ah pitie
If they were as! But what doth not the rage
Of men demolish and consuming age?
For good King William seeing where had beene
Of old a passage, forthwith did ordaine
Due honour to their gods, they did erect
To Mars a temple, rather did restore
The temple built by Cunidag before:
For time on all things worketh demolition,
And heathen men maintaine like superstition.
Then did this valiant chiftaine name the river
In Italies remembrance Neo-Tiber.
Which afterwards it kept for many a day,
How long I know not, now its called Tay.
Likewise an house of mightie stone he framed,
From whence our Castell-gavell, as yet is named.
And, if Domitian had not cald him home,
I think he should have built another Rome.
But all these monuments were worne away
Ere did King William Perths foundation lay,
Only Mars temple stood upon that greene,
And th'house built by Agricola was seene,
And some characters cunningly incisde
With Iulius Agricola imprisde
In solid marmor, and some print was found,
Where camped had an armie, and the ground
Where there had beene a bridge: all which did yeeld
Occasion to King William for to beild,
After old Bertha's overthrow, that citie,
These ancient walls, and famous bridge; ah pitie
If they were as! But what doth not the rage
Of men demolish and consuming age?
For good King William seeing where had beene
Of old a passage, forthwith did ordaine
A