The Phrygian fabulist or, The fables of Æsop: extracted from the Latine copie, and moraliz'd. By Leonard Willan Gent.

16. The Swallow and other Birds.

THe Season come the fatal Hemp to sow, The Swallow let's the lesser Birds to know Their ruine was at hand, for of that seed Should bee fram'd Nets, to catch them, and their breed: Which to avoid, hee wil'd them, e're too late, Devour the seed, which els would prove their fate. The sillie Fowl deride him, nor did flie, So to secure their future Libertie. The Hemp wax't green; the Swallow to them made, And wil'd them, yet in time, pull up the Blade: Which they neglecting, The Hemp ripe became; The Swallow to them bent his cours again. Wishing them then, in cloudie flocks appear, And stoop, like Thunder, on the shaking Ear. But none regarded what the Swallow said; Whereon hee left them, and a Covenant made Of Love, with Man. With whom hee dwel's with joie: While Hemp mak's Nets, w^ch Nets the Birds destroie.

MORAL.

Wisdom's true Object is the Publick good, Of few win's credit, is of all withstood: Nor by disgrac't repuls retract's her Flight. So long as Nature can yield Reason light, Shee may, without impeachment, Autor bee, If not of theirs, of her Securitie.