THERE was a Time when the Feathered Commonwealth fell into Great Disorder about Chusing a Successor to the Eagle, whose Advanced Years Portended the Fall of his Scepter, and the Disputes which happened amongst the several Pretenders, did mightily Perplex the Kingdom of Birds, who were in doubt, whether the Eagle had any Genu­ine Off-spring. The Magpies, who had an Inve­terate Malice against the Blackbirds and Nightin­gales, because they were better lik't than them­selves on the Account of their Harmonious Notes, and Innocent Nature, improv'd the op­portunity to make Interest with the Jackdaws and Cuccows, to Settle the Succession on a Noted Bird, which was reckon'd Brother to the Eagle, because Hatch'd in the same Nest; but a Mortal Enemy to the Nightingales and Blackbirds, and accus'd of a Confederacy with the Storks and Kites, to be­tray the Winged Nation to the Birds of Prey. The Magpies were frequently told of this, and Remonstrances were entred against their Pro­ceeding, as destructive to the whole Volatile Em­pire; but they turn'd the Deaf Ear to every thing that was said to 'em; for being used to feed upon Carrion, they delighted in Slaughter. In process of time the Eagle died, and his Bro­ther, the Friend to the Magpies, Succeeded: As soon as he Mounted the Throne, the Magpies Chatter'd for Joy, the Jackdaws Caw'd, and the Cuccows made Protestations of Loyalty in their Usual Note; but he was scarcely Seated on the Throne, when the Region of the Air was fill'd with Birds of Prey, the Screech-Owls began to quarrel with the Jackdaws, and the Cormorants pretended a Right to the Nests of the Mag­pies. In the mean time, though they could not agree amongst themselves, yet all of them uni­ted against the Nightingales and Blackbirds, who, by this means, were forced to Retire to the So­litary Groves, where they Chirpt and Warbled out their own Misfortunes. The Affairs of the Win­ged Empire being in this posture, a Generous Fal­con, as he was call'd by some, or the True Off­spring of the Eagle, as reckoned by others, be­ing mov'd with compassion towards the Injured Birds attempted their Relief; but the Magpies and Jackdaws, with their Adherents the Cuccows, were so much Incensed against the Generous Fal­con, because of his favourable Inclinations to the Nightingales and Blackbirds, that they summon­ed together their Friends the Rooks, and joyning with the Storks and Kites, Oppressed the poor Falcon, with his small Retinue; and having Bar­barously destroyed them, the Eagles Brother lookt upon his Throne as surer than ever; and the Magpies, Jackdaws, and Cuccows, concluding that they had insur'd his Favour, by this New Merit, press'd on to destroy the Blackbirds and Nightingals. But all of a sudden, when they [Page 2]thought themselves secure, the Night-Owls and Cormorants, with the Storks and Kites their Ad­herents, having been a long time dispossest of their Nests by the Magpies and Jackdaws, and their followers the Rooks and Cuccows, resolv'd to come to a Trial of Skill with them, upon which the Magpies came to have some REMORSE for then Barbarous Treatment of the Innocent Black­birds; and, abating something of the usual harsh­ness of their Note, began to call Mag, Mag, poor Mag, a Cup of Sack for poor fainting Mag; and the Jackdaws Caw'd to the Blackbirds, in a Mil­der Note than before, bewaild their Former Seve­rity, and invited the Nightingales and Blackbirds to joyn with them, against the Kites, Cormorants, and Screech-Owls. The Eagles Brother being a­fraid of the Consequences of such an Union, came also to a Parley with the Blackbirds and Nightin­gales, and offered them fair Quarter, provided they would concur towards the procuring of an Authentick Act at the General Diet of the Wing­ed Empire, to secure his Followers in the Possessi­on of their Nests for all time coming; the Ama­zed Blackbirds being surpriz'd with this mighty Change, and having been wretchedly torn by the Talons of both Parties, knew not whom to trust; but the Eagles Brother being possest of the Throne, decency oblig'd them to make Civil Replies: but some of the BATTS which frequented the Com­pany of the Blackbirds, engaged too far with the Cormorant-Interest, and by this time both Parties own'd the Possessor of the Throne for a True Ea­gle: Having gain'd his Point so far, he resolv'd to push on his Fortune, and being provok't with the Behaviour of the Magpies, he design'd to put their Pretensions of Loyalty to the Touch-stone, and commanded them to publish his Imperial E­dict, giving Liberty to all the Subjects of the Airy Regions to Warble out the Praises of their Great Creator, in such Notes as Nature had furnisht 'em with, It being highly unreasonable to say, that the Canary-bird was no Bird, because she could not Croak like the Raven, or that the Nightingale was no Subject of the Winged Empire, because she could not chatter like the Magpy.

The Magpies and Jacks were Thunder-struck at tho hearing of this unlookt-for Command, and Most of 'em did SƲLLENLY refuse it: yet some of the Magpies, and the Swallows which nestled about the Altars thought fit to comply, but the Metro­politan-Magpy, and Six of the rest did positively refuse to obey the Eagle, who did thereupon Commit them to his Imperial Prison. Then no­thing was to be heard but Alas poor Mag, a Cup of Sack for Mag: and on the other hand, the Cor­morants and Kites cried, A Rope for Mag, Mag, Mag, a Halter for Mag: and the Blackbirds and Nightingales, though they were something con­cerned at the Misfortune of the Magpies, yet could not but say, that Mag was serv'd accor­ding to l [...]er Deserts: but the Jackdaws and Cuc­cows, with their Allies the Rooks, did so much di­sturb the Eagles Quiet; with their Cawing and Croaking, that he Released the Magpies, but pur­sued his Design of Establishing a Tyranny in the Regions of the Air; and, in order to accom­plish his Design, did enter into a Confederacy with the VƲLTƲRE, Resolv'd to Disinherit the Generous She-Eagle of his own Race, and to Im­pose a Counterfeit He-Eagle upon the Nation of the Birds; which did so much provoke the Fea­ther'd Commonwealth, that they agreed, with the Assistance of a Genuine Eagle, of the True Impe­rial Nest, who had the Generous She-Eagle, above­mentioned, to his Mate, to Curb the Tyrannical Eagle, and prevent his Imposing an Ostrich in­stead of an Eagle upon the Winged Empire. Many of the Magpies and Jackdaws, with all the Black­birds and Nightingales, Joyn'd in the Invitation to the Young Eagle, who taking his Flight from beyond-Sea, did happily Alight in the Imperial Grove; and being Joyn'd with a Promiscuous Flock of Blackbirds, Jackdaws, Nightingales, and some Rooks, put the Kites, and Cormorants, and Old Eagle to Flight; who, after he had Roosted a while in his Imperial Nest, abandoned the same, and Fled Beyond-Sea with the Ostrich his Mate, and the Counterfeit-Eagle her Supposed-Son, to the Vulture's-Grove.

The Eagle having thus taken his flight, the Magpies began to relent, and to wish that thing had not come to that Extremity; for the Jackda [...] and they became now apprehensive, that they were in as much danger of losing their Nests, by the Blackbirds and Nightingals, as they had for­merly been by the Kites and Cormorants, because the Young Eagle who came from beyond Sea, was Judged to have a mighty kindness for the Black­birds [Page 3]and Nightingals, and his Mate, the Generous she-Eagle had no aversion to them, and thus it came to pass that the Metropolitical Magpy, who had been the Ringleader of those who oppos'd the old Eagle, and invited the young one to his Nest, began to grow sullen, and his Example in­fecting the rest of the Maggs, the faction was divided amongst themselves, so that some of the Magpies and Jackdaws, were for acknowledging the young Eagle as Soveraign of the Birds, and others chattering still upon the abdicated theme of passive obedience, alledg'd that the old Eagle had injury done him, and did all that they could to obstruct the progress of the young Ea­gles affairs, and having by the Interest of the Magpies, who own'd his Title, got an influence on his Councils, they advis'd him to disband the Blackbirds and Nightingals, who had flockt to him at his first coming over, and to govern his affairs by the advice of the Magpies and Jackdaws, and by this method they got his Court and his Camp fill'd with Rooks, who did still retain a very great kindness for the old Eagle, and their ancient Cro­nies, the Cormorants and Kites, and did them kind­ly offices as opportunity offered.

In the mean time the Nightingals, and Black­birds of the Eagles antient Grove; had been so terribly infested by the Magpies, Jackdaws, and Rooks, and so mischievously torn by the Talons of the Kites, and Cormorants their allies, that they lookt upon the Magpies as Harpies, and in a Ge­neral diet of the Birds held for that Grove, Voted that the Magpies and their Ʋnderlings, the Jack­daws were the great and insupportable grievance of the Winged Empire, and with one consent dis­log'd them of their Nests, so that the Maggs and Jacks hopt away in great Numbers, to the Neigh­bouring Grove, chatter'd nothing but passive obe­dience and Nonresistance, and the Injury done to the old Eagle, which strengthened the faction of the Southern Magpies, and made the young Eagle very uneasy in his Nest; whence it came to pass that the Magpy faction procur'd a Rebellion in the Northern Grove, under the Conduct of a Mis­chievous Rook, who being joyn'd by a Rabble of the Jackdaws, Kites, Cormorants, and Solan Geese, gave the young Eagles followers in that Grove a considerable Check, but the mischievous Rook be­ing peckt to death in the scuffle, the Rebellion was gradually appeas'd there; but the Northern Jackdaws and Solan Geese, with the abdicated Har­pies, fill'd the Southern Grove with their querelous Notes, so that nothing was to be heard, but alas, poor Magg, Magg, Magg, is put out of her Nest in the North, and must expect the same treat­ment in the South, except the old Eagle be recall'd. Whereupon that Tyrrannous bird conceiving good hopes of his affairs, did by the assistance of the Vulture, who lent him some bands of Storks, Kites, and Rooks, take his flight to St. Patricks Grove, where being Joyn'd by some Cormorants, and the Native Woodcocks; he quickly oversoread the whole Grove excepting some small part of it, where a Colony of their Northern birds had fixt their Nests, who made such a stout Resistance against the Tyrant Eagle, and his birds of prey, that the fame thereof eccho'd through the Regions of the Air, but the Southern Magpies and Jackdaws being influ­enc'd by the Northern Harpies, and Solan-Geese ob­structed the Relief of the Blackbirds of St. Patricks Grove so long, that they were well nigh undone, and the first relief they had sent 'em being under the Conduct of a Villanous Rook, he was little less Noisome to the Blackbirds, than the Kites and Cor­morants, so that the young Eagle was oblig'd to fly thither in person, and not long after his Arri­val, he gave the Tyrant Eagle and his followers such a terrible overthrow by a purling brook; that the old one fled from St. Patricks Grove, and be­took himself again to the Vultures quarters, whilst the Colones of the Northern Blackbirds and Night­ingals, did with inimitable Courage subdue the Woodcocks, and the young Eagles followers dislog'd the Vultures and Cormorants from their Nests, so that in a little time St. Patricks Grove was entirely recovered.

The Vulture, by whose Counsels the abdicated Eagle had all along govern'd himself, perceiving that he was now quite driven from his Nest, re­solved to attack the Flemmish Coppice; which had formerly been the Residence of the young Eagle, which oblig'd the Generous Bird to repair Beyond-Sea, for the defence of his ancient friends, but tho he Acted Wonders, yet his Counsels were betray'd by the friends of the Maggs and the Daws, and his Troops being chiefly Commanded by Rooks, the Birds of his retinue met with several Disasters, and at the same time the Kites and Cormorants, and [Page 4] seditious Maggs, did all that they could to disturb the repose of the Generous she Eagle his Mate, whom they would fain have destroy'd in his ab­sence, but the faithful Magpies and moderate Jack­daws, with the Blackbirds and Nightingals, did unite so cordially for her defence, that their de­signs were disappointed. Thus was the Generous young Eagle perplexed by Vultures, Storks, and Cor­morants abroad, and Treacherous Magpies Jackdaws and Rooks at home, and chiefly because they were apprehensive of being outed by the Blackbirds, who whatever priviledges they had acquir'd in the North, they said must content themselves to build Nests in the Eves of houses in the South, where the Churches were the proper habitation of the Magpies and Jackdaws, Nor would they suffer the Nightin­gals and the Falcons, to have any command in the winged Army, that being the property of the Kites and Rooks, because they did annually swear Allegiance to the Magpies and Jackdaws at the Altars, which the Falcons and Nightingals would never do.

In the mean time the Generous she Eagle died, which did so much grieve her faithful Mate, that the Kingdom of Birds, had well nigh lost both their Soveraigns at once: However, he generously pluckt up his Courage, and considering that he was born for Empire, did scorn to be conquered by passion; and therefore resolv'd that as he had defeated the Maws and the Gulls, belonging to the Vulture by Sea, he would have a Trial of Valour with him by Land, notwithstanding his Alliance with the overgrown Raven of the East, so that taking another flight into the Continent, he dislodged the Vulture from one of his chief Nests, who thereupon became so much affraid of the young Eagles Talons, that he durst not adventure on a fair War with him any more; but resolv'd to sub­born some Night-Owls, Buzzards, Kites, Cormorants, and Cuccows, to assassinate the Generous Eagle in the dark, which he had attempted several times before, but laid the design so craftily now, that he was sure it c [...]uld not mis­carry. And this taking effect he design'd to have de­stroy'd all the Blackbirds and Nightingals, with the faithful Magpies and moderate Jackdaws, and all the other loyal Birds in St. George St. Andrews, and St. Patricks Groves, and to have possest them for ever; with Vultures, Kites, Storks, Ravens, Rooks, Cormorants, and Magpies, and Jack­daws of his own stamp. However this conspiracy being happily discovered by the Parrots, many of the Owls, Buzzards, and Cormorants, who were imployed to assassi­nate the young Eagle were taken, and some of 'em suf­fered Death according to the Laws of the feathered Kingdom; three Cormorants first, and a little after [...] Cuccows, who being drawn in by the Treacherous Magpies, and Jackdaws, three of the latter attended them to the place of their Exit, and Cawing to them in the old Note of passive obedience, deluded the poor Cuccows, and tel­ling them that by vertue of the Authority which they had acquir'd by a long possession of the Steepies; where no Blackbird had any right to come, they were constitu­ted Lawful Priests of the winged Empire, and therefore absolv'd them from the false imputation of guilt, for en­deavouring to cut the young Eagles throat, for he was none of the Birds of Jupiters Nest, and tho the Beetle had unluckily broke all the old Eagles Eggs, which were procreated betwixt him and the Italian Ostrich; yet there was a time coming when they would find a safe repository if not in Joves, yet in St. Peters Lapp, and oblige the pre­tended Eagle, who was no other than a Geneva Bird, hatcht amongst the shells, which one of the Roman Em­perors gathered together as a Mark of Triumph on the Dutch Coast, to retire to the banks of Lake-Leman, in the faith of which the 2 silly Cuccows, did chearfully swallow their hempseed, and crying Cuc-cow, Cuc-cow, the Jack­daws answered Caw, caw, caw, and then the Cuccows were choackt, at which the Loyal Birds were so much incens'd, that they have shut up 2 of the Jackdaws in a Cage; and are hunting after the other which is fled; so that in a little time, we may hap to see these Jackdaws follow the fate of the Cuccows, while all the Winged Empire, from the Impe­rial Eagle to the Wren, are associated to defend the Gene­rous young Eagle, as a true bird of the Imperial Nest against the Vulture of the West, the ovirgrown Raven of the East, the Traiterous Magpies J [...]kdaws, Storks, Kites, Rooks, Ravens, and Cormorants, and the Larks, Nightingals and Blackbirds, do daily with their harmonious Notes' Celebrat Jupiters praises, for preserving his beloved Eagle.