Hark! hark! what means the trampling of horsemen on our rear? Whose banner do I see, boys? 'Tis he! thank God! 'tis he, boys! Bear up another minute! Brave Oliver1 is here! Their heads all stooping low, their points 2 all in a row: Like a whirlwind on the trees, like a deluge on the dikes, Our cuirassiers have burst on the ranks of the accurst, And at a shock have scattered the forest of his pikes. Fast, fast, the gallants ride, in some safe nook to hide Their coward heads, predestined to rot on Temple Bar; 3 And he 4 he turns! he flies! shame on those cruel eyes That bore to look on torture, and dare not look on war! Ho, comrades! scour the plain; and ere ye strip the slain, First give another stab to make your search secure ; Then shake from sleeves and pockets their broad-pieces 5 and lockets, The tokens of the wanton,6 the plunder of the poor. 1 Oliver: Oliver Cromwell. 2 Points: spear-points. 3 Temple Bar: an archway forming an entrance or gate to the city of London, pulled down in 1878. It was customary then to place the heads of traitors on this arch as a warning to others. In the civil war each faction regarded the other as guilty of the crime of trying to overthrow the constitutional government of the realm. 4 He: Charles I. 5 Broad-pieces: gold pieces. 6 Wanton: "tokens of the wanton," gifts or keepsakes of women of low character. Fools! your doublets1 shone with gold, and your hearts were gay and bold, When you kissed your lily hands to your lemans 2 to-day; And to-morrow shall the fox from her chambers in the rocks Lead forth her tawny cubs to howl above the prey. Where be your tongues, that late mocked at heaven, and hell, and fate? And the fingers that once were so busy with your blades? 3 Your perfumed satin clothes, your catches and your oaths? Your stage plays and your sonnets, your diamonds and your spades? 4 Down! down! for ever down, with the mitre 5 and the crown! With the Belial of the court, and the Mammon of the Pope! 7 There is woe in Oxfor" halls, there is wail in Durham's stalls; 9 1 Doublet: a kind of jacket or short coat, usually of silk, then worn by men of fashion. 2 Lemans: the same as wantons. See note 6, p. 68. 8 Catches: rollicking songs. 4 Diamonds and spades: playing-cards. 5 Mitre: a tall, pointed, cleft cap worn by bishops and other Church dignitaries of high rank. Here the word is used for the Church of England. 6 Belial: wickedness; from Belial, Satan. 7 Mammon: worldliness, love of wealth; from Mammon, the Syrian god of riches. 8 Oxford: Oxford sided with the king. 9 Durham's stalls: stalls, seats in the choir; here "Durham's stalls" is equivalent to Durham Cathedral, which was one of the leading cathedrals on the king's side. The Jesuit1 smites his bosom, the bishop rends his cope.2 And she of the seven hills 3 shall mourn her children's ills, And tremble when she thinks on the edge of Eng land's sword; And the kings of earth in fear shall shudder when they hear What the hand of God hath wrought for the houses * and the word! 5 LORD MACAULAY. 1 Jesuit: a member of the most celebrated of all the Roman Catholic religious orders, founded for the purpose of resisting the spread of Protestantism. Charles I. married a Catholic princess of France; the Parliamentary or Puritan Party in the Civil War believed that, through the queen's influence, he was endeavoring to reinstate the Catholic religion in England, and to restore the Jesuits, who had been driven out of the country in 1604. But if the king had no sympathy for the Puritans, he certainly was not a Catholic, although he endeavored, and with good reason, to mitigate the severity of the English laws against the Catholics. 2 Cope: a kind of cloak worn by bishops and other ecclesiastics. 3 She of the seven hills: the Church of Rome. 4 Houses: Houses of Parliament, especially the House of Commons. 5 The word: the Puritan faith, which its adherents maintained was based solely on the Bible, or Word of God. BANNOCK-BURN.1 ROBERT BRUCE'S ADDRESS TO HIS ARMY. SCOTS, wha 2 hae 3 wi' 4 Wallace 5 bled 6 Scots, wham Bruce has aften 7 led - Now's the day, and now's the hour; Wha will be a traitor knave? Wha for Scotland's king and law Let him follow me! 1 Bannock-Burn, near Stirling, was in 1314, the scene of a desperate battle between Edward II. of England and Robert Bruce the Scottish hero. The English, although they had a far larger force, were utterly defeated, and Edward narrowly escaped capture. 2 Wha: who. 3 Hae have. 4 Wi': with. 5 Wallace: see note 3, p. 109. 6 Wham: whom. 7 Aften: often. 8 Sae: so. 9 Fa': fall. |
