Where we did fight, of mortal life
Each other to deprive,
Till of a hundred thousand men
Scarce one was left alive.
There all the noble chivalry
Of Brittaine took their end;
Oh see how fickle is their state
That do on feats depend!
There all the trait'rous men were slain,
Not one escaped away:
And there died all my valiant knights.
Alas! that woeful day!
Two and twenty year I wore the crown
In honour and great fame;
And thus by death was suddenly
Deprived of the same.
SAXON MONASTERIES AND LIGHTS AND SHADES OF THE RELIGION, A.D. 590
BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
By such examples moved to unbought pains
The people work like congregated bees;
Eager to build the quiet fortresses
Where piety, as they believe, obtains
From heaven a general blessing; timely rains
Or needful sunshine; prosperous enterprise,
And peace, and equity.-Bold faith! yet rise
The sacred structures for less doubtful gains.
The sensual think with reverence of the palms
Which the chaste votaries seek, beyond the grave
If penance be redeemable, thence alms
Flow to the poor, and freedom to the slave;
And, if full oft the sanctuary save
Lives black with guilt, ferocity it calms.
THE blue-eyed Saxon came over the sea,
A strong and a steadfast man was he;
But he worshipped the terrible thunderer Thor,
And he dyed his hands in his foeman's gore.
Gone was the British place and name,
Or only lived through King Arthur's fame;
Ruined the Church, and fled the priest,
Psalm and prayer and chant had ceased;
And heathen was Britain's isle once again,
Save where Welshmen lurked in the mountain's glen.
But a captive boy was snatched from home,
To become a slave in the streets of Rome;
And good Gregory walked in the market-place,
And marked the child with the lovely face.
"The Angle an angel's form doth bear,
O that he were with the angels heir !
Deira his home, from the ire divine,
To rescue that land, may the task be mine ;
Where Ella is King, Alleluias of praise,
May the ransomed sons of Northumbria raise !
So the Cross was borne to our land once more,
The Gospel resounded from shore to shore;
And the stolen boy in the market sold
Sent home to his country a blessing untold.
PAULINUS AND EDWIN, a.d. 627
BY FRANCIS TURNER PALGRAVE
THE black-hair'd gaunt Paulinus
By ruddy Edwin stood:-
Bow down, O King of Deira,
Before the holy Rood!
Cast forth thy demon idols,
And worship Christ our Lord! -But Edwin look'd and ponder'd, And answer'd not a word.
Again the gaunt Paulinus
To ruddy Edwin spake : "God offers life immortal
For his dear Son's own sake!
Wilt thou not hear his message
Who bears the Keys and Sword?"
—But Edwin look'd and ponder'd,
And answer'd not a word.
Rose then a sage old warrior;
Was five-score winters old;
Whose beard from chin to girdle
Like one long snow-wreath roll'd :-
At Yule-time in our chamber
We sit in warmth and light,
While cavern-black around us
Gapes the grim mouth of Night.
"Athwart the room a sparrow
Darts from the open door:
Within the happy hearth-light
One red flash and no more!
We see it born from darkness,
And into darkness go:So is our life, King Edwin!
Ah, that it should be so !
But if this pale Paulinus
Have somewhat more to tell; Some news of whence and whither, And where the Soul may dwell :— If on that outer darkness
The sun of Hope may shine;—
He makes life worth the living!
I take his God for mine!"
So spake the wise old warrior;
And all about him cried,
"Paulinus' God hath conquer'd !
And he shall be our guide :-
For he makes life worth living,
Who brings this message plain,—
When our brief days are over,
That we shall live again."
THE TERRIBLE SEA-KINGS, A.D. 800
BY SIR WALTER SCOTT
THE Sea King came of a royal strain,
And roved with his Northmen the land and the
main.
Woe to the realms which he coasted, for there
Was shedding of blood and rending of hair,
Stealing of child and slaughter of priest,
Gathering of ravens and wolves to the feast.
When he hoisted his standard black,
Before him was battle, behind him wrack;
And he burned the churches, that heathen Dane,
To light his band to their barks again.
On Erin's shore was his outrage known;
The winds of France had his banner blown ;
Little there was to plunder, but still
His pirates had forayed on Scottish hill;
But upon Merry England's coast
Most frequent he sailed, for he won the most.
So wide and so far his ravage they knew,
If a sail but gleamed white 'gainst the welkin's blue,
Trumpet and bugle to arms did call ;
Burghers hastened to man the wall,
Peasants fled inland, his fury to 'scape,
Beacons were lighted on watch-tower and cape;
Bells were tolled out, and aye as they rung
Fearful and faintly the grey brothers sung"Defend us, O Lord, from flood and from fire, From famine and pest, and the Northman's dread ire."
WHET the bright steel,
Sons of the White Dragon!
Kindle the torch,
Daughter of Hengist !
The steel glimmers not for the carving of the banquet,
It is hard, broad, and sharply pointed;
The torch goeth not to the bridal chamber,
It steams and glitters blue with sulphur.
Whet the steel, the raven croaks !
Light the torch, Zernebock is yelling!
Whet the steel, sons of the Dragon!
Kindle the torch, daughter of Hengist !
All must perish!
The sword cleaveth the helmet ;
The strong armour is pierced by the lance:
Fire devoureth the dwelling of princes,
Engines break down the fences of the battle.
All must perish!
The race of Hengist is gone
The name of Horsa is no more!
Shrink not then from your doom, sons of the sword!
Let your blades drink blood like wine;
Feast ye in the banquet of slaughter,
By the light of the blazing halls!
Strong be
your swords while your
And spare neither for pity nor fear,
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