Songs and Ballads for The People By the Rev. John M. Neale |
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| X. |
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| XIII. | XIII. The White King's Funeral. |
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 | Songs and Ballads for The People |  |
XIII. The White King's Funeral.
1
'Twas a winter-night, and the pall was white,For the snow fell thick and fast,
As to its grave in Windsor Nave
The White King's coffin past.
2
The good King Charles! it was meet that he,Whose reign on earth below
Had been spotless and pure as pure could be,
Should have now a crown of snow.
3
There had risen against him a rebel-host,And he sank before his foes;
And his faith was tried to the uttermost,
And brightest it shone at the close.
4
For the Church his life he held not dear,For the Church he came to die;
And in that season of doubt and fear,
There was one of Her Bishops by.
5
“Now,” said that Bishop, “there only remainsOne stage, one short stage more;
It shall bear you quickly from fear and pains
To the place where pains are o'er.”
20
6
“From death,” said the King, “to life I go;From bondage to be freed;
To a Palace above from a dungeon below;—
A blessed exchange indeed!”
7
No trumpet might sound, no banner might wave,As his coffin was borne on its way;
That Bishop was ready beside the grave,
But they would not let him pray;
8
For they made great search for the sons of the Church,And such in their dungeon they laid;
Fools! as if they who endure for a day
Could unmake what God had made!
9
The Church they spoil'd, and Her Bishops fell,And they thought they had crush'd Her outright;
But is it not written, “The gates of hell
Shall never destroy Her” quite?
10
She rose again; and we have Her still,And She nevermore can fail;
Though Dissenters may strive to work Her ill,
They cannot for long prevail.
11
So if e'er She is touch'd by wicked men,We will stand by Her holy side;
And if it should come to the worst,—why then
We can die as the White King died!
| Songs and Ballads for The People | |