 | A Song of Heroes |  |
145
CROMWELL
I will sing of English Oliver,
Who, when kings were led by fools,
Led by fools, and served by brainless
Pedants trained in priestly schools,
Who, when kings were led by fools,
Led by fools, and served by brainless
Pedants trained in priestly schools,
When the ship of State was tossing,
And the storm-wings were abroad,
Seized the helm and gave it guidance,
With a right direct from God.
And the storm-wings were abroad,
Seized the helm and gave it guidance,
With a right direct from God.
Not in softly-curtained cradles
Kings are nursed who claim from God,
But in labour's school He trains them,
And He lifts them from the sod.
Kings are nursed who claim from God,
But in labour's school He trains them,
And He lifts them from the sod.
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In the marshes of the Eastland,
Where the gently-gliding Ouse
Creeps through fringe of sedge and willow,
Grew the boy whom God did choose.
Where the gently-gliding Ouse
Creeps through fringe of sedge and willow,
Grew the boy whom God did choose.
Erect he grew, of goodly stature,
With strong limbs well knit together,
And stout ruddy cheeks that borrowed
Freshness from the breezy weather.
With strong limbs well knit together,
And stout ruddy cheeks that borrowed
Freshness from the breezy weather.
As a yeoman's son might well be,
Manly-browed with flowing hair,
Nose of power, and eyebrows shaggy,
With keen lightnings lurking there.
Manly-browed with flowing hair,
Nose of power, and eyebrows shaggy,
With keen lightnings lurking there.
Hot was he for bold adventure,
Quick to share the riskful joy,
When a dovecot or an orchard
Tempted any daring boy.
Quick to share the riskful joy,
When a dovecot or an orchard
Tempted any daring boy.
But not merely in the dash
Of venture he would lead the van;
Thoughts of mighty mark grew with him,
As the boy grew to the man.
Of venture he would lead the van;
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As the boy grew to the man.
Oft at evening you might find him
Pacing by the grassy fen,
Pondering o'er God's mystic counsel,
And the tangled ways of men;
Pacing by the grassy fen,
Pondering o'er God's mystic counsel,
And the tangled ways of men;
Brooding o'er life's strange enigma,
Spirit mingled with the clay,
Devils wrestling with good angels
For the young heart's doubtful sway.
Spirit mingled with the clay,
Devils wrestling with good angels
For the young heart's doubtful sway.
There he brooded, prayed and pondered,
O'er the passioned yeast within,
Till by grace divine he trampled
Out each lustful creeping sin,
O'er the passioned yeast within,
Till by grace divine he trampled
Out each lustful creeping sin,
And stood forth a God-devoted
Victor o'er the carnal man,
To build up for lofty uses
A new life with godly plan.
Victor o'er the carnal man,
To build up for lofty uses
A new life with godly plan.
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Then his soul went outward, reading
The strange omens of the time,
When to be a king meant licence
To give holy names to crime;
The strange omens of the time,
When to be a king meant licence
To give holy names to crime;
When a man who dared to stand
Erect, uncowed, before a king,
With old law and right behind him,
Was the first to feel the sting
Erect, uncowed, before a king,
With old law and right behind him,
Was the first to feel the sting
Of the waspish vengeful weakling
Who, when propped up on a throne,
Deemed all power in earth and heaven
Centred in his whim alone.
Who, when propped up on a throne,
Deemed all power in earth and heaven
Centred in his whim alone.
Oliver had seen the Stuart
In his uncle's hall of state,
With big rolling eye, and dribbling
Mouth, and loosely-shambling gait;
In his uncle's hall of state,
With big rolling eye, and dribbling
Mouth, and loosely-shambling gait;
Mighty man to round a sentence
That might serve a schoolman's need,
Weak to know what, how, or whither,
When the hour called for a deed.
That might serve a schoolman's need,
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When the hour called for a deed.
Bridled long by kilted chieftains,
Now, like bird with uncaged wing,
On the ample stage of England
James would grandly play the king.
Now, like bird with uncaged wing,
On the ample stage of England
James would grandly play the king.
Like a Cæsar he would king it;
He would teach them to behave,
As a master flogs a schoolboy,
As an owner whips a slave.
He would teach them to behave,
As a master flogs a schoolboy,
As an owner whips a slave.
He would be a god, and god it
Bravely, bravely like the Pope;
And whose tongue denied his godship,
His stiff neck should know the rope.
Bravely, bravely like the Pope;
And whose tongue denied his godship,
His stiff neck should know the rope.
Fool! a fresh young blood was pulsing
In the people; and a school
Of stout-hearted God-taught teachers
Kicked against all despot rule.
In the people; and a school
Of stout-hearted God-taught teachers
Kicked against all despot rule.
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People now with eyes untutored
Freely read the Word of Grace,
Seeing God, as Moses saw Him
On the mountain, face to face.
Freely read the Word of Grace,
Seeing God, as Moses saw Him
On the mountain, face to face.
Not from Pope or priest or patriarch
Tamely now they took command;
But true brother common-blooded
Walked with brother hand in hand,
Tamely now they took command;
But true brother common-blooded
Walked with brother hand in hand,
Children of no earthly father;
Kings might stamp for right the wrong,
But with God's still voice within him
Each man for himself was strong.
Kings might stamp for right the wrong,
But with God's still voice within him
Each man for himself was strong.
This he knew not, the unkingliest
King that ever fed on pride,
Deeming with fine-woven speeches
To drive back the ocean's tide:
King that ever fed on pride,
Deeming with fine-woven speeches
To drive back the ocean's tide:
And so died; but not with him
Died the whim that fooled his brain:
In the son, more finely moulded,
All the father lives again;
Died the whim that fooled his brain:
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All the father lives again;
All the lust to king it rarely,
Like a Cæsar, like a god,
Like a Jove that all might tremble
At the shadow of his nod;
Like a Cæsar, like a god,
Like a Jove that all might tremble
At the shadow of his nod;
All the joy to shine supremely
Like a sun on central throne,
Whence all fine vivific virtue
Flows in strength from him alone;
Like a sun on central throne,
Whence all fine vivific virtue
Flows in strength from him alone;
All the dear conceit of kingship
To invest his royal home
With the purple pomp of priesthood,
With the sacred pride of Rome.
To invest his royal home
With the purple pomp of priesthood,
With the sacred pride of Rome.
Charles, and Laud, and haughty Strafford,
They have sworn, all undismayed,
Or by daring, or cajoling,
They will rule, and ask no aid
They have sworn, all undismayed,
Or by daring, or cajoling,
They will rule, and ask no aid
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From the niggard cross-grained people,
Looking with a jealous frown
On the gold which gilds the mitre,
On the gems that star the crown.
Looking with a jealous frown
On the gold which gilds the mitre,
On the gems that star the crown.
But not reasoned thus the people;
Norman blood and Saxon bone,
They had minds, and they had muscle,
They had hearts they called their own.
Norman blood and Saxon bone,
They had minds, and they had muscle,
They had hearts they called their own.
They had souls to God devoted,
Leal to law, and sworn to right;
For the chartered use of England
They will stand and they will fight.
Leal to law, and sworn to right;
For the chartered use of England
They will stand and they will fight.
In the North a storm was brewing:
In Dunedin, in Dunbar,
From the bristling breasts of Scotsmen
Came the harsh alarm of war.
In Dunedin, in Dunbar,
From the bristling breasts of Scotsmen
Came the harsh alarm of war.
O'er the grave-stones of their fathers
Holy hands were lifted high,
Solemn oaths by peer and peasant,
Sworn in God's all-seeing eye,
Holy hands were lifted high,
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Sworn in God's all-seeing eye,
Nevermore, with open Bibles
And sharp swords to serve their need,
Shall an English priest for Scotsmen
Clip the pattern of their creed.
And sharp swords to serve their need,
Shall an English priest for Scotsmen
Clip the pattern of their creed.
Not in courtly phrase, or rubric
Framed to please a pedant's whim,
But as free as bird in greenwood
They will pour the heart-felt hymn.
Framed to please a pedant's whim,
But as free as bird in greenwood
They will pour the heart-felt hymn.
They will preach in plain presentment
From a freeman's manly breast,
Even as Paul, sans cope, sans surplice,
Freely gospelled all the West.
From a freeman's manly breast,
Even as Paul, sans cope, sans surplice,
Freely gospelled all the West.
They will pray at no dictation
To compel unfelt desires,
Bend the knee at no man's bidding,
As a puppet owns the wires.
To compel unfelt desires,
Bend the knee at no man's bidding,
As a puppet owns the wires.
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And in England king and people,
Pulling each his diverse way,
Left the State ship in the middle
Leaking more from day to day.
Pulling each his diverse way,
Left the State ship in the middle
Leaking more from day to day.
Thrice five years of fretful talking
Brought no fruit but bitter strife,
More and more the knots were tangled
That called loudly for the knife.
Brought no fruit but bitter strife,
More and more the knots were tangled
That called loudly for the knife.
And the knife began its mission
With much din, now here now there,
Blindly plunging, grandly dashing,
Blood and blunders everywhere,
With much din, now here now there,
Blindly plunging, grandly dashing,
Blood and blunders everywhere,
Half right, half wrong. Not all who struck
The nail for right, would drive it in,
Weak of purpose, slow to finish
What they hasted to begin.
The nail for right, would drive it in,
Weak of purpose, slow to finish
What they hasted to begin.
Dukes and earls, half-hearted weaklings,
Fearing much the monarch's pride,
Fearing more the people's strong arm
When they cast all fear aside!
Fearing much the monarch's pride,
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When they cast all fear aside!
Courtly men will deal no blows
To make a strong-willed despot pause;
When the people fight, a captain
From the people wins their cause.
To make a strong-willed despot pause;
When the people fight, a captain
From the people wins their cause.
Cromwell came; nor came alone,
But with him, to do or die,
Honest men of his own choosing,
Fighting in the master's eye.
But with him, to do or die,
Honest men of his own choosing,
Fighting in the master's eye.
Not gay youths with knightly titles,
Riding, dancing, gambling, swearing,
Waving plumes, and prancing horses,
With light-hearted dash of daring;
Riding, dancing, gambling, swearing,
Waving plumes, and prancing horses,
With light-hearted dash of daring;
Such were good to fight for courtly
Ladies' smile and grace of kings;
But with firm persistent purpose,
Through the stress and strain of things,
Ladies' smile and grace of kings;
But with firm persistent purpose,
Through the stress and strain of things,
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For the truth they loved to risk all,
Sinking low or mounting high,
Doing daily prayerful duty,
As in God's all-seeing eye;
Sinking low or mounting high,
Doing daily prayerful duty,
As in God's all-seeing eye;
For such feats of high-souled manhood,
Where God's supreme law presides,
Other tools must shape his action,
Hearts of steel, and iron sides.
Where God's supreme law presides,
Other tools must shape his action,
Hearts of steel, and iron sides.
Men in yeomen's craft well trained
To split the rock and cleave the sod;
Hands made strong by sweatful labour,
Hearts made strong by faith in God.
To split the rock and cleave the sod;
Hands made strong by sweatful labour,
Hearts made strong by faith in God.
Men in hour of sharpest strain,
Who, mildly strong and sternly calm,
Braced their thought with memoried Scripture,
Cheered their heart with chaunted psalm.
Who, mildly strong and sternly calm,
Braced their thought with memoried Scripture,
Cheered their heart with chaunted psalm.
“Gentlemen are good,” quoth Cromwell,
“Softly bred, and smoothly dressed;
But a man, to win a battle,
Must bear victory in his breast;
“Softly bred, and smoothly dressed;
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Must bear victory in his breast;
“Plainly fed and russet-coated,
And with hands inured to toil,
And a cause he joys to fight for,
Let Dame Fortune frown or smile.
And with hands inured to toil,
And a cause he joys to fight for,
Let Dame Fortune frown or smile.
“Princes love to lead great armies;
But when God has work to do,
Or for gospel or for battle,
He makes strong a chosen few.”
But when God has work to do,
Or for gospel or for battle,
He makes strong a chosen few.”
Other men might loosely waver;
But when Cromwell eyed the foe,
Or at Marston or at Naseby,
Like Jove's bolt came down the blow.
But when Cromwell eyed the foe,
Or at Marston or at Naseby,
Like Jove's bolt came down the blow.
Other men might dash and rattle;
But with thoughtful plan prepared,
In the hour of quick decision
Cromwell was the man who dared.
But with thoughtful plan prepared,
In the hour of quick decision
Cromwell was the man who dared.
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Charles was vanquished: like a hunted
Fox from shift to shift he flew;
When a fair-faced lie might fail him,
Ever spinning something new.
Fox from shift to shift he flew;
When a fair-faced lie might fail him,
Ever spinning something new.
Ever sowing seeds of faction,
Never to his promise true;
Throwing yeast into the ferment
Where dissension rankly grew.
Never to his promise true;
Throwing yeast into the ferment
Where dissension rankly grew.
But not Cromwell might be juggled
By fair speech or slippery word;
Shifty king, and friends half-hearted,
Both should know he bore the sword.
By fair speech or slippery word;
Shifty king, and friends half-hearted,
Both should know he bore the sword.
Time is none for talking, tinkering,
When storms rage and seas o'erwhelm;
Let him die whose faithless purpose
Brought confusion on the realm.
When storms rage and seas o'erwhelm;
Let him die whose faithless purpose
Brought confusion on the realm.
King or cobbler born, what matter,
With a crown or with a hat;
Who would crush his people's freedom,
Let the false king die for that!
With a crown or with a hat;
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Let the false king die for that!
And they tried him for a traitor;
And they brought him forth to die
At Whitehall upon a scaffold,
In the people's wondering eye.
And they brought him forth to die
At Whitehall upon a scaffold,
In the people's wondering eye.
Who shall rule a headless nation?
Charles had left a son, a youth,
Like himself a shuffling schemer,
Foe to goodness and to truth.
Charles had left a son, a youth,
Like himself a shuffling schemer,
Foe to goodness and to truth.
Him the Scots, unwisely loyal,
Crowned with kingly grace at Scone,
Unprophetic of the falsehood
Bred in every Stuart's bone.
Crowned with kingly grace at Scone,
Unprophetic of the falsehood
Bred in every Stuart's bone.
Not so Cromwell—he who never
Helped a serpent's brood to sting,
Trained too well to know the Devil's
Game played with the name of king.
Helped a serpent's brood to sting,
Trained too well to know the Devil's
Game played with the name of king.
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At Dunbar he took his station;
There with scanted strength stood he,
Where the old grey castle looks forth
Grimly on the old grey sea.
There with scanted strength stood he,
Where the old grey castle looks forth
Grimly on the old grey sea.
Westward to the hills he turns
His watchful glance both quick and sure,
And there the Scots he saw in thousands
Marshalled on the old grey moor.
His watchful glance both quick and sure,
And there the Scots he saw in thousands
Marshalled on the old grey moor.
Meagre hope was there for Cromwell;
They might hedge him round and round,
From their chosen post of vantage
On the high and heathy ground.
They might hedge him round and round,
From their chosen post of vantage
On the high and heathy ground.
Leslie was a stout old soldier,
Wary as a Scot may be,
And he saw sure prey in Cromwell,
With his back beside the sea.
Wary as a Scot may be,
And he saw sure prey in Cromwell,
With his back beside the sea.
But strange things will chance; and Leslie,
To his vantage-ground untrue,
Down the hill with forward rashness
Strangely came to Cromwell's view.
To his vantage-ground untrue,
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Strangely came to Cromwell's view.
“Pounce upon them! on, brave boys!
On through mist and moony gleam;
On! the Lord of hosts is with us;
On! yon sun's first rising beam
On through mist and moony gleam;
On! the Lord of hosts is with us;
On! yon sun's first rising beam
“Shines on victory! pounce upon them!
By my faith, they run, they run!
God hath scattered them before us
As the mist flies from the sun!”
By my faith, they run, they run!
God hath scattered them before us
As the mist flies from the sun!”
On he rushes like a torrent;
Back they flee in blank amaze;
On he rolls with volleyed thunder,
On with swelling hymns of praise.
Back they flee in blank amaze;
On he rolls with volleyed thunder,
On with swelling hymns of praise.
They are routed. Stout old Scotland
Stands a public fool confessed,
When she took a wounded adder
Blindly to her kindly breast.
Stands a public fool confessed,
When she took a wounded adder
Blindly to her kindly breast.
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But where is Charles? With fond assurance
He hath risked to front his foes
'Mid fair England's wooded greenery,
Where the Severn gently flows.
He hath risked to front his foes
'Mid fair England's wooded greenery,
Where the Severn gently flows.
Vainly; for, with pace of thunder,
Sleepless Cromwell follows there,
And like houseless wild beast drives him,
Hunted hot from lair to lair,
Sleepless Cromwell follows there,
And like houseless wild beast drives him,
Hunted hot from lair to lair,
Till he changed high-hearted England
For a land beyond the seas,
Where kings, by fretful parties' goad
Unvexed, might eat and drink at ease.
For a land beyond the seas,
Where kings, by fretful parties' goad
Unvexed, might eat and drink at ease.
Now the stage is cleared from kings;
But Parliaments in high debate
Nurse dissent, and breed confusion
With their never-ending prate.
But Parliaments in high debate
Nurse dissent, and breed confusion
With their never-ending prate.
Cromwell hath no craft of talking,
Loves to go the shortest road;
Right into the hall of council,
As a soldier strides, he strode.
Loves to go the shortest road;
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As a soldier strides, he strode.
“Take away that bauble—shadows
Are ye of what once ye were!
England hath no need of shadows;
I am Cromwell; I am here,
Are ye of what once ye were!
England hath no need of shadows;
I am Cromwell; I am here,
“Weighted with no trifling business;
This poor farce will never do;
Better men must fill your places;
Hence! the Lord hath done with you!”
This poor farce will never do;
Better men must fill your places;
Hence! the Lord hath done with you!”
And they went as wanton schoolboys,
When the master shows his rod,
Or as idols from the presence
Vanish of the rightful God.
When the master shows his rod,
Or as idols from the presence
Vanish of the rightful God.
He hath conquered. Clad in plain grey
Hose, and worsted stockings grey,
And a hat without a hat-band,
He is England's king to-day.
Hose, and worsted stockings grey,
And a hat without a hat-band,
He is England's king to-day.
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No more shaking now and shuffling,
No more swaying to and fro;
Now the strong man rules, all England
Feels, and Europe soon shall know.
No more swaying to and fro;
Now the strong man rules, all England
Feels, and Europe soon shall know.
Now no more to haughty Spaniards
Britons basely bow the head,
No more paid by Frankish bounty
Hireling troops are basely fed.
Britons basely bow the head,
No more paid by Frankish bounty
Hireling troops are basely fed.
No more hordes of plundering pirates
Fill our well-stored ports with fears,
Turk and Tuscan strike their colours
Where the flag of Blake appears.
Fill our well-stored ports with fears,
Turk and Tuscan strike their colours
Where the flag of Blake appears.
At the mighty word of Cromwell
Popes are dumb, and curses cease;
And in Alpine valleys godly
Peasants sing their psalms in peace.
Popes are dumb, and curses cease;
And in Alpine valleys godly
Peasants sing their psalms in peace.
England's hand is felt in Europe
Now, as in the good old time
Of Plantagenets in their glory,
Of the Tudors in their prime.
Now, as in the good old time
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Of the Tudors in their prime.
But no man is blest in all things:
Feared at Paris, feared in Rome,
Hot contention grew around him,
With unkindly thoughts at home.
Feared at Paris, feared in Rome,
Hot contention grew around him,
With unkindly thoughts at home.
He had saved them from the despot,
He had helped them in their need,
And with best heart's blood of England
Watered freedom's precious seed.
He had helped them in their need,
And with best heart's blood of England
Watered freedom's precious seed.
But the tumult and the grating
Jar of jealous power with power,
Not even his strong will might charm it
To sweet music in an hour.
Jar of jealous power with power,
Not even his strong will might charm it
To sweet music in an hour.
And he died with work unfinished;
But, with life's flood ebbing low,
“I have sown good seed,” he said,
“And God will know to make it grow.”
But, with life's flood ebbing low,
“I have sown good seed,” he said,
“And God will know to make it grow.”
| A Song of Heroes | |