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36
A BALLAD OF THE EXODUS FROM HOUNDSDITCH
Exodus from Houndsditch. ‘That alas! is impossible as
yet, though it is the gist of all writings and wise books, I
sometimes think—the goal to be wisely aimed at as the first
of all for us. Out of Houndsditch, indeed! Ah, were we
but out, and had our own along with us.’
Carlyle's Journal.
He glowed and flamed with faith in Heaven and Hell,
And travailed for his Church in thought and deed;
They cast him out because he preached too well
His peremptory creed.
And travailed for his Church in thought and deed;
They cast him out because he preached too well
His peremptory creed.
37
He hid himself among the northern heights;
He watched the misty torrents, thundering, fall;
He watched the shortening days, the lengthening nights;
And heard the Lord God call,
He watched the misty torrents, thundering, fall;
He watched the shortening days, the lengthening nights;
And heard the Lord God call,
‘Go back, and noise abroad the wrath to come;
Ask no man's help; proclaim me in the crowd;
Shall my anointed minister be dumb,
When all my foes are loud?’
Ask no man's help; proclaim me in the crowd;
Shall my anointed minister be dumb,
When all my foes are loud?’
He hastened to the city: in a square
He preached the gospel. ‘Fellowmen,’ he cried,
‘Jehovah speaks through me; you shall not dare
To laugh or turn aside.
He preached the gospel. ‘Fellowmen,’ he cried,
‘Jehovah speaks through me; you shall not dare
To laugh or turn aside.
38
‘I preach no system nebulous and new;
God is, or is not: I have not to sell
Cosmetics for the soul: I offer you
The choice of Heaven or Hell.
God is, or is not: I have not to sell
Cosmetics for the soul: I offer you
The choice of Heaven or Hell.
‘Heed not bellethrist jargon, nor the rant
Of wanton art and proud philosophy;
But purge your reason of the subtlest cant,
And listen now to me.
Of wanton art and proud philosophy;
But purge your reason of the subtlest cant,
And listen now to me.
‘These are the grievous times that Paul foretold:
Men have become self-lovers, moneyers;
Boastful and haughty; scorners of the old;
Thankless, unholy; worse
Men have become self-lovers, moneyers;
Boastful and haughty; scorners of the old;
Thankless, unholy; worse
‘Than apes in lusts unspoken that appal
Sweet love; of dissolute fantastic mood;
Egoists, artists, scientists; and all
Haters of what is good.
Sweet love; of dissolute fantastic mood;
Egoists, artists, scientists; and all
Haters of what is good.
39
‘Be warned ye sceptics, poets—fools; refrain
Who lick the lip and roll the lustful eye;
Repent, ye rich, that for your pleasures drain
The heart of labour dry.
Who lick the lip and roll the lustful eye;
Repent, ye rich, that for your pleasures drain
The heart of labour dry.
‘Reformer, bishop, knowledge-monger, quack—
Kill-Christs!—I am to every mortal sent;
But chiefly to the wise and good, alack!
I cry, repent! repent!
Kill-Christs!—I am to every mortal sent;
But chiefly to the wise and good, alack!
I cry, repent! repent!
‘Ye gentle-hearted, lofty-sprited ones
Who dream, who hope, who think, and who design,
And who perform humane things for men's sons,
Denying things divine,
Who dream, who hope, who think, and who design,
And who perform humane things for men's sons,
Denying things divine,
‘Ye labour nobly, asking no reward;
But I pronounce unselfishness a crime,
And tell you that the Great Day of the Lord
Brags in the womb of time.
But I pronounce unselfishness a crime,
And tell you that the Great Day of the Lord
Brags in the womb of time.
40
‘Soon shall the elements with fervent heat
Melt, and the stars be shed like withered leaves;
And ye shall stand before the judgment-seat
With murderers, liars, thieves.
Melt, and the stars be shed like withered leaves;
And ye shall stand before the judgment-seat
With murderers, liars, thieves.
‘Repent! repent! and shun your awful fate!
Why were your souls to your own bodies lent
But for your own first care! Men, good and great,
I say, repent! repent!
Why were your souls to your own bodies lent
But for your own first care! Men, good and great,
I say, repent! repent!
‘And turn to Christ who put his glory by,
And suffered on the cross that anguish fell;
If you will not believe before you die,
You shall believe in Hell!’
And suffered on the cross that anguish fell;
If you will not believe before you die,
You shall believe in Hell!’
The chill wind whispered winter; night set in;
Stars flickered high; and like a tidal wave,
He heard the rolling multitudinous din
Of life the city lave,
Stars flickered high; and like a tidal wave,
He heard the rolling multitudinous din
Of life the city lave,
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And burst in devious streams and eddying wreaths,
To fill the halls its glowing surges stain,
And hidden nooks wherein it clangs and seethes,
And spends itself in vain.
To fill the halls its glowing surges stain,
And hidden nooks wherein it clangs and seethes,
And spends itself in vain.
A glittering-eyed and rosy boy that way
Went past and gravely gazed; a minstrel thrummed
His banjo strings; ‘Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay,’
A happy harlot hummed.
Went past and gravely gazed; a minstrel thrummed
His banjo strings; ‘Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay,’
A happy harlot hummed.
Then from a shadowy corner of the square,
A phantom stole and took the preacher's hand,
And led him swiftly east to Houndsditch where
The Aldgate once did stand.
A phantom stole and took the preacher's hand,
And led him swiftly east to Houndsditch where
The Aldgate once did stand.
A vapour sank, ill-smelling and unclean,
Over the orient city; and writhed and curled
Up Houndsditch like a mist in a ravine,
Of some fantastic world,
Over the orient city; and writhed and curled
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Of some fantastic world,
Where wild weeds, half-way down the frowning bank,
Flutter like poor apparel stained and sere,
And lamplike flowers with hearts of flame their rank
And baleful blossoms rear.
Flutter like poor apparel stained and sere,
And lamplike flowers with hearts of flame their rank
And baleful blossoms rear.
Nothing he noted of the ceaseless roar
Of wheels and wearied hoofs and wearied feet,
That sounded hoarse behind 'twixt shore and shore
Of brimming Aldgate Street.
Of wheels and wearied hoofs and wearied feet,
That sounded hoarse behind 'twixt shore and shore
Of brimming Aldgate Street.
He only heard a murmur gathering fast,
Of hidden multitudes in wrath and pain;
Anon a visionary pageant passed,
Through the high-shouldered lane.
Of hidden multitudes in wrath and pain;
Anon a visionary pageant passed,
Through the high-shouldered lane.
43
But first the bleared and beetling houses changed
To ivied towers and belfries old and gray,
And pointed gables, antic chimneys, ranged
In ordered disarray.
To ivied towers and belfries old and gray,
And pointed gables, antic chimneys, ranged
In ordered disarray.
Then in the midst of Houndsditch one appeared,
Panting with haste, and bearing heavily
A massive cross; but not as one that feared:
Rather he seemed to be
Panting with haste, and bearing heavily
A massive cross; but not as one that feared:
Rather he seemed to be
With desperate courage flying an event,
Most woful, unexpected, undesigned,
Born of immaculate heroism, meant
Wholly to bless mankind.
Most woful, unexpected, undesigned,
Born of immaculate heroism, meant
Wholly to bless mankind.
He sped along a path of cloud and flame,
That spanned the city, looking ever back
With pity and with horror, till he came
Where an abyss yawned black.
That spanned the city, looking ever back
With pity and with horror, till he came
Where an abyss yawned black.
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Straightway he raised the cross high in the air;
Its shadow darkened space: into the deep
He threw it: then his terrible despair
Fell from him, as a sleep
Its shadow darkened space: into the deep
He threw it: then his terrible despair
Fell from him, as a sleep
Falls from a young man on a summer morn:
Wondering and glad a lowly way he took
By pastures, flowers and fruit, and golden corn,
And by a murmuring brook:
Wondering and glad a lowly way he took
By pastures, flowers and fruit, and golden corn,
And by a murmuring brook:
The while were heard descending from the skies
Or out of future times and future lands,
A bruit low and whispers, shadowy cries
Of joy and clapping hands.
Or out of future times and future lands,
A bruit low and whispers, shadowy cries
Of joy and clapping hands.
But this scarce-heard applause, so far, so faint,
Like happy tears shed in a stormy sea,
Sudden was lost in the deep-voiced complaint,
The shouts of victory,
Like happy tears shed in a stormy sea,
Sudden was lost in the deep-voiced complaint,
The shouts of victory,
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Of hope and woe, that with discordant stress
Tempestuously filled the phantom street,
As from its doors there issued forth a press
Of folk with noiseless feet,
Tempestuously filled the phantom street,
As from its doors there issued forth a press
Of folk with noiseless feet,
That hurried like a torrent through a strait,
And o'er the magic path of flame and cloud—
Arms, voices, of that silent-footed, great
And many-mannered crowd!
And o'er the magic path of flame and cloud—
Arms, voices, of that silent-footed, great
And many-mannered crowd!
Above the street the Holy City hung,
Close as a roof and like a jasper stone
Lit by the Lamp of God; while seraphs sung
And saints adored the Throne.
Close as a roof and like a jasper stone
Lit by the Lamp of God; while seraphs sung
And saints adored the Throne.
Beneath, the sewers, flaming suddenly,
Bore down, like offal, souls of men to swell
The reeking cess-pool of humanity,
The hideous nine-orbed Hell.
Bore down, like offal, souls of men to swell
The reeking cess-pool of humanity,
The hideous nine-orbed Hell.
46
Templars and warrior-bishops hewed and hacked
Christian and Pagan; kings and priests at feud
Each other smote; king, king—priest, priest attacked;
Creed, creed—zeal, zeal pursued
Christian and Pagan; kings and priests at feud
Each other smote; king, king—priest, priest attacked;
Creed, creed—zeal, zeal pursued
With thumbscrews, racks, strappadoes, cord and stake;
And victims passed: live folk like tired-off toys
Broken and burned—women on fire! Christ's sake!
And tortured girls and boys!
And victims passed: live folk like tired-off toys
Broken and burned—women on fire! Christ's sake!
And tortured girls and boys!
And there came also gentle counsellors,
And some announced that discord now should cease;
But every blessing rotted to a curse
Upon the lips of peace.
And some announced that discord now should cease;
But every blessing rotted to a curse
Upon the lips of peace.
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Then cloth-yard shafts and knightly panoplies
Gave place to ordnance and the musketeer;
And evermore pealed hymns and battle-cries,
And shrieks of pain and fear.
Gave place to ordnance and the musketeer;
And evermore pealed hymns and battle-cries,
And shrieks of pain and fear.
The king o'erthrew the priest; the folk did tame
The king; and, having nobly played the man,
Bowed to the yoke again, while God became
A sleek-haired Anglican.
The king; and, having nobly played the man,
Bowed to the yoke again, while God became
A sleek-haired Anglican.
And still the motley pageant thundering poured
Along the Heaven-roofed and Hell-drained street—
Priest, trooper, harlot, lawyer, lady, lord,
And all with noiseless feet.
Along the Heaven-roofed and Hell-drained street—
Priest, trooper, harlot, lawyer, lady, lord,
And all with noiseless feet.
Because the way with living flesh was paved,
With men and women, stifled, broken, bruised,
Whose blood the thresholds of the Churches laved,
And stood in pools, and oozed,
With men and women, stifled, broken, bruised,
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And stood in pools, and oozed,
And spirted high like water in a land
Of mire and moss, at every hoof and foot
Spattering the snowy alb, the jewelled hand
Of priest and prostitute.
Of mire and moss, at every hoof and foot
Spattering the snowy alb, the jewelled hand
Of priest and prostitute.
Voiceless and still the human causey lay,
Until the City of God began to pale,
And Hell grow cold; then from that dolorous way
Broke forth a feeble wail;
Until the City of God began to pale,
And Hell grow cold; then from that dolorous way
Broke forth a feeble wail;
And here and there some sign of life appeared—
A lifted arm; and faces quick or dead
Surged in the bloody plash; and one upreared
A ghastly, shrieking head,
A lifted arm; and faces quick or dead
Surged in the bloody plash; and one upreared
A ghastly, shrieking head,
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That straightway fell, brained by a ruthless hoof:
But the live stones grew stormier evermore,
As dim and dimmer waned the Heavenly roof,
And Hell burned low and lower.
But the live stones grew stormier evermore,
As dim and dimmer waned the Heavenly roof,
And Hell burned low and lower.
Prone, or half-raised, or upright, desperate blows
By these down-trodden ones were dealt about;
At last the whole live road in wrath arose,
And smote the wanton rout.
By these down-trodden ones were dealt about;
At last the whole live road in wrath arose,
And smote the wanton rout.
Straightway a blood-red fog darkened and shone
And hid the street. . . . Was it the crimson stain
Of morn alone? Or must the New Day dawn
O'er mountains of the slain?
And hid the street. . . . Was it the crimson stain
Of morn alone? Or must the New Day dawn
O'er mountains of the slain?
The mist dissolved: Lo! Nature's comely face!
No Hellish sewer poisoning the air,
No parish Heaven obliterating space,
But earth and sky so fair—
No Hellish sewer poisoning the air,
No parish Heaven obliterating space,
But earth and sky so fair—
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Infinite thought, infinite galaxies;
And on a daisied lawn a shining throng
Of noble people sweetly sang: here is
The burden of their song:
And on a daisied lawn a shining throng
Of noble people sweetly sang: here is
The burden of their song:
‘With love and hope we go;
We neither fear nor hate;
We know but what we know;
We have become as Fate.’
We neither fear nor hate;
We know but what we know;
We have become as Fate.’
Then suddenly the winter fog unclean
Sank o'er the orient city, and writhed and curled
Up Houndsditch like a mist in a ravine
Of some fantastic world,
Sank o'er the orient city, and writhed and curled
Up Houndsditch like a mist in a ravine
Of some fantastic world,
Where wild weeds halfway down the frowning bank
Flutter like poor apparel stained and sere,
And lamplike flowers with hearts of gold their rank
And baleful blossoms rear.
Flutter like poor apparel stained and sere,
51
And baleful blossoms rear.
The preacher, ghastlier than the phantom, cried
‘Get thee behind me, Satan!’ clutched the night,
Staggered, ran on, shrieked, laughed, fell down and died
Of that strange-storied sight.
‘Get thee behind me, Satan!’ clutched the night,
Staggered, ran on, shrieked, laughed, fell down and died
Of that strange-storied sight.
Few marked his death amid the ceaseless roar
Of wheels and wearied hoofs and wearied teet,
That sounded hoarse behind 'twixt shore and shore
Of brimming Aldgate Street.
Of wheels and wearied hoofs and wearied teet,
That sounded hoarse behind 'twixt shore and shore
Of brimming Aldgate Street.
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