Poems by St. John Honeywood . with some pieces in prose |
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The Selfish Man's Prayer on the Prospect of War.
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 | Poems by St. John Honeywood . |  |
61
The Selfish Man's Prayer on the Prospect of War.
Again the clouds of battle lour
With terror and dismay;
Protect me, all disposing power,
In this disastrous day!
With terror and dismay;
Protect me, all disposing power,
In this disastrous day!
As in the camp the soldiers learn
To riot, curse and swear,
'Twould give my pious soul concern
To have my boys go there!
To riot, curse and swear,
'Twould give my pious soul concern
To have my boys go there!
Then while my neighbours and their sons
Are call'd to war and arms,
Grant that my boys, secure from guns,
May cultivate my farms!
Are call'd to war and arms,
Grant that my boys, secure from guns,
May cultivate my farms!
62
And while with taxes and expense
My kindred are distress'd,
O grant that all my hard-earn'd pence
May slumber in the chest!
My kindred are distress'd,
O grant that all my hard-earn'd pence
May slumber in the chest!
And should the Frenchmen gain the day,
And all their foes condemn;
Then may I wash my hands, and say
I ne'er opposed them!
And all their foes condemn;
Then may I wash my hands, and say
I ne'er opposed them!
Yet, if by thy disposing will,
My country gains the cause,
O may I find a shelter still
In her indulgent laws!
My country gains the cause,
O may I find a shelter still
In her indulgent laws!
And should she disbelieve my word,
May I upon thee call
To witness I ne'er drew my sword,
Or fir'd a gun at all.
May I upon thee call
To witness I ne'er drew my sword,
Or fir'd a gun at all.
63
For since from frailty and mistake
No carnal mind is free,
I wish no active part to take,
But leave the whole to thee!
No carnal mind is free,
I wish no active part to take,
But leave the whole to thee!
Though impious-pirates on the seas
Our merchants' ships despoil;
Yet shall my spirit rest in ease
Till foes invade the soil.
Our merchants' ships despoil;
Yet shall my spirit rest in ease
Till foes invade the soil.
Then let the fiends of battle rave,
My peaceful vales shall sing;
And oxen, corn, and all I have,
Full thrice their value bring.
My peaceful vales shall sing;
And oxen, corn, and all I have,
Full thrice their value bring.
O may my lands yield twenty-fold,
The army to supply;
May fat contractors, fraught with gold,
My copious harvests buy!
The army to supply;
May fat contractors, fraught with gold,
My copious harvests buy!
64
May continental rags no more
Usurp the place of coin;
But crown my basket and my store
With blessings from the mine.
Usurp the place of coin;
But crown my basket and my store
With blessings from the mine.
What though the fig-tree shall not bloom,
Or oxen seek the stall;
What though it be thy righteous doom
That half our youth shall fall:
Or oxen seek the stall;
What though it be thy righteous doom
That half our youth shall fall:
Yet if thou wilt thy servant bless,
And my posterity,
I'll joy in my own righteousness,
To perpetuity.
And my posterity,
I'll joy in my own righteousness,
To perpetuity.
| Poems by St. John Honeywood . | |