The poetical works of John Nicholson ... Carefully edited from the original editions, with additional notes and a sketch of his life and writings. By W. G. Hird |
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 | The poetical works of John Nicholson |  |
From Marston to old Tockwith spread the line
Of those who fought against the royal sign;
The stout right wing Sir Thomas Fairfax led,
And seemed another Hector at its head;
Lord Fairfax led the centre to the fray,
The left, proud Cromwell's stern commands obey.
Down in the plain the royal army stood,
Who for their monarch soon must shed their blood;
True loyalty was spread from wing to wing,
And each forgave the follies of his king.
Dreadful the sight, when thus two armies meet,
All friendly feelings sunk beneath their feet,
And those who hung upon the self-same breast,
Taught by one father, by one mother blest,
Waiting the signal for the deadly fray,
Where brothers take their kindred's lives away!
But so 'twas here, when young Prince Rupert led
The right wing, brave as e'er a banner spread.
While General Goring led the centre on,
To meet the Scots, as oft their sires had done,
Lucas and Porter often rode to cheer
The wings, the centre, vanguard, and the rear;
While those who marched at great Newcastle's word,
Were brave as any that unsheathed the sword.
Now ready stood each fierce embattled host,
When all distinction in their dress was lost,
When handkerchiefs, and slips of red or white,
Were all that showed the king's-men whom to fight.
The trumpet sounded, and the march began,
Fairfax and Cromwell leading forth the van;
Th' usurper cried—“For battle all prepare!”
Then the arch-hypocrite breathed forth a prayer;
As if Omnipotence could smile to see
Britons from Britons gain a victory.
While Cromwell's files marched rapid down the hill,
Firm in their lines the Royalists were still;
With no impetuous haste Lord Goring led—
The foes appeared, but not a king's-man fled.
Of those who fought against the royal sign;
The stout right wing Sir Thomas Fairfax led,
And seemed another Hector at its head;
Lord Fairfax led the centre to the fray,
The left, proud Cromwell's stern commands obey.
Down in the plain the royal army stood,
Who for their monarch soon must shed their blood;
62
And each forgave the follies of his king.
Dreadful the sight, when thus two armies meet,
All friendly feelings sunk beneath their feet,
And those who hung upon the self-same breast,
Taught by one father, by one mother blest,
Waiting the signal for the deadly fray,
Where brothers take their kindred's lives away!
But so 'twas here, when young Prince Rupert led
The right wing, brave as e'er a banner spread.
While General Goring led the centre on,
To meet the Scots, as oft their sires had done,
Lucas and Porter often rode to cheer
The wings, the centre, vanguard, and the rear;
While those who marched at great Newcastle's word,
Were brave as any that unsheathed the sword.
Now ready stood each fierce embattled host,
When all distinction in their dress was lost,
When handkerchiefs, and slips of red or white,
Were all that showed the king's-men whom to fight.
The trumpet sounded, and the march began,
Fairfax and Cromwell leading forth the van;
Th' usurper cried—“For battle all prepare!”
Then the arch-hypocrite breathed forth a prayer;
As if Omnipotence could smile to see
Britons from Britons gain a victory.
While Cromwell's files marched rapid down the hill,
Firm in their lines the Royalists were still;
63
The foes appeared, but not a king's-man fled.
| The poetical works of John Nicholson | |