The Anniversaries Poems in Commemoration of Great Men and Great Events. By Thomas H. Gill |
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November 5.
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November 5.
ENGLAND'S TREASURE.
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England has a two-fold interest in this day, signalized in 1605 by the discovery of the Gunpowder Treason, and in 1688 by the landing of William of Orange at Torbay.
“When alle tresors are tried,
Treuthe is the beste.”
Vision of Piers Ploughman, II. 629-30.
Treuthe is the beste.”
Vision of Piers Ploughman, II. 629-30.
England, count thy glories o'er!
Not thy strength, and not thy store,
Not thy sway by sea and shore
Sets thy name most high.
Not thy strength, and not thy store,
Not thy sway by sea and shore
Sets thy name most high.
Triumph, Sovereign of the Sea!
Isle imperial, gladsome be!
Land of Truth and Liberty,
Yet more proudly smile!
Isle imperial, gladsome be!
Land of Truth and Liberty,
Yet more proudly smile!
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Sway of Rome hast thou forsworn,
Thou her banner down hast borne;
Thou her curse hast glorious worn;
Wear the glory still!
Thou her banner down hast borne;
Thou her curse hast glorious worn;
Wear the glory still!
Freedom's robes do clothe thee round;
In thy hand the Word is found;
From thy lips the Truth doth sound;
Ne'er let go the Truth!
In thy hand the Word is found;
From thy lips the Truth doth sound;
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By thy most heroic pains,
By thy most illustrious gains,
By thy most majestic strains,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By thy most illustrious gains,
By thy most majestic strains,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By thy years most full, most bright,
By thy mightiest Men of Might,
By thy sovereign Souls of Light,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By thy mightiest Men of Might,
By thy sovereign Souls of Light,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
137
By each thought divine they woke,
By each “burning word” they spoke,
By each fetter foul they broke,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By each “burning word” they spoke,
By each fetter foul they broke,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By thy Wycliffe's piercing tones,
By thy Wycliffe's burnëd bones,
By thy lowly martyred ones,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By thy Wycliffe's burnëd bones,
By thy lowly martyred ones,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By the glory of that prayer
Kindled at the fierce flame where
Ridley burned with Latimer,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
Kindled at the fierce flame where
Ridley burned with Latimer,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By the mighty maid who broke
With one strong victorious stroke
Evermore the Roman yoke,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
With one strong victorious stroke
Evermore the Roman yoke,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
138
By the foes that came in vain,
By the Heaven-upstirrëd main,
By the smitten ships of Spain,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By the Heaven-upstirrëd main,
By the smitten ships of Spain,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By each plot to work thee woe
Of the baffled Roman foe,
Bootless curse and broken blow,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
Of the baffled Roman foe,
Bootless curse and broken blow,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By the solemn, sacred time
When thy soul most high did climb,
By thy Puritans sublime,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
When thy soul most high did climb,
By thy Puritans sublime,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By each unmatchëd warrior
With the Lord of Hosts astir,
By the soul of Oliver,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
With the Lord of Hosts astir,
By the soul of Oliver,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
139
By his faith so burning bright,
By his arm so great in fight,
By his love and by his might,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By his arm so great in fight,
By his love and by his might,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By thy Milton's lips aglow
With the fire that down doth flow
From the Seraphs' “burning row,”
Ne'er let go the Truth!
With the fire that down doth flow
From the Seraphs' “burning row,”
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By thy martyred Russell's shade,
By the end thy Sidney made,
By the prayer divine he prayed,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By the end thy Sidney made,
By the prayer divine he prayed,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By the hero of Nassau
Strong his guardian sword to draw
For thy freedom, faith, and law,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
Strong his guardian sword to draw
For thy freedom, faith, and law,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
140
By the oath that Derry swore,
By the pangs that Derry bore,
By the wreath that Derry wore,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By the pangs that Derry bore,
By the wreath that Derry wore,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By the outstretched hand of Heaven,
By thy foes before thee driven,
By the glory to thee given,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By thy foes before thee driven,
By the glory to thee given,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By the queenly robes thou wearest,
By the sovereign sway thou bearest
O'er Earth's widest realms and fairest,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By the sovereign sway thou bearest
O'er Earth's widest realms and fairest,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
By sweet Freedom's glorious smile,
Spending still her golden while
Here in the Imperial Isle,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
Spending still her golden while
Here in the Imperial Isle,
Ne'er let go the Truth!
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Eyes of grateful wonder cast
O'er thy Present, o'er thy Past!
Hold thy chiefest grace most fast!
Ne'er let go the Truth!
O'er thy Present, o'er thy Past!
Hold thy chiefest grace most fast!
Ne'er let go the Truth!
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