IX.

!

| PRAISED be the Rivers, from their mountain springs Shouting to Freedom, “Plant thy banners here!” To harassed Piety, “Dismiss thy fear,

And in our caverns smooth thy ruffled wings!”
Nor be unthanked their final lingerings-

Silent, but not to high-souled Passion's car—
'Mid reedy fens wide-spread and marshes drear,
Their own creation. Such glad welcomings
As Po was heard to give where Venice rose,
Hailed from aloft those Heirs of truth divine
Who near his fountains sought obscure repose,
Yet well prepared as glorious lights to shine,
Should that be needed for their sacred Charge;
Blest Prisoners They, whose spirits were at large!

X.

WALDENSES.

THESE had given carliest notice, as the lark
Springs from the ground the morn to gratulate;

Or rather rose the day to antedate,

By striking out a solitary spark,

When all the world with midnight gloom was dark.—
At length came those Waldensian bands whom Hate
In vain endeavours to exterminate,

Fell Obloquy pursues with hideous bark * :

But they desist not ;-and the sacred fire,
Rekindled thus, from dens and savage woods
Moves, handed on with never-ceasing care,
Through courts, through camps, o'er limitary floods ;
Nor lacks this sea-girt Isle a timely share

Of the new Flame, not suffered to expire.

* See Note:

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XI.

ARCHBISHOP CHICHELY TO HENRY V,

WHAT beast in wilderness or cultured field

The lively beauty of the leopard shows?

What flower in meadow-ground or garden grows
That to the towering lily doth not yield?

“Let both meet only on thy royal shield!

(io forth, great King! claim what thy birth bestows; Conquer the Gallic lily which thy foes

“ Dare to usurp ;—thou hast a sword to wield,

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“And Heaven will crown the right.”—The mitred Sire Thus spake and lo! a Fleet, for Gaul addrest,

Ploughs her bold course across the wondering seas;

For, south to say, ambition, in the breast

Of youthful heroes, is no sullen fire,

But one that leaps to meet the fanning breeze.

XII.

WARS OF YORK AND LANCASTER..

Turs is the storm abated by the craft

Of a shrewd Counsellor, eager to protect

The Church, whose power bath recently been checked,
Whose monstrous riches threatened. So the shaft

Of victory mounts high, and blood is quaffed
In fields that rival Cressy and Poictiers—
Pride to be washed away by bitter tears!
For deep as hell itself, the avenging draught
Of civil slaughter. Yet, while temporal power
Is by these shocks exhausted, spiritual truth
Maintains the else endangered gift of life;
Proceeds from infancy to lusty youth;
And, under cover of this woeful strife,

Gathers unblighted strength from hour to hour.

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XIII.

WICLIFFE,

ONCE more the Church is seized with sudden fear,

And at her call is Wicliffe disinhumed:

Yea, his dry bones to ashes are consumed

And flung into the brook that travels near ;

Forthwith, that ancient Voice which Streams can hear, Thus speaks (that Voice which walks upon the wind, Though seldom heard by busy human kind)—

“As thou these ashes, little Brook! wilt bear

Into the Avon, Avon to the tide

"Of Severn, Severn to the narrow seas,

Into main Ocean they, this deed accurst “An emblem yields to friends and enemies How the bold Teacher's Doctrine, sanctified

• By truth, shall spread, throughout the world dispersed.