THE WAR OF THE LEAGUE. 59 And thou Rochelle, our own Rochelle, proud city of the waters, Again let rapture light the eyes of all thy mourning daughters; [joy, As thou wert constant in our ills, be joyous in our For cold, and stiff, and still are they who wrought thy walls annoy. Hurrah! hurrah! a single field hath turned the chance of war; Hurrah! hurrah! for Ivry, and King Henry of Navarre. Oh, how our hearts were beating, when at the dawn of day We saw the army of the League drawn out in long array; With all its priest-led citizens and all its rebel peers, And Appenzel's stout infantry, and Egmont's Flemish spears. There rode the brood of false Lorraine, the curses of our land, And dark Mayenne was in the midst, a truncheon in his hand; And as on them we looked, we thought of Seine's empurpled flood, And good Coligny's hoary hair all dabbled with his blood; And we cried unto the living God, who rules the fate of war, To fight for His own holy name, and Henry of Navarre. 60 THE WAR OF THE LEAGUE. The king is come to marshal us, in all his armour drest, And he has bound a snow-white plume upon his gallant crest; [eye; He looked upon his people, and a tear was in his He looked upon the traitors, and his glance was stern and high. Right graciously he smiled on us, as roll'd from wing to wing, Down all our line, a deafening shout, God save our Lord the King! "And if my standard-bearer fall, as fall full well he may, For never saw I promise yet of such a bloody fray— Press where ye see my white plume shine, amid the ranks of war, And be your oriflamme to-day the helmet of Navarre." Hurrah, the foes are moving! Hark to the mingled din Of fife, and steed, and trump and drum, and roaring culverin! The fiery Duke is pricking fast across St. Andre's plain, With all the hireling chivalry of Guelders and Almayne. Now by the lips of those ye love, fair gentlemen of France, Charge for the golden lilies now, upon them with the lance! THE WAR OF THE LEAGUE. 61 A thousand spurs are striking deep, a thousand spears in rest, A thousand knights are pressing close behind the snow-white crest; And in they burst, and on they rushed, while like a guiding star Amid the thickest carnage blazed the helmet of Navarre. Now, God be praised, the day is ours; Mayenne has turned his rein; D'Aumale has cried for quarter; the Flemish count is slain. Their ranks are breaking like thin clouds before a Biscay gale, The field is heap'd with bleeding steeds, and flags, and cloven mail. And then we thought of vengeance, and all along our van, man to man. "Remember St. Bartholomew !" was passed from [my foe; But out spake gentle Henry, "No Frenchman is Down, down with every foreigner, but let your brethren go." [in war, Oh, was there ever such a knight, in friendship or As our sovereign lord King Henry, the soldier of Navarre? Ho, maidens of Vienna ! ho, matrons of Lucerne ! Weep, weep, and rend your hair for those who never shall return. Ho, Philip, send, for charity, thy Mexican pistoles, That Antwerp monks may sing a mass for thy poor spearmen's souls! Ho, gallant nobles of the League, look that your arms be bright! Ho, burghers of St. Genevieve, keep watch and ward to-night! For our God hath crush'd the tyrant, our God hath raised the slave, And mocked the counsel of the wise, and the valour of the brave. Then glory to His holy Name, from whom all glories are; And glory to our sovereign lord, King Henry of Navarre ! MACAULAY. THE SKIES. Ay, gloriously thou standest there, Far, far below thee, tall old trees Arise, and piles built up of old, And hills whose ancient summits freeze THE SKIES. The eagle soars his utmost height, Thou hast thy frowns-with thee on high Yet art thou prodigal of smiles Smiles sweeter than thy frowns are stern; The glory that comes down from thee The sun, the gorgeous sun, is thine, Thence look the thoughtful stars, and there The sunny Italy may boast The beauteous tints that flush her skies, I only know how fair they stand And they are fair-a charm is theirs, That earth, the proud green earth has not, 63 |