'SWEET is the holiness of Youth '-so felt Time-honoured Chaucer speaking through that Lay By which the Prioress beguiled the way, And many a Pilgrim's rugged heart did melt. Hadst thou, loved Bard! whose spirit often dwelt In the clear land of vision, but foreseen King, child, and seraph, blended in the mien Of pious Edward kneeling as he knelt In meek and simple infancy, what joy For universal Christendom had thrilled
Thy heart! what hopes inspired thy genius, skilled (0 great Precursor, genuine morning Star) The lucid shafts of reason to employ, Piercing the Papal darkness from afar!
EDWARD SIGNING THE WARRANT FOR THE EXECUTION OF JOAN OF KENT.
THE tears of man in various measure gush
From various sources; gently overflow
From blissful transport some-from clefts of woe
Some with ungovernable impulse rush;
And some, coëval with the earliest blush Of infant passion, scarcely dare to show Their pearly lustre coming but to go;
And some break forth when others' sorrows crush The sympathising heart. Nor these, nor yet The noblest drops to admiration known, To gratitude, to injuries forgiven-
Claim Heaven's regard like waters that have wet The innocent eyes of youthful Monarchs driven To pen the mandates, nature doth disown.
THE saintly Youth has ceased to rule, discrowned By unrelenting Death. O People keen
For change, to whom the new looks always green! Rejoicing did they cast upon the ground
Their Gods of wood and stone; and, at the sound Of counter-proclamation, now are seen, (Proud triumph is it for a sullen Queen !) Lifting them up, the worship to confound Of the Most High. Again do they invoke The Creature, to the Creature glory give; Again with frankincense the altars smoke Like those the Heathen served; and mass is sung; And prayer, man's rational prerogative,
Runs through blind channels of an unknown tongue.
How fast the Marian death-list is unrolled! See Latimer and Ridley in the might
Of Faith stand coupled for a common flight! One (like those prophets whom God sent of old) Transfigured*, from this kindling hath foretold A torch of inextinguishable light;
The Other gains a confidence as bold; And thus they foil their enemy's despite. The penal instruments, the shows of crime, Are glorified while this once-mitred pair
Of saintly Friends the 'murtherer's chain partake, Corded, and burning at the social stake:' Earth never witnessed object more sublime In constancy, in fellowship more fair!
OUTSTRETCHING flame-ward his upbraided hand (O God of mercy, may no earthly Seat
Of judgment such presumptuous doom repeat!) Amid the shuddering throng doth Cranmer stand;
Firm as the stake to which with iron band His frame is tied; firm from the naked feet To the bare head. The victory is complete; The shrouded Body to the Soul's command Answers with more than Indian fortitude, Through all her nerves with finer sense endued, Till breath departs in blissful aspiration:
Then, 'mid the ghastly ruins of the fire,
Behold the unalterable heart entire,
Emblem of faith untouched, miraculous attestation! *
GENERAL VIEW OF THE TROUBLES OF THE REFORMATION.
AID, glorious Martyrs, from your fields of light, Our mortal ken! Inspire a perfect trust
(While we look round) that Heaven's decrees are just: Which few can hold committed to a fight
That shows, ev'n on its better side, the might
Of proud Self-will, Rapacity, and Lust, 'Mid clouds enveloped of polemic dust,
Which showers of blood seem rather to incite
Than to allay. Anathemas are hurled
From both sides; veteran thunders (the brute test Of truth) are met by fulminations new— Tartarean flags are caught at, and unfurled- Friends strike at friends-the flying shall pursue- And Victory sickens, ignorant where to rest!
For the belief in this fact, seo the contemporary Historians.
ENGLISH REFORMERS IN EXILE.
SCATTERING, like birds escaped the fowler's net, Some seek with timely flight a foreign strand; Most happy, re-assembled in a land
By dauntless Luther freed, could they forget Their Country's woes. But scarcely have they met, Partners in faith, and brothers in distress,
Free to pour forth their common thankfulness, Ere hope declines :-their union is beset With speculative notions rashly sown,
Whence thickly-sprouting growth of poisonous weeds; Their forms are broken staves; their passions, steeds That master them. How enviably blest
Is he who can, by help of grace, enthrone The peace of God within his single breast!
HAIL, Virgin Queen! o'er many an envious bar Triumphant, snatched from many a treacherous wile!
All hail, sage Lady, whom a grateful Isle Hath blest, respiring from that dismal war
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