POEMS OF TRAGEDY. THE EXECUTION OF MONTROSE. [James Graham, Marquis of Montrose, was executed in Edin. burgh, May 21, 1650, for an attempt to overthrow the Commonwealth, and restore Charles II.] THE morning dawned full darkly, The rain came flashing down, The thunder crashed across the heaven, There was madness on the earth below And young and old, and rich and poor, Ah God! that ghastly gibbet. Hark! hark! it is the clash of arms, "He is coming! he is coming! God's mercy on his soul!" One last long peal of thunder, The clouds are cleared away, And the glorious sun once more looks down Amidst the dazzling day. "He is coming! he is coming!" Like a bridegroom from his room Came the hero from his prison To the scaffold and the doom. There was glory on his forehead, There was luster in his eye, And he never walked to battle More proudly than to die. There was color in his visage, Though the cheeks of all were wan; And they marveled as they saw him pass, That great and goodly man! He mounted up the scaffold, And he turned him to the crowd; But they dared not trust the people, So he might not speak aloud. Every day the starving poor At last Bishop Hatto appointed a day He bade them to his great barn repair, He laid him down and closed his eyes, He listened and looked, it was only the cat ; And they should have food for the winter there. For they have swum over the river so deep, And they have climbed the shores so steep, [Baltimore is a small seaport in the barony of Carbery, in South Munster. It grew up around a castle of O'Driscoll's, and was, after his ruin, colonized by the English. On the 20th of June, 1631, the crews of two Algerine galleys landed in the dead of the night, sacked the town, and bore off into slavery all who were not too old, or too young, or too fierce, for their purpose. The pirates were steered up the intricate channel by one Hackett, a Dungarvan fisherman, whom they had taken at sea for the purpose. Two years after, he was convicted of the crime and executed. Baltimore never recovered from this.] |