MILTON
Cromwell, our chief of men, who through a cloud,Not of war only, but detractions rude,Guided by faith and matchless fortitude,To peace and truth thy glorious way hast ploughed,And on the neck of crownèd Fortune proudHast reared God’s trophies, and His work pursued,While Darwen stream, with blood of Scots imbrued,And Dunbar field, resounds thy praises loud,And Worcester’s laureate wreath: yet much remainsTo conquer still; peace hath her victoriesNo less renowned than war: new foes arise,Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains.Help us to save free conscience from the pawOf hireling wolves whose gospel is their maw.John Milton.
Cromwell, our chief of men, who through a cloud,Not of war only, but detractions rude,Guided by faith and matchless fortitude,To peace and truth thy glorious way hast ploughed,And on the neck of crownèd Fortune proudHast reared God’s trophies, and His work pursued,While Darwen stream, with blood of Scots imbrued,And Dunbar field, resounds thy praises loud,And Worcester’s laureate wreath: yet much remainsTo conquer still; peace hath her victoriesNo less renowned than war: new foes arise,Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains.Help us to save free conscience from the pawOf hireling wolves whose gospel is their maw.John Milton.
Cromwell, our chief of men, who through a cloud,Not of war only, but detractions rude,Guided by faith and matchless fortitude,To peace and truth thy glorious way hast ploughed,And on the neck of crownèd Fortune proudHast reared God’s trophies, and His work pursued,While Darwen stream, with blood of Scots imbrued,And Dunbar field, resounds thy praises loud,And Worcester’s laureate wreath: yet much remainsTo conquer still; peace hath her victoriesNo less renowned than war: new foes arise,Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains.Help us to save free conscience from the pawOf hireling wolves whose gospel is their maw.
John Milton.
O how comely it is, and how revivingTo the spirits of just men long oppress’d!When God into the hands of their delivererPuts invincible mightTo quell the mighty of the earth, the oppressor,The brute and boisterous force of violent men,Hardy and industrious to supportTyrannic power, but raging to pursueThe righteous and all such as honour truth;He all their ammunitionAnd feats of war defeats,With plain heroic magnitude of mindAnd celestial vigour arm’d;Their armouries and magazines contemns,Renders them useless; whileWith winged expedition,Swift as the lightning glance, he executesHis errand on the wicked, who, surprised,Lose their defence, distracted and amazed.John Milton.
O how comely it is, and how revivingTo the spirits of just men long oppress’d!When God into the hands of their delivererPuts invincible mightTo quell the mighty of the earth, the oppressor,The brute and boisterous force of violent men,Hardy and industrious to supportTyrannic power, but raging to pursueThe righteous and all such as honour truth;He all their ammunitionAnd feats of war defeats,With plain heroic magnitude of mindAnd celestial vigour arm’d;Their armouries and magazines contemns,Renders them useless; whileWith winged expedition,Swift as the lightning glance, he executesHis errand on the wicked, who, surprised,Lose their defence, distracted and amazed.John Milton.
O how comely it is, and how revivingTo the spirits of just men long oppress’d!When God into the hands of their delivererPuts invincible mightTo quell the mighty of the earth, the oppressor,The brute and boisterous force of violent men,Hardy and industrious to supportTyrannic power, but raging to pursueThe righteous and all such as honour truth;He all their ammunitionAnd feats of war defeats,With plain heroic magnitude of mindAnd celestial vigour arm’d;Their armouries and magazines contemns,Renders them useless; whileWith winged expedition,Swift as the lightning glance, he executesHis errand on the wicked, who, surprised,Lose their defence, distracted and amazed.
John Milton.