Of law and right, determine the just plan Of social government, and give to man What may comport, in fix’d society, With gen’ral good and private liberty. Traitors, when rightly scann’d, are the base _few_ Who claim those rights which to the whole are due. And be they kings, lords, demagogues, or mobs, Who seek such sway, each manly bosom throbs With anguish at their thrall; nor will sustain, Longer than force compels, their iron reign. The Lark, by nature taught to wing the air, Flutters and strives, his native skies to share, As much, when gilded wires confine his wings, As when from rustic twigs his durance springs: ’Tis not the _sort_ of prison, but the _cage_ He mourns; and freedom must his woes assuage. A pow’r as strong as fate; which force defies: Is that a common suffering supplies. When men bethink them of the wrongs they feel From tyrant’s foul contempt of public weal; And look upon their little ones at play, Inheritors of slav’ry! born t’obey Oppression’s cruel lash,--yet, not allow’d To share the good their sweat procures the proud Enthrall’d by laws severe, unjust, refin’d By cruel policy, the soul to bind; Their fev’rish spirits drink their hearts blood dry With long despair: or, else, in agony, They burst their chains; and, reckless of the life No longer priz’d, rush, madden’d, into strife. Before such spirit hirelings disappear, As leaves are scatter’d when the sullen year Marshals its troop of storms;--and forests shake, While from her brows fierce blasts the crown of nature take. The gales which fan the earth,--the rolling streams,-- The echoing rocks,--the sea,--the sun’s bright beams; All nature joins to bind, refresh, inspire, To lift the high resolve,--to fix the strong desire; When once a nation, rous’d from slavery, Has caught the thrilling sound of LIBERTY! From tongue to tongue,--from heart to heart it flies, Hand clench’d in hand, the desp’rate struggle tries; The tocsin sounds to arms! Resistance wakes: And his weak bonds the rising giant breaks. Such spirit call’d the valiant heroes forth, Of Charles’s age:--theirs the exalted worth, To strive for freedom,--rights of conscience,--all That England’s worthies good and noble call; And nobly triumph too,--in the just cause Of teaching kings to rule by wholesome laws. And ’mongst that gen’rous band, no name more dear, IRETON! than thine: with breast estrang’d to fear;-- With fame unsullied;--uncorrupt in heart;-- In motive pure;(7) thou well perform’dst thy part. IRETON, farewell! but, often as my eyes, In my lone walks shall view this spire arise, In the blue vale,--which marks the spot, rever’d, Where thou, the glory of thy age, first shar’d The vital air, thou shalt my rev’rence claim, And I will pause--and bless the Patriot’s name.