Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Poetry; Ireton, Henry, 1611-1651 -- Poetry
Hail! heaven-born Liberty! I feel thy pow’r
Awakening in my breast, at this lone hour,
As o’er thy martyr’s tomb I fondly bend;
Such holy, fervent ecstasy,
That health, and strength, and life, for thee!
In noble daring I would freely spend.
Who blushes not, to bear the name of _Slave_,
Let him not venture near this hallow’d grave.
There is a fresh’ning odour round,
Which makes the freeman’s heart to bound
Like summer leaves;--but the blanch’d cheek,
Tyrants and vassals show,--bespeak
A fear is on them, which awakens dread,
As though their step should rouse th’ indignant dead.
NOTES.
(1) HENRY IRETON, so well known for his republican principles and the
great part he took in the affairs of his country during the dispute
between Charles the First and his parliament; and, subsequently to the
death of the unfortunate Monarch, for the sway he bore in the councils
of Cromwell, was the eldest Son of German Ireton, Esq. of Attenburrow,
near Nottingham, and was born in the year 1610. He was entered a
Gentleman Commoner of Trinity College, Oxford, in 1626; and from his
great proficiency in learning, took, so early as 1629, the degree of
Bachelor of Arts. From College he removed to the Middle Temple, where he
studied the common law; but the civil war breaking out, he quitted his
pursuits in that line, to serve in the army, where he made such
proficiency in the military art, that some have not scrupled to say,
even Cromwell himself learned the rudiments of war from him. He sat in
the long Parliament, for Appleby, but at what time he was returned, does
not appear quite clear; probably some time between 1640 and 1647. Soon
after his going into the army, he married Bridget, eldest daughter of
Mr. Oliver Cromwell, afterwards Protector. At the new modelling of the
army, in 1645, he was raised to the rank of Commissary General, having
rapidly passed through the subordinate degrees of command. He greatly
distinguished himself in many actions, particularly at the battle of
Naseby, in which, his ardor having led him too far from his men, he was
taken prisoner by the Royalists; but, in the confusion which soon after
ensued in the king’s army, he made his escape.
(2) “_When from the grave the Patriot’s limbs are torn_,”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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