The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 7 (of 8)Wordsworth, William
Religion
The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 7 (of 8)
Wordsworth, William
English poetry -- 18th century; English poetry -- 19th century
FOOTNOTES:
[265] The Bishops who protested against James II.'s Declaration of
Indulgence and refused to read it. He ordered the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners, to deprive them of their Sees, and the Bishops were sent
to the Tower. "They passed to their prison amidst the shouts of a great
multitude, the sentinels knelt for their blessing as they entered the
gates, and the soldiers of the garrison drank their healths.... The
Bishops appeared as criminals at the bar of the King's Bench. The jury
had been packed, the judges were mere tools of the Crown, but judges
and jury were alike overawed by the indignation of the people at large.
No sooner had the foreman of the jury uttered the words 'Not guilty,'
than a roar of applause burst from the crowd, and horsemen spurred
along every road to carry over the country the news of the acquittal."
(Green.) See Wordsworth's note to the eleventh sonnet in Part I. (p.
12.)--ED.
[266] 1827.
... long-expectant ... 1822.
[267] 1827.
... voice ... 1822.
IX
WILLIAM THE THIRD
Calm as an under-current, strong to draw
Millions of waves into itself, and run,
From sea to sea, impervious to the sun
And ploughing storm, the spirit of Nassau[268]
(Swerves not, how blest if by religious awe[269] 5
Swayed, and thereby enabled to contend
With the wide world's commotions) from its end
Swerves not--diverted by a casual law.
Had mortal action e'er a nobler scope?
The Hero comes to liberate, not defy; 10
And, while he marches on with stedfast hope,[270]
Conqueror beloved! expected anxiously!
The vacillating Bondman of the Pope[271]
Shrinks from the verdict of his stedfast eye.
FOOTNOTES:
[268] William III. of Nassau, Prince of Orange, was invited over to
England by the nobles and commons who were disaffected towards James
II., and landed at Torbay in November 1688.--ED.
[269] 1845.
(By constant impulse of religious awe ... 1822.
[270] 1845.
... righteous hope, 1822.
[271] King James II., who fled to France in December 1688.--ED.
X
OBLIGATIONS OF CIVIL TO RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Ungrateful Country, if thou e'er forget
The sons who for thy civil rights have bled!
How, like a Roman, Sidney bowed his head,[272]
And Russell's milder blood the scaffold wet;[273]
But these had fallen for profitless regret 5
Had not thy holy Church her champions bred,
And claims from other worlds inspirited
The star of Liberty to rise. Nor yet
(Grave this within thy heart!) if spiritual things
Be lost, through apathy, or scorn, or fear, 10
Shalt thou thy humbler franchises support,
However hardly won or justly dear:
What came from heaven to heaven by nature clings,
And, if dissevered thence, its course is short.
FOOTNOTES:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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