Wait till the memory goes, Wait till the visions fade, We may betray in time, God knows, But we would not have it said, When you make report to our scornful foes, That we kissed as we betrayed! ULSTER 1912 ('Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works; their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.'--_Isaiah lix 6_) The dark eleventh hour Draws on and sees us sold To every evil power We fought against of old. Rebellion, rapine, hate, Oppression, wrong and greed Are loosed to rule our fate, By England's act and deed. The Faith in which we stand, The laws we made and guard, Our honour, lives, and land Are given for reward To Murder done by night, To Treason taught by day, To folly, sloth, and spite, And we are thrust away. The blood our fathers spilt, Our love, our toils, our pains, Are counted us for guilt, And only bind our chains. Before an Empire's eyes The traitor claims his price. What need of further lies? We are the sacrifice. We asked no more than leave To reap where we had sown, Through good and ill to cleave To our own flag and throne. Now England's shot and steel Beneath that flag must show How loyal hearts should kneel To England's oldest foe. We know the war prepared On every peaceful home, We know the hells declared For such as serve not Rome-- The terror, threats, and dread In market, hearth, and field-- We know, when all is said, We perish if we yield. Believe, we dare not boast, Believe, we do not fear-- We stand to pay the cost In all that men hold dear. What answer from the North? One Law, one Land, one Throne. If England drive us forth We shall not fall alone. THE COVENANT 1914 We thought we ranked above the chance of ill. Others might fall, not we, for we were wise-- Merchants in freedom. So, of our free-will We let our servants drug our strength with lies. The pleasure and the poison had its way On us as on the meanest, till we learned That he who lies will steal, who steals will slay. Neither God's judgment nor man's heart was turned. Yet there remains His Mercy--to be sought Through wrath and peril till we cleanse the wrong By that last right which our forefathers claimed When their Law failed them and its stewards were bought. This is our cause. God help us, and make strong Our wills to meet Him later, unashamed! FRANCE 1913