In revolutionary France,
(During that bloody scene,)
Whose head cut off and heart torn out.
With brutal rage were shown about,
First to the multitude throughout,
Then thrust before the queen?
What christian parent once disclos’d,
A tale both sad and true:
Declaring how on Gallia’s shore,
When Death from him his offspring tore,
To burial her corse he bore,
All drench’d in midnight dew?
(For Bigotry stalk’d o’er the land,
And cruel priests refus’d
Interment to the dear remains,
Of one who ne’er had own’d their chains,
And was, in Superstition’s fanes,
Of heresy accused.)
What royal duke of early times
(A Norman chieftain’s son)
Was, at his brother’s word, immur’d
In Cardiff castle, and endured
Perpetual bondage: which ensur’d
To Henry, England’s throne?
What learned prelate join’d, tis said,
Against the Brunswick race:
And, during George the Second ‘s reign,
Urging the young pretender’s train,
Once more in arms to cross the main,
Was banished in disgrace?
The names of these four characters,
Thus brought upon the stage,
Must raise your contemplations high,
And ‘mid the stars that stud the sky,
You’ll see (if you my rule apply)
Which should your thoughts engage.
(Elizabeth Hitchener)
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Based on Topics: Youth Poems, Kings & Queens Poems, Anger Poems, Boredom Poems, England Poems, Characters Poems, Gossip Poems, Superstitions PoemsBased on Keywords: stud, bigotry, pretender, revolutionary, refus, prelate, gallia, disclos, brunswick, immur, contemplations