Classic Poem

Not to be wrought by Malice, Gaine, or Pride,
To a Compliance with the Thriving Side;
Not to take Armes for love of Change, or Spight,
But only to maintaine Afflicted Right;
Not to dye vainely in pursuit of Fame,
Perversely seeking after Voyce and Name;
Is to Resolve, Fight, Dye, as Martyrs doe:
And thus did He, Souldier, and Martyr too.
He might (like some Reserved Men of State,
Who looke not to the Cause, but to its Fate)
Have stood aloof, engag'd on Neither Side,
Prepar'd at last to strike-in with the Tyde.
But well-weighd Reason told him, that when Law
Either is Renounc'd, or Misapply'd by th' awe
Of false-nam'd Common-wealths men; when the Right
Of King, and Subject, is suppress'd by Might;
When all Religion either is Refus'd
As meere Pretence, or meerly, as That, us'd;
When thus the Fury of Ambition swells,
Who is not Active, Modestly Rebells.
Whence, in a just esteeme, to Church and Crowne
He offred All, and nothing thought his owne.
This thrust Him into Action, Whole and Free;
Knowing no Interest but Loyalty;
Not loving Arms as Arms, or Strife for Strife;
Nor Wastful, nor yet Sparing of his Life;
A great Exactor of Himselfe, and then
By faire Commands no lesse of Other men;
Courage, and Iudgement had their equall part,
Counsell was added to a Generous Heart;
Affaires were justly tim'd; nor did He catch
At an Affected Fame of Quick Dispatch;
Things were Prepard, Debated, and then Done,
Nor rashly Brooke, nor vainely Over-spunne;
False Periods no where by Designe were made,
As are by those, who make the Warre their Trade;
The Building still was suited to the Ground,
Whence every Action issu'd Full and Round.
We know who blind their Men with specious Lyes.
With Revelations, and with Prophecyes,
Who promise Two things to obtaine a Third,
And are themselves by the like Motives stirr'd:
By no such Engines He His Souldiers drawes;
He knew no Arts, but Courage and the Cause;
With these he brought them on, as well train'd men,
And with these too he brought them off agen.
I should, I know, track Him through all the Course
Of his great Actions, shew their Worth and Force:
But, although all are Handsome, yet we cast
A more intentive Eye still on the last.
When now th' Incensed Rebell proudly came
Downe, like a torrent without Bank, or Damm:
When Undeserv'd Successe urg'd on their force,
That Thunder must come downe to stop their Course,
Or Grenville must step in; Then Grenville stood,
And with Himselfe oppos'd, and checkt the Flood.
Conquest, or Death, was all His Thought. So fire
Either Orecomes, or doth it selfe expire.
His Courage work't like Flames, cast heate about,
Here, there, on this, on that side; None gave out;
Not any Pike in that Renowned Stand
But tooke new force from His Inspired Hand;
Souldier encourag'd Souldier, Man urg'd Man,
And He urg'd All: so much Example can.
Hurt upon Hurt, Wound upon Wound did call,
He was the But, the Mark, the Ayme of All:
His Soule this while retir'd from Cell to Cell,
At last flew up from all, and then He fell.
But the Devoted Stand, enraged more
From that his Fate, ply'd hotter then before,
And Proud to fall with Him, sworn not to yield,
Each sought an Honour'd Grave, and gain'd the Field.
Thus, He being fall'n, his Action fought anew;
And the Dead conquer'd, whiles the Living slew.
This was not Natures Courage; nor that thing
We Valour call, which Time and Reason bring;
But a Diviner Fury, Fierce, and High,
Valour transported into Ecstasie,
Which Angells, looking on Vs from above,
Use to conveigh into the Soules they love.
You now that boast the Spirit, and its sway,
Shew Vs his Second, and wee'll give the Day.
We know your Politique Axiom—Lurk, or Fly.
Ye cannot Conquer, cause ye dare not Dye.
And though you thanke God, that you lost none there,
Because Th' were such, who Liv'd not when they were;
Yet your great Generall (who doth Rise and Fall,
As his Successes doe; whom you dare call,
As fame unto you doth Reports dispense,
Either a Traitor, or His Excellence)
How e'r he reignes now by unheard of Lawes,
Could wish His Fate together with His Cause.
And Thou (Blest Soule) whose Cleare Compacted Fame,
As Amber Bodies Keeps, preserves thy Name,
Whose Life affords what doth content Both Eyes,
Glory for People, Substance for the Wise;
Goe laden up with Spoyles, possesse That Seate
To which the Valiant, when th' have Done retreat:
And when Thou seest an happy Period sent
To these Distractions, and the Storme quite spent;
Look downe, and say: I have my share in All,
Much Good grew from my Life. Much from my Fall.