Page:The poetical works of William Blake; a new and verbatim text from the manuscript engraved and letterpress originals (1905).djvu/68

 TO THE POETICAL SKETCHES

[The latter portion of Poetical Sketches (pp. 29-70) containing the blank verse and prose pieces following the 'Miscellaneous Poems.' Reprinted from the original edition, but without variorum readings in footnotes.]

KING EDWARD THE THIRD.

PERSONS.

SCENE,

The Coast of France, King Edward and Nobles before it. The Army.

King. O thou, to whose fury the nations are But as dust, maintain thy servant's right! Without thine aid, the twisted mail, and spear, And forged helm, and shield of seven times beaten brass, Are idle trophies of the vanquisher. When confusion rages, when the field is in a flame, When the cries of blood tear horror from heav'n, And yelling death runs up and down the ranks, Let Liberty, the charter'd right of Englishmen, Won by our fathers in many a glorious field, Enerve my soldiers; let Liberty Blaze in each countenance, and fire the battle. The enemy fight in chains, invisible chains, but heavy; Their minds are fetter'd, then how can they be free? While, like the mounting flame, We spring to battle o'er the floods of death! And these fair youths, the flow'r of England, Vent'ring their lives in my most righteous cause, O sheathe their hearts with triple steel, that they May emulate their fathers' virtues. And thou, my son, be strong; thou fightest for a crown That death can never ravish from thy brow, A crown of glory—but from thy very dust Shall beam a radiance, to fire the breasts Of youth unborn. Our names are written equal In fame's wide trophied hall; 'tis ours to gild The letters, and to make them shine with gold