The Knickerbocker Author:Charles Fenno Hoffman Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: T,H B TAKING OF BASING HOUSE. UNDZR CROUWKLL. The court-yard of old Basing rings with many an armed heel, And on the ear comes sharp and clear the clink... more » of martial steel; And in the hall and from the wall it in a goodly sight To see the dauntless cavaliers all harnessed for the fight; For loyal hearts are beating there, and vaulted arches ring With the brave old Knglisn war-cry,' For God and for our King!' But ere that gallant heart-acclaim is bushed within the hall, A herald's trumpet summons forth the chieftain to the wall: ' Say wherefore flaunts yon banner upon the wings of pride, And wherefore gleams the hostile sword at each Malignant's side ? Unbar old Basing's massive gates, unginl the threatening sword, Nor dare with reoel force dispute the legions of the Lord!' ' Hence to the crop-eared knaves and say yon banner's every fold Bears 'Aimez Loyaute' emblazed in characters of gold ; If farther speech the churls would have, we '11 answer them right soon From mourn of clamorous culverin and fiery muskeloon; Ho ! soldier ! blow thy bugle-blast, and with no stinted breath Hurl back into the traitor's teeth defiance to the death !' L.o ! who is he that strides yon tent with fierce and moody eye, As herald's voice recounleth o'er stern Winchester's reply ? Why gnaws he thus his nether lip as if to hold confined Bold thoughts of high aggrandizement that haunt his troubled mind ? And wherefore clenches he so fast his broad and heavy hand, As if he kingly sceptre held, or baton of command ? The swart and burly Oliver, who grasps his ready sword, And cries aloud : ' Here 's work for those who battle for the Lord ! Awake, arise ! gird well your loins, ye chosen men of might, Hf. calls whose glory ye have seen in visions of the ...« less