Classic Poem

Ode on the taking of Calais, addressed to Henry II., King of France, by G EORGE B UCHANAN .

Henry! let none commend to thee
Fate , F ORTUNE , D OOM , or Destiny ,
Or S TAR in heaven's high canopy,
 With magic glow
Shining on man's nativity,
 For weal or wo.

Rather, O king! here recognise
A P ROVIDENCE all just, all wise,
Of every earthly enterprise
 The hidden mover;
Aye casting calm complacent eyes
 Down on thy Louvre.

Prompt to assume the right's defence,
Mercy unto the meek dispense,
Curb the rude jaws of insolence
 With bit and bridle,
And scourge the chiel whose frankincense
 Burns for an idol.

Who, his triumphant course amid,
Who smote the monarch of Madrid,
And bade Pavla's victor bid
 To power farewell?
Once Europe's arbiter, now hid
 In hermit's cell.

Thou, too, hast known misfortune's blast;
Tempests have bent thy stately mast,
And nigh upon the breakers cast
 Thy gallant ship:
But now the hurricane is passed—
 Hushed is the deep.

For P HILIP , lord of A RAGON ,
Of haughty C HARLES the haughty son,
The clouds still gather dark and dun,
 The sky still scowls;
And round his gorgeous galleòn
 The tempest howls.

Thou, when th' Almighty ruler dealt
The blows thy kingdom lately felt,
Thy brow unhelmed, unbound thy belt,
 Thy feet unshod,
Humbly before the chastener knelt,
 And kissed the rod.

Pardon and peace thy penance bought;
Joyful the seraph Mercy brought
The olive-bough, with blessing fraught
 For thee and France;—
G OD for thy captive kingdom wrought
 Deliverance.

'Twas dark and drear! 'twas winter's reigni
Grim horror walked the lonesome plain;
The ice held bound with crystal chain
 Lake, flood, and rill;
And dismal piped the hurricane
 His music shrill.

But when the gallant G UISE displayed
The flag of F RANCE , and drew the blade,
Straight the obsequious season bade
 Its rigour cease;
And, lowly crouching, homage paid
 The F LEUR DE L YS .

Winter his violence withheld,
His progeny of tempests quelled,
His canopy of clouds dispelled,
 Unveil'd the sun—
And blithesome days unparalleled
 Began to run.

Twas then beleaguered Calais found,
With swamps and marshes fenced around,
With counterscarp, and moat, and mound,
 And yawning trench,
Vainly her hundred bulwarks frowned
 To stay the French.

Guise! child of glory and Lorraine,
Ever thine house hath proved the bane
Of France's foes! aye from the chain
 Of slavery kept her,
And in the teeth of haughty Spain
 Upheld her sceptre.

Scarce will a future age believe
The deeds one year saw thee achieve
Fame in her narrative should give
 Thee magic pinions
To range, with free prerogative,
 All earth's dominions.

What were the year's achievements? first,
Yon Alps their barrier saw thee burst,
To bruise a reptile's head, who durst,
 With viper sting,
Assail (ingratitude accurst!)
 Rome's Pontiff-King.

To rescue Rome, capture Plaisance,
Make Naples yield the claims of France,
While the mere shadow of thy lance
 O'erawed the Turk:—
Such was, within the year's expanse,
 Thy journey-work.

But Calais yet remained unwon—
Calais, stronghold of Albion,
Her zone begirt with blade and gun,
 In all the pomp
And pride of war; fierce Amazon!
 Queen of a swamp!

But even she hath proven frail,
Her walls and swamps of no avail;
What citadel may Guise not scare,
 Climb, storm, and seize?
What foe before thee may not quail,
 O gallant Guise!

Thee let the men of England dread,
Whom Edward erst victorious led,
Right joyful now that ocean's bed
 Between them rolls
And thee!—that thy triumphant tread
 Yon wave controls.

Let ruthless M ARY learn from hence
That Perfidy's a foul offence;
That falsehood hath its recompense
 That treaties broken,
The anger of Omnipotence
 At length have woken.

May evil counsels prove the bane
And curse of her unnallowed reign;
Remorse, with its disastrous train,
 Infest her palace;
And may she of God's vengeance drain
 The brimming chalice!