The Irish standard., 1891-09-05
LATE IRISH NEWS.
TIE MASSACRE AT DRuGHEDA
A. D. 1919.
LAMECH HYLGIN.

A. D. l649.
IAMECH HYLCIN.
At length before old Drogheda, black Oliver had
come.
And pallid then grew every cheek and every
Voice ives dumb.
No longer in our ranks was heard the blithesome
song and jest,
For well knew We what strength brought he, and
gloom was in each breast.
surrour ded by his c1op-eared knaves, with
psaIm- book held in hand,
His t1um peter tetore him placed. grim Oliver
did stand;
And t. our lesder, Ashton brave, called out in
eDufiiing tones
And hade him yield tie city up and spare its
peoples prcans.
But We. WHO oft had corq CURED with our gallant
Roe O'Neill,
Knew well hat mercy Oliver was used to sup
plants deal;
And loud cbeered we as CALAMITY did Ashton
thus reply:
'Io God we cling and to our king, and thee and
thine defy"
Then great shout Of laughter rose, as with a
scrap of prayer
Re sought to hide fro N Us hisshame. but rnlent~
ilv did swear
And crushed the book within his nano' then
turned from away,
ARG will. his cantirg Puritans was seer no inofs
that day.
Next morp;1g IS their camp.f1es paled, the
simmer sun arose.
And softly DER the eastern hills peeped down
on friends and foes.
We heard the rcundhe ads eorg OF praise, ana
calling US to prayer.
The great clurh hell. with mourn1ul sWe |,
rang out upon the air.
We heard all blessed ecurds of peace till sud
denly the drum
Called out 'To AIMS" and from the fee WARM
ing shot did come;
Then rcund On round of carnonry, that we conld
answer not.
Till tower srd wall we sCcn saw fall beneath
their storm of shot.
And So for three lorg days ard nights was rest
to us denied;
TIL on The fourth at b1eek of day closer
chance hey tried.
flung the II re cling hack.
H,t or ward still, with right good will, they
pressed TO The attack.
Nv Crt 1rvel led on, On they sped, though Still
our gallant Tep.
Now faint ard few, burst bravely through the1f
foremost ysrks gain
They fal;eref fed turned back again, and Te'
now grown too weak
TO }erger ipht, were forced 10 Tight or mercy
of them seek
They promised mercy. but, God! what
mercy they did give;
They struck him down who was unarmed ano
sco1ned q slave to live.
All. all they slew eave where few brave Spirits
swords liz hand
Cut th1ope h them way, another day to fight tor
1notharland.
They smote old Ashton's hoary head and tramp
led in his blood;
They spared not priest or holy nun, but slew
them where they stood,
Nor youth. nor eye, nor strong Ror Weak coIlu
mercy find that day.
The breathing form now fn,l Of life was soon
stretched senseless clay
10 where the great chuIch AFFAIRS stooo tne
weeping women fled.
Each bore in arms her little ones who wept their
fathers dead.
Each asked III pray er for mercy there, and e&cn
did vainly ask,
With sword and fs me the roundheads came TO
cad their bloody task.
And there wss death by 1utian blow. by torture
and by fame.
And there was. too oh, worse than death!-~tne
darker deed of shame.
With Gods good name upon his lip and murder
in his heart,
With Cromwell's voice to urge him on, eacn
we'll fulfilled his part.
Then marched they On to Wexford with hosan
mas for the deed,
But louder. louder did our CRY of vengeance up
ward speed.
We .wore to- be revenged on them and swore it
sword in hand
God send the day we'll drive away the Saxon
from our land.