"'Their Countrey's Love a gen'rous Warmth imparts, / 'Arms their intrepid Hands, and steels their Hearts."
— Harvey, John (fl.1729)
Author
Place of Publication
Edinburgh
Publisher
Printed by John Catanach
Date
1729
Metaphor
"'Their Countrey's Love a gen'rous Warmth imparts, / 'Arms their intrepid Hands, and steels their Hearts."
Metaphor in Context
The rising Beams glow on the Verge of Day,
And o'er old Ocean's heaving Bosom play.
The noble Bruce Imperial Scoon forsakes,
To Bertha's Tow'rs a Royal Journey takes.
With him fierce Edward issues to the Plain,
Lennox the bold, and Athol's hardy Thane.
Randal and Hay, two Thunderbolts of War!
Seton and Boyd to guard their Prince prepare.
The daring Somerveil in Armour shines,
And hardy Fraser his Battalions joyns.
Inchmartin, Barclay, on the Field appear,
And doughty Douglas glitter'd in the Rear.
Five hundred Spears advance in bright Array,
Gleam o'er the Lawns, and doubly gild the Day.
In Bertha's Tow'rs the crafty Pembroke stay'd,
And twice Ten hundred his Commands obey'd.
Before the Town, then girt with Walls around,
The King approaching, mark'd the proper Ground.
Near to the Works encamp'd the Squadrons lay,
Commission'd thence two Trumpets take their Way.
Straight to the Gates the martial Heraulds came,
Requir'd the Place in good King Robert's Name;
Summon'd the haughty Pembroke soon to yield,
Or bravely meet their Master in the Field.
The Chief, indignant, hears the bold Alarm,
Deigns no Reply, but bids the Legions arm.
Throughout the Troops the Leader's Orders run,
And, quick, in Arms the warlike South'ron shone.
Back to the Camp the Heraulds soon repair,
And bid their Monarch for the Fight prepare.
The Scots hear from the Walls the loud Alarms,
The ecchoing Trumpets, and the Din of Arms.
Repairs each Leader to his fix'd Command,
And rang'd in firm Array the Legions stand.
The King on Horseback views th'embattled Lines,
Then dauntless at their Head in Armour shines.
Ready to sally, now, the South'ron Train,
The Gates unfolding, hasten to the Plain;
When lo! a Chief before the Ranks appears,
Grave were his Looks, and rev'rend were his Years;
In ev'ry martial Art precisely skill'd,
Deep at the Board, and daring in the Field.
Sir Inghraham Omphraville', well known to Fame,
In Peace and War a venerable Name!
The issuing Troops his awful Presence stay'd,
And thus the Chief to haughty Pembroke said.
'High from the Walls I view'd yon level Strand,
'Where Scots array'd in firm Battalia stand;
'Compar'd to us, a small, but dauntless Train,
'Inur'd to Blood, and harden'd to the Plain.
'Their Countrey's Love a gen'rous Warmth imparts,
'Arms their intrepid Hands, and steels their Hearts.
'See! round the Ranks great Bruce exerts his Care,
'Cheers ev'ry Bosom, and inflames the War.
'Full of his Sire! his Sire well known of old,
'In Council subtil, and in Action bold.
'Yon other Chiefs oft have I seen before,
'Thunder thro' Death, and sweep the bloody Shore.
'Glory and Liberty their Bosoms fill,
'And ev'ry Captain boasts a Gen'ral's Skill.
'Greater our Numbers, but yon hardy Train,
'Long us'd to War, are matchless on a Plain.
'Therefore, my Lord, the doubtful Field delay,
'And promise Battle the succeeding Day.
'Cautious, meantime, surprise the Scots by Slight,
'Secure and guardless 'midst the Shades of Night.
And o'er old Ocean's heaving Bosom play.
The noble Bruce Imperial Scoon forsakes,
To Bertha's Tow'rs a Royal Journey takes.
With him fierce Edward issues to the Plain,
Lennox the bold, and Athol's hardy Thane.
Randal and Hay, two Thunderbolts of War!
Seton and Boyd to guard their Prince prepare.
The daring Somerveil in Armour shines,
And hardy Fraser his Battalions joyns.
Inchmartin, Barclay, on the Field appear,
And doughty Douglas glitter'd in the Rear.
Five hundred Spears advance in bright Array,
Gleam o'er the Lawns, and doubly gild the Day.
In Bertha's Tow'rs the crafty Pembroke stay'd,
And twice Ten hundred his Commands obey'd.
Before the Town, then girt with Walls around,
The King approaching, mark'd the proper Ground.
Near to the Works encamp'd the Squadrons lay,
Commission'd thence two Trumpets take their Way.
Straight to the Gates the martial Heraulds came,
Requir'd the Place in good King Robert's Name;
Summon'd the haughty Pembroke soon to yield,
Or bravely meet their Master in the Field.
The Chief, indignant, hears the bold Alarm,
Deigns no Reply, but bids the Legions arm.
Throughout the Troops the Leader's Orders run,
And, quick, in Arms the warlike South'ron shone.
Back to the Camp the Heraulds soon repair,
And bid their Monarch for the Fight prepare.
The Scots hear from the Walls the loud Alarms,
The ecchoing Trumpets, and the Din of Arms.
Repairs each Leader to his fix'd Command,
And rang'd in firm Array the Legions stand.
The King on Horseback views th'embattled Lines,
Then dauntless at their Head in Armour shines.
Ready to sally, now, the South'ron Train,
The Gates unfolding, hasten to the Plain;
When lo! a Chief before the Ranks appears,
Grave were his Looks, and rev'rend were his Years;
In ev'ry martial Art precisely skill'd,
Deep at the Board, and daring in the Field.
Sir Inghraham Omphraville', well known to Fame,
In Peace and War a venerable Name!
The issuing Troops his awful Presence stay'd,
And thus the Chief to haughty Pembroke said.
'High from the Walls I view'd yon level Strand,
'Where Scots array'd in firm Battalia stand;
'Compar'd to us, a small, but dauntless Train,
'Inur'd to Blood, and harden'd to the Plain.
'Their Countrey's Love a gen'rous Warmth imparts,
'Arms their intrepid Hands, and steels their Hearts.
'See! round the Ranks great Bruce exerts his Care,
'Cheers ev'ry Bosom, and inflames the War.
'Full of his Sire! his Sire well known of old,
'In Council subtil, and in Action bold.
'Yon other Chiefs oft have I seen before,
'Thunder thro' Death, and sweep the bloody Shore.
'Glory and Liberty their Bosoms fill,
'And ev'ry Captain boasts a Gen'ral's Skill.
'Greater our Numbers, but yon hardy Train,
'Long us'd to War, are matchless on a Plain.
'Therefore, my Lord, the doubtful Field delay,
'And promise Battle the succeeding Day.
'Cautious, meantime, surprise the Scots by Slight,
'Secure and guardless 'midst the Shades of Night.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "heart" and "steel" in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
At least 7 entries in the ESTC (1729, 1768, 1769, 1776, 1789, 1793, 1799).
See The Life of Robert Bruce King of Scots. A Poem, by John Harvey M.A. (Edinburgh: Printed by John Catanach, in Wariston's Closs, opposite to the Luckenbooths, 1729). <Link to ESTC>
See The Life of Robert Bruce King of Scots. A Poem, by John Harvey M.A. (Edinburgh: Printed by John Catanach, in Wariston's Closs, opposite to the Luckenbooths, 1729). <Link to ESTC>
Date of Entry
06/10/2005
