James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902.
January 30On the Funeral of Charles the First
By William Lisle Bowles (17621850)T
With mattock and with spade—
And silent, by the torches ’light—
His corse in earth we laid.
Of other years might know,
When earth its secrets should disclose,
Whose bones were laid below.
Slow pacing up the nave;
No prayers were read, no knell was rung,
As deep we dug his grave.
In many a sullen gust,
As o’er the open grave inclined,
We murmured, “Dust to dust!”
Streamed, as we placed the stone;
The long aisles started into light,
And all the windows shone.
That shook along the walls,
Whilst the sad shades of mailed men
Were gazing on the stalls.
Sits darkness more profound;
And only by the torch we traced
The shadows on the ground.
Without blew long and loud;
Upon our knees we breathed one prayer,
Where he slept in his shroud.
No name, no trace appears!
And when we closed the sounding door,
We thought of him with tears.