Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Holland: Vols. XIV–XV. 1876–79.

Spain: Vitoria

The Battle of Vittoria

By William Glen (1789–1826)

SING, a’ ye bards, wi’ loud acclaim,

High glory gi’e to gallant Graham,

Heap laurels on our marshal’s fame

Wha conquered at Vittoria.

Triumphant freedom smiled on Spain,

An’ raised her stately form again,

Whan the British lion shook his mane

On the mountains of Vittoria.

Let blustering Suchet crousely crack,

Let Joseph rin the coward’s track,

An’ Jourdan wish his baton back

He left upon Vittoria.

If e’er they meet their worthy king,

Let them dance roun’ him in a ring,

An’ some Scots piper play the spring

He blew them at Vittoria.

Gi’e truth and honor to the Dane,

Gi’e German’s monarch heart and brain,

But aye in sic a cause as Spain

Gi’e Britain a Vittoria.

The English rose was ne’er sae red,

The shamrock waved whare glory led,

An’ the Scottish thistle reared its head

In joy upon Vittoria.

Loud was the battle’s stormy swell,

Whare thousands fought an’ many fell,

But the Glasgow heroes bore the bell

At the battle of Vittoria.

The Paris maids may ban them a’,

Their lads are maistly wede awa’,

An’ cauld an’ pale as wreathes o’ snaw

They lie upon Vittoria.

Peace to the souls, then, o’ the brave,

Let all their trophies for them wave,

And green be our Cadogan’s grave

Upon thy fields, Vittoria.

Shout on, my boys, your glasses drain,

And fill a bumper up again,

Pledge to the leading star o’ Spain,

The hero of Vittoria.