ROMANCE OF BRITOMARTE 



The romance of a grizzled old trooper's life 

 May make you laugh in your sleeves : laugh 

 out, 

 Lads ; we have most of us seen some strife ; 

 We have all of us had some sport, no doubt. 

 I have won some honour and gain'd some gold, 



Now that our king returns to his own ; 

 If the pulses beat slow, if the blood runs cold, 

 And if friends have faded and loves have 

 flown, 

 Then the greater reason is ours to drink. 

 And the more we swallow the less we shall 

 think. 



At the battle of Naseby, Miles was slain. 



And Huntlysankfromhis wounds that week; 

 We left young Clare upon Worcester plain — 



How the "Ironside" gash'd his girlish cheek ! 

 Aye, strut, and swagger, and ruffle anew, 



Gay gallants, now that the war is done ! 

 They fought like fiends (give the fiend his 

 due) — 



We fought like fops, it was thus they won. 

 Holdsworth is living for aught I know, 



At least he was living two years ago. 



275 



