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46.
”Tis to be a slave in soul
And to hold no strong control 185
Over your own wills, but be
All that others make of ye.

47.
‘And at length when ye complain
With a murmur weak and vain
‘Tis to see the Tyrant’s crew 190
Ride over your wives and you
Blood is on the grass like dew.

48.
‘Then it is to feel revenge
Fiercely thirsting to exchange
Blood for blood–and wrong for wrong– 195
Do not thus when ye are strong.

49.
‘Birds find rest, in narrow nest
When weary of their winged quest;
Beasts find fare, in woody lair
When storm and snow are in the air. 200

50.
‘Asses, swine, have litter spread
And with fitting food are fed;
All things have a home but one–
Thou, Oh, Englishman, hast none!

51.
‘This is Slavery–savage men, 205
Or wild beasts within a den
Would endure not as ye do–
But such ills they never knew.

52.
‘What art thou Freedom? O! could slaves
Answer from their living graves 210
This demand–tyrants would flee
Like a dream’s dim imagery:

53.
‘Thou art not, as impostors say,
A shadow soon to pass away,
A superstition, and a name 215
Echoing from the cave of Fame.

54.
‘For the labourer thou art bread,
And a comely table spread
From his daily labour come
In a neat and happy home. 220

55.
Thou art clothes, and fire, and food
For the trampled multitude–
No–in countries that are free
Such starvation cannot be
As in England now we see. 225

56.
‘To the rich thou art a check,
When his foot is on the neck
Of his victim, thou dost make
That he treads upon a snake.

57.
Thou art Justice–ne’er for gold 230
May thy righteous laws be sold
As laws are in England–thou
Shield’st alike the high and low.

58.
‘Thou art Wisdom–Freemen never
Dream that God will damn for ever 235
All who think those things untrue
Of which Priests make such ado.

59.
‘Thou art Peace–never by thee
Would blood and treasure wasted be
As tyrants wasted them, when all 240
Leagued to quench thy flame in Gaul.

60.
‘What if English toil and blood
Was poured forth, even as a flood?
It availed, Oh, Liberty,
To dim, but not extinguish thee. 245

61.
‘Thou art Love–the rich have kissed
Thy feet, and like him following Christ,
Give their substance to the free
And through the rough world follow thee,

62.
‘Or turn their wealth to arms, and make 250
War for thy beloved sake
On wealth, and war, and fraud–whence they
Drew the power which is their prey.