BARCLAY OF URY.1

Up the streets of Aberdeen,
By the kirk and college-green,
Rode the Laird 3 of Ury;
Close behind him, close beside,
Foul of mouth and evil-eyed,
Pressed the mob in fury.

Flouted him the drunken churl,1
Jeered at him the serving-girl,
Prompt to please her master;
And the begging carlin,5 late
Fed and clothed at Ury's gate,
Cursed him as he passed her.

Yet with calm and stately mien,
Up the streets of Aberdeen

1 Barclay of Ury: David Barclay, proprietor of Ury, an estate near Aberdeen, Scotland, was one of the early Friends, or Quakers. He served under the famous Swedish general, Gustavus Adolphus, when that commander was mortally wounded in the terrible battle of Lützen, Germany, in the Thirty Years' War.

Barclay with thirty other Quakers was cast into prison in Aberdeen in 1676, on account of his religious faith, but was shortly after released. His son, Robert, a man of commanding talents and great moral courage, qualities which he inherited from his father, - was the author of a defence of the religion held and taught by the Friends, which is considered the ablest work of the kind yet produced.

2 Kirk: church.

8 Laird: a landed proprietor, squire.

4 Churl: a low fellow.
5 Carlin: old woman.

Came he slowly riding;

And, to all he saw and heard,
Answering not with bitter word,
Turning not for chiding.

Came a troop with broadswords swinging, Bits and bridles sharply ringing,

Loose and free and froward; 1

Quoth the foremost, "Ride him down! Push him! prick him!2 through the town Drive the Quaker coward!"

Passive to his holy will,
Trust I in my Master still,
Even though he slay me.

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Pledges of thy love and faith,
Proved on many a field of death,

Not by me are needed."

Marvelled much that henchman 1 bold

That his laird, so stout 2 of old,
Now so meekly pleaded.

"Speak the word, and, master mine,
As we charged on Tilly's 3 line,
And his Walloon lancers,
Smiting through their midst we'll teach
Civil look and decent speech

To these boyish prancers!"

"Marvel not, mine ancient friend,
Like beginning, like the end:'

Quoth the Laird of Ury,

"Is the sinful servant more

1 Henchman: servant or follower.

2 Stout: brave.

8 Tilly: Gustavus Adolphus defeated Marshal Tilly at Leipsic, 1631. 4 Walloon: an inhabitant of Southern Belgium.

Than his gracious Lord who bore
Bonds and stripes in Jewry?1

"Give me joy that in His name
I can bear, with patient frame,
All these vain ones offer;

While for them He suffereth long,
Shall I answer wrong with wrong,
Scoffing with the scoffer?

"Happier I, with loss of all,
Hunted, outlawed, held in thrall,2
With few friends to greet me,

3

Than when reeve 3 and squire were seen,
Riding out from Aberdeen,

With bared heads to meet me.

"When each goodwife, o'er and o'er,
Blessed me as I passed her door;
And the snooded1 daughter,

Through her casement glancing down,
Smiled on him who bore renown
From red fields of slaughter.

"Hard to feel the stranger's scoff,
Hard the old friend's falling off,
Hard to learn forgiving;
But the Lord his own rewards,
And his love with theirs accords,
Warm and fresh and living.

1 Jewry: Judea.

2 Thrall: captivity.

8 Reeve: sheriff.

4 Snooded: having the hair bound with a fillet or ribbon.

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Through this dark and stormy night Faith beholds a feeble light

Up the blackness streaking; Knowing God's own time is best, In a patient hope I rest

For the full day-breaking!"

*

JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER