by James Graham, Marquis of Montrose (1612 - 1650)
On receiving news of the death of Charles I
Language: English
Great, Good, and Just, could I but rate My grief with thy too rigid fate, I'd weep the world in such a strain As it should deluge once again. But since thy loud-tongued blood demands supplies More from Briareus' hands than Argus' eyes, I'll sing thine obsequies with trumpet sounds And write thine epitaph in blood and wounds.
Confirmed with Scottish Poetry of the Seventeenth Century, Edited by George Eyre-Todd, Sands and Company, London and Edinburgh, 1891-96, Page 246.
Notes:
"Briareus" - One of three Greek mythological giants with incredible strength
"Argus" - A Greek mythological giant with a hundred eyes set by Hera to watch over Io.
Text Authorship:
- by James Graham, Marquis of Montrose (1612 - 1650), "On receiving news of the death of Charles I", written 1649 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Francis George Scott (1880 - 1958), "On receiving news of the death of Charles I", published 1949 [ voice and piano ], from 35 Scottish Lyrics and other Poems, no. 5, Bayley & Ferguson for The Saltire Society, Glasgow, page 14 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-04-08
Line count: 8
Word count: 58