Saturday 17 January 2015

Pettitt's Poetry Corner: Happy Birthday, Black Tom


(17 January 1612 – 12 November 1671)



SOME LINES ON THE OCCASION OF THE BIRTHDAY OF SIR THOMAS FAIRFAX, BART.

Black Tom! Thou most honoured of men
'Tis now of thee we sing
Of all thy famed exploits in war
And other likewise things -
For on this day we celebrate
Th' anniversary off thy birth
The day on which thy wond'ring eyes
Were opened on this earth.
                       
For lo! Sir Thomas Fairfax
Most generous, even-handed
Of all the brave and noble souls
This unworthy troop commanded
Thou led us on to vict'ry
Brave Tom, at Marston Moor
And overthrew the tyrant KING
In sixteen forty-four

At Naseby, then, in forty-five
Thou pulled it off again
For we did outnumber them
By twice th'amount of men.
But we must also celebrate
Thy other marv'llous gifts
Of poetry and discourse
Of wit both sharp and swift

We celebrate your birthday
O worthy Thomas Fairfax
We hope your cake is full of plums
And your gifts all come in sacks
For as the Lord commandeth
We must not e'er forget it
And so I sing these humble lines
Thy servant, LUCEY PETTITT.
 

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Awarded for Excellence in Research by 17th-Century Specialists

Awarded for Excellence in Research by 17th-Century Specialists