George Meredith

Here you will find the Poem John Lackland of poet George Meredith

John Lackland

A wicked man is bad enough on earth; 
But O the baleful lustre of a chief 
Once pledged in tyranny! O star of dearth 
Darkly illumining a nation's grief! 
How many men have worn thee on their brows! 
Alas for them and us! God's precious gift 
Of gracious dispensation got by theft - 
The damning form of false unholy vows! 
The thief of God and man must have his fee: 
And thou, John Lackland, despicable prince - 
Basest of England's banes before or since! 
Thrice traitor, coward, thief! O thou shalt be 
The historic warning, trampled and abhorr'd 
Who dared to steal and stain the symbols of the Lord!