Down they came these ruthless Russians,
From their steppes, and woods, and fens,
For to levy contributions

On the peaceful citizens.

Winter, Summer, Spring, and Autumn,
Down they came to peaceful Kioff,
Killed the burghers when they caught 'em,
If their lives they would not buy off.

Till the city, quite confounded

By the ravages they made,
Humbly with their chief compounded,
And a yearly tribute paid;

Which (because their courage lax was)
They discharged while they were able:
Tolerated thus the tax was,

Till it grew intolerable.

And the Calmuc envoy sent,
As before, to take their dues all,
Got, to his astonishment,

A unanimous refusal!

"Men of Kioff!" thus courageous

Did the stout lord-mayor harangue them,
Wherefore pay these sneaking wages
To the hectoring Russians? hang them!

"Hark! I hear the awful cry of Our forefathers in their graves;

'Fight, ye citizens of Kioff!

Kioff was not made for slaves.'

"All too long have ye betrayed her; Rouse ye men and aldermen,

Send the insolent invader

Send him starving back again;"

Murdering the citizens,

until they agreed to pay a tribute yearly.

How they paid the tribute, and then suddenly refused it,

To the wonder of the Cossack envoy.

Of a mighty gallant speech

That the lordmayor made,

Exhorting the burghers to pay no longer.

Of their thanks

and heroic resolves.

They dismiss the

envoy, and set about drilling.

Of the City guard; viz., militia,

dragoons, and bombardiers,

and their commanders.

Of the majors and captains,

The fortifications and artillery.

Of the conduct

of the actors and the clergy.

IX.

He spoke and he sat down; the people of the

town,

Who were fired with a brave emulation,

Now rose with one accord, and voted thanks unto the lord

Mayor for his oration:

The envoy they dismissed, never placing in his fist
So much as a single shilling;

And all with courage fired, as his lordship he
desired,

At once set about their drilling.

Then every city ward established a guard,
Diurnal and nocturnal :

Militia volunteers, light dragoons, and bombardiers,
With an alderman for colonel.

There was muster and roll-calls, and repairing city walls,

And filling up of fosses :

And the captains and the majors, so gallant and courageous,

A-riding about on their hosses.

To be guarded at all hours they built themselves watch-towers,

With every tower a man on ;

And surely and secure, each from out his embrasure,
Looked down the iron cannon!

A battle-song was writ for the theatre, where it
Was sung with vast enérgy

And rapturous applause; and besides, the public

cause

Was supported by the clergy.

The pretty ladies' maids were pinning of cockades,
And tying on of sashes;

And dropping gentle tears, while their lovers
bluster'd fierce,

About gun-shot and gashes;

The ladies took the hint, and all day were scraping lint

As became their softer genders;

And got bandages and beds for the limbs and for the heads

The

Of the city's brave defenders.

men, both young and old, felt resolute and bold,
And panted hot for glory;

Even the tailors 'gan to brag, and embroidered on

their flag,

"AUT WINCERE AUT MORI,"

Of the ladies;

And, finally, of the taylors.

Seeing the city's resolute condition,

The Cossack chief, too cunning to despise it, Said to himself, "Not having ammunition Wherewith to batter the place in proper form, Some of these nights I'll carry it by storm, And sudden escalade it or surprise it.

"Let's see, however, if the cits stand firmish."
He rode up to the city-gates; for answers,
Out rushed an eager troop of the town élite,
And straightway did begin a gallant skirmish:
The Cossack hereupon did sound retreat,
Leaving the victory with the city lancers.

They took two prisoners and as many horses,
And the whole town grew quickly so elate
With this small victory of their virgin forces,

Of the Cossack chief,-his stratagem;

And the bur ghers' sillie victorie.

What prisoners they took,

And how conceited they

were.

Of the Cossack chief,-his orders;

And how he feigned a retreat.

The warder proclayms the Cossacks' retreat, and the citie

greatly rejoyces.

That they did deem their privates and commanders
So many Cæsars, Pompeys, Alexanders,
Napoleons, or Fredericks the Great.

And puffing with inordinate conceit

They utterly despised these Cossack thieves;
And thought the ruffians easier to beat
Than porters carpets think, or ushers boys.
Meanwhile, a sly spectator of their joys,
The Cossack captain giggled in his sleeves.

"Whene'er you meet yon stupid city hogs

(He bade his troops precise this order keep), "Don't stand a moment-run away, you dogs!" 'Twas done; and when they met the town battalions, The Cossacks, as if frightened at their valiance, Turned tail, and bolted like so many sheep.

They fled, obedient to their captain's order:
And now this bloodless siege a month had
lasted,

When, viewing the country round, the city warder
(Who, like a faithful weathercock, did perch

Upon the steeple of Saint Sophy's church),

Sudden his trumpet took, and a mighty blast he blasted.

His voice it might be heard through all the streets (He was a warder wondrous strong in lung), Victory, victory! the foe retreats!"

"The foe retreats!" each cries to each he meets;
"The foe retreats!" each in his turn repeats.
Gods! how the guns did roar, and how the joy-
bells rung!

Arming in haste his gallant city lancers,

The Mayor, to learn if true the news might be, A league or two out issued with his prancers.

The Cossacks (something had given their courage a damper)

Hastened their flight, and 'gan like mad to

scamper:

Blessed be all the saints, Kiova town was free!

XI.

Now, puffed with pride, the mayor grew vain,
Fought all his battles o'er again;

And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he
slew the slain.

'Tis true he might amuse himself thus,

And not be very murderous;

For as of those who to death were done
The number was exactly none,
His lordship, in his soul's elation
Did take a bloodless recreation-
Going home again, he did ordain
A very splendid cold collation

For the magistrates and the corporation;
Likewise a grand illumination,
For the amusement of the nation.
That night the theatres were free,

The conduits they ran Malvoisie ;

Each house that night did beam with light
And sound with mirth and jollity:

But shame, O shame! not a soul in the town,
Now the city was safe and the Cossacks flown,
Ever thought of the bountiful saint by whose care
The town had been rid of these

Turks

Said even a prayer to that patroness fair,

For these her wondrous works!

terrible

Lord Hyacinth waited, the meekest of priors—
He waited at church with the rest of his friars;
He went there at noon and he waited till ten,
Expecting in vain the lord-mayor and his men.

The manner of

the cities rojoycings,

And its impiety.

How the priest, Hyacinth waited at church, and nobody came thither.