...case; That thence the royal actor borne, The tragic scaffold might adorn. While round the armed bauds, Did clap their bloody hands, He nothing common did,...But with his keener eye The axe's edge did try; Nor called the gods, with vulgar spite, To vindicate his helpless right; But bowed his comely head Down,...

...envied it at the close of his usurpation. Marvell, a lover of liberty, has done it justice : — " He nothing common did, or mean, Upon that memorable...But with his keener eye The axe's edge did try ; Nor called the gods with vulgar spite To vindicate his helpless right, But bowed his comely head Down as...

...gentlemen who touched its edge while he was speaking ; " that may hurt me." In the words of Marvell : " He nothing common did or mean Upon that memorable scene, But with his keener eye The ftxe's edge did try ; Nor call'd the gods with vulgar spite To vindicate his helpless right ; But bow'd...

...— " While round the armed bands Did clasp their bloody hands, He nothing common did or mean, Amid that memorable scene ; But with his keener eye The axe's edge did try.f Maldou and Earl of Essex, 20th of April, 1661 ; 2. Henry, created a Knight of the Bath at the...

...; He nothing common did or mean Upon that memorable acene, But with his keener eye The axe's «dge did try ; Nor call'd the Gods, with vulgar spite,...right ; But bow'd his comely head Down, as upon a bed. — This was that memorable hour Which first assured the forced power : So when they did design...

...to celebrate Charles's royal demeanour on the scaffold — " He nothing common did or mean Upon the memorable scene, But, with his keener eye The axe's edge did try ; Nor called the gods, with vulgar spite', To vindicate his helpless right ; But bowed his comely head Down...

...expose the violence of the scene: That thence the Royal Actor born The Tragick Scaffold might adorn: While round the armed Bands Did clap their bloody...nothing common did or mean Upon that memorable Scene. 36 The figure is handled with uncommon analytical power, but the materials themselves are so commonplace...

...his "comely head" in compliance to the axe which bespoke the "bloody hands" of Cromwell's soldiers: He nothing common did or mean Upon that memorable...scene: But with his keener eye The axe's edge did try. Shortly before the "axe's edge did try," Cromwell purportedly told Algernon Sidney "we will cut offhis...

...better than Marvell the king's theatricalism on that extraordinary political occasion of his execution: He nothing common did or mean Upon that memorable Scene: But with his keener Eye The Axes edge did try: Nor call'd the Gods with vulgar spight To vindicate his helpless Right, But bow'd...

...chase To Carisbrook's narrow case: That thence the royal actor bom The tragic scaffold might adom: While round the armed bands Did clap their bloody...scene; But with his keener eye The axe's edge did try: 60 Nor called the gods with vulgar spite To vindicate his helpless right; But bowed his comely head...