From me, the miles by Britons once were counted,
      Close to my side were monies lent and paid;
    If princes died—­some gaudy herald mounted
      Upon my head, and proclamations read;
    Till Gresham rose; who used me very ill,
    He moved the place of commerce to Cornhill.

    When reeling homewards from the tavern near,
      Oft with prince Henry has old honest Jack
    Sat on my breast, and I’ve been doomed to hear
      Him talk of valour, and of unpaid sack;
    And whilst he talked, the roysterers gave vent,
    To peals of laughter and of merriment.

    Yes, I’m the hone that “City’s Lord” essayed,
      To make the whetstone of his rebel sword;
    On me, with mischief rife, rebellious Cade
      Sat whilst he thought and dubbed himself a Lord;
    And bade my conduit pipe for one whole year
    At city’s cost, run naught but claret clear.[3]

    I could a tale of harrowing woes reveal,
      Whilst York and Lancaster for mastery tried: 
    When men the ties of nature ceased to feel,
      When sires beneath their offsprings’ sabres died;
    And sires ’gainst children clad themselves in arms,
    And England mourned the din of war’s alarms.

    Yes, I beheld the beauteous virgin queen,
      And all the dauntless heroes of her court;
    Where danger threatened, ’midst the danger seen,
      Bending their fearless way to Tilbury Fort;
    I heard the shouts of joy which Britons gave,
    When th’ Armada sank beneath the wave.

    I mind, Augusta,[4] well that fatal day,
      When to thy ports with dire contagion fraught. 
    The laden vessel[5] stemmed its gallant way. 
      And to thy sons the plague disastrous brought;
    Quick through thy walls the foul infection spread,
    And thou became the city of the dead.

    Scarce ceased the plague—­when to my aching sight
      Appeared a scene of most terrific woe;
    Around me burnt one monstrous blaze of light,
      I warmed, and almost melted with its glow;
    I burst the chains,[6] which bound me fast, asunder,
    And now remain, to learned men a wonder.

    And when the city from her ruins rose,
      I soon was left deserted and forlorn;
    A porters’ bench was raised beneath my nose. 
      And I became the object of their scorn: 
    I’ve heard the rascals, with a vacant stare,
    Ask, just like you, what business I had there?

    Few years have passed, since I, by parish sages,
      Was called a monstrous nuisance to the street,
    And, though I’d borne the brunt of varying ages,
      Was doomed for pavement ‘neath the horses’ feet,
    Until a Maiden,[7] near to Sherborne Lane,
    Saved me—­and rescued London from that stain.

And now, vain mortal, I have told thee all,
My fate, my primal use, the what and which;
And though my struggling spirit owned thy salt,
Once more I’ll slumber in my holy niche,
And “Britain’s sun may set,” what’s that to me,
Since I, stone-blind and dumb, for aye will be.