Then bugle's note and cannon's roar The death-like silence broke, And with one start, and with one cry, The royal city woke. At once on all her stately gates Arose the answering fires; At once the wild alarum clashed From all her reeling spires; From all the batteries of the Tower And all the thousand masts of Thames Sent back a louder cheer: And from the furthest wards was heard The rush of hurrying feet, And the broad streams of pikes and flags As fast from every village round The horse came spurring in: And eastward straight from wild Blackheath The warlike errand went, And roused in many an ancient hall The gallant squires of Kent. Southward from Surrey's pleasant hills Flew those bright couriers forth; High on bleak Hampstead's swarthy moor They started for the north; And on, and on, without a pause, Untired they bounded still: All night from tower to tower they sprang; They sprang from hill to hill: Till the proud peak unfurled the flag O'er Darwin's rocky dales, Till like volcanoes flared to heaven The stormy hills of Wales, Till twelve fair counties saw the blaze On Malvern's lonely height, Till streamed in crimson on the wind The Wrekin's crest of light, Till broad and fierce the star came forth On Ely's stately fane, And tower and hamlet rose in arms O'er all the boundless plain; Till Belvoir's lordly terraces The sign to Lincoln sent, And Lincoln sped the message on O'er the wide vale of Trent; Till Skiddaw saw the fire that burned On Gaunt's embattled pile, And the red glare on Skiddaw roused The burghers of Carlisle. |