Yet where first ’twas grounded,
Freedom’s flag still holds the crag,
Her trumpet still is sounded;
O, there we’ll keep her banner flying;
While the pale lips of the dying
Echo to our shout defying,
‘Harlech for the right!’”
Even in the English words the chant is inspiring in the extreme; the Welsh words, joined to the warlike tune, would stir the veriest coward to play his part like a hero.
Sad to say, the brave David was forced at length to surrender, on condition that his life was granted.
To the honour of Lord Herbert be it told that when Edward wished to put David to death he sought him out, and demanded of him one of two things: either he must send David back to his castle and despatch another officer to besiege it, or he must take the life of Herbert himself in place of that of the prisoner. Finally, the King forgave David, and Harlech, the last to hold out for the Lancastrian cause, submitted.