Act now, according to your laws.”
Down comes the sword, when lo, the head
Springs in his hat, as he had said;
And all the signs were seen—
The sun was red and looked like blood,
The town-well shed a crimson flood.
Amazed, an aged sire said:
“The Anabaptist laughs, though dead.”
Then said another sire:
“If you had let this Baptist live,