Justice or mercy, choose thee which we deal,
Thy monarch’s pardon or his vengeful steel!”
Flashed Gilbert’s eye, and curled his lip with scorn—
“Remorseless caitiff, to thy land forsworn,
False to all ties, in every treason dyed,
Here with thy country’s fellest foes allied,
Darest thou to brand me rebel? Thank thy fear,
And thy less guilty tools that guard thee here,
That long ere now my hand has not repaid
My wrongs—and hers—and my poor land betrayed!