Summary

The speaker begins by discussing the necessity of war. He, a youth who loves poetry and peace, has to set those things aside in praise of Cromwell. It is time to oil "th' unused armour" in preparation for battle, as Cromwell has (6). Cromwell, like lightning, was made to move quickly and violently. No one can oppose his fiery force.

The speaker then gives Cromwell credit for other virtues beyond his excellence in war. He lives as a peaceful gardener when circumstances allow, without higher ambition. But, when need be, he is willing to make sacrifices, bearing the "deepest scars" of civil war (46). The speaker then recounts Cromwell's role in the death of King Charles II, whom he had executed, as a necessary tragedy.

The focus then shifts abruptly to the recent war in Ireland, which saw England victorious in less than a year. Cromwell...