First of Martyrs, Thou Whose Name

First of mar­tyrs

thou whose name

Doth thy gold­en crown pro­claim

Not of flow­ers that fade away

Weave we this thy crown to­day.

Bright the stones which bruise thee gleam

Sprinkled with thy life blood’s stream;

Stars around thy saint­ed head

Never could such ra­di­ance shed.

Every wound up­on thy brow

Sparkles with un­earth­ly glow;

Like an an­gel’s is thy face

Beaming with ce­les­ti­al grace.

Oh

how bless­èd first to be

Slain for Him who bled for thee;

First like Him in dy­ing hour

Witness to al­migh­ty pow­er.

First to fol­low where He trod

Through the deep Red Sea of blood;

First

but in thy foot­steps press

Saints and mar­tyrs num­ber­less.

Glory to the Fa­ther be

Glory

vir­gin born

to Thee

Glory to the Ho­ly Ghost

Praised by men and heav­en­ly host.