It's an Irish poem called "O Ruaric's Last Request" by Lucia Lewis

My grandmother had me memorize this as a kid 20 years ago.

Let's see what I can remember (this is from memory now)

You ask me what defence is mine
Here 'midst your armed bands
You only mock the prisoner who is helpless in your hands

What would defence avail to me?
Though good it be and true
Here, in the heart of London Town
with judges such as you.

You gravely talk about my crime
I owe no crime at all
The deeds you blame, I'd do again
Should such a chance befall

You say I've helped your foreign foes
to war against your Queen
Well, challenged so I'll proudly show
what has my helping been.

On that wild day when near our shore
the stately ships of Spain
Caught in a fierce and sudden storm
for safety sought in vain

I rushed into the raging surf
my gen'rous people too
Men, women, even children came
some kindly deed to do.

We saw them clutching spars and planks
dragged by the refluent wave
those who one reach from kindly hand
would have sufficed to save

(missing stanza here - the last line is "We grasped the drowning men")

We took them to our hearths and homes
and bade them there remain
Until such day as they might see
their native land again.

This is the treason you have charged?
Well treason, let it be
One word of sorrow for such fault
you'll never hear from me.

Oh, you would bring me to your Queen
low at her feet to kneel
Crave mercy from her stony heart
and urge some mean appeal

I answer "no"
my knees will bend and prayers of mine arise
to but one Queen: the Queen of Heaven
High throned above the skies

And now you ask my dying wish?
My last and sole request
is that the scaffold built for me
be fronted to the West.

To my dear country far away
one glimpse I cannot see
wherever and however high
you raise my gallow's tree

Still I wish my last fond look
Should seek that distant shore
So turn my face to Ireland, sirs.
Of you I ask no more.