By PETER ST. JOHN, of Norwalk, Conn.
[In Moore's "Songs and Ballads of the Revolution," this poem bears date as of 1765, but the references in it to Burgoyne's surrender, to Brandywine, etc., indicate a much later date. It is possible that a part of the poem was written and published about 1765, and that additions making reference to revolutionary incidents were made afterward. But, internal evidence renders even this assumption improbable, and suggests that the date Moore gives is the result of some mistake.—Editor.]
WhileI relate my story,Americans give ear;Of Britain's fading gloryYou presently shall hear;I'll give a true relation,Attend to what I sayConcerning the taxationOf North America.The cruel lords of Britain,Who glory in their shame,The project they have hit onThey joyfully proclaim;'Tis what they're striving afterOur right to take away,And rob us of our charterIn North America.There are two mighty speakers,Who rule in Parliament,Who ever have been seekingSome mischief to invent;'Twas North, and Bute his father,The horrid plan did layA mighty tax to gatherIn North America.They searched the gloomy regionsOf the infernal pit,To find among their legionsOne who excelled in wit;To ask of him assistance,Or tell them how they maySubdue without resistanceThis North America.Old Satan the arch-traitor,Who rules the burning lake,Where his chief navigator,Resolved a voyage to take;For the Britannic oceanHe launches far away,To land he had no notionIn North America.He takes his seat in Britain,It was his soul's intentGreat George's throne to sit onAnd rule the Parliament;His comrades were pursuingA diabolic way,For to complete the ruinOf North America.He tried the art of magicTo bring his schemes about,At length the gloomy projectHe artfully found out;The plan was long indulgèdIn a clandestine way,But lately was divulgèdIn North America.These subtle arch-combinersAddressed the British court,All three were undersignersOf this obscure report—There is a pleasant landscapeThat lieth far awayBeyond the wide Atlantic,In North America.There is a wealthy people,Who sojourn in that land,Their churches all with steeplesMost delicately stand:Their houses like the gilly,Are painted red and gay:They flourish like the lilyIn North America.Their land with milk and honeyContinually doth flow,The want of food or moneyThey seldom ever know:They heap up golden treasure,They have no debts to pay,They spend their time in pleasureIn North America.On turkeys, fowls, and fishes,Most frequently they dine,With gold and silver dishesTheir tables always shine.They crown their feasts with butter,They eat, and rise to play;In silks their ladies flutter,In North America.With gold and silver lacesThey do themselves adorn,The rubies deck their faces,Refulgent as the morn:Wine sparkles in their glasses,They spend each happy dayIn merriment and dancesIn North America.Let not our suit affront you,When we address your throne;O King, this wealthy countryAnd subjects are your own,And you, their rightful sovereignThey truly must obey,You have a right to governThis North America.O King, you've heard the sequelOf what we now subscribe:Is it not just and equalTo tax this wealthy tribe?The question being askèd,His majesty did say,My subjects shall be taxèdIn North America.Invested with a warrant,My publicans shall go,The tenth of all their currentThey surely shall bestow;If they indulge rebellion,Or from my precepts stray,I'll send my war battalionTo North America.I'll rally all my forcesBy water and by land,My light dragoons and horsesShall go at my command;I'll burn both town and city,With smoke becloud the day,I'll show no human pityFor North America.Go on, my hearty soldiers,You need not fear of ill—There's Hutchinson and Rogers,Their functions will fulfill—They tell such ample stories,Believe them sure we may,One half of them are toriesIn North America.My gallant ships are readyTo waft you o'er the flood,And in my cause be steady,Which is supremely good.Go ravage, steal, and plunder,And you shall have the prey;They quickly will knock underIn North America.The laws I have enactedI never will revoke,Although they are neglected,My fury to provoke.I will forbear to flatter,I'll rule the mighty sway,I'll take away the charterFrom North America.O George! you are distracted,You'll by experience findThe laws you have enactedAre of the blackest kind.I'll make a short digression,And tell you by the way,We fear not your oppressionIn North America.Our fathers were distressèdWhile in their native land;By tyrants were oppressèdAs we do understand;For freedom and religionThey were resolved to stray,And trace the desert regionsOf North America.Heaven was their sole protectorWhile on the roaring tide,Kind fortune their director,And providence their guide.If I am not mistaken,About the first of May,This voyage was undertakenFor North America.If rightly I remember,This country to explore,They landed in NovemberOn Plymouth's desert shore.The savages were nettled,With fear they fled away,So peaceably they settledIn North America.We are their bold descendants,For liberty we'll fight,The claim to independenceWe challenge as our right;'T is what kind Heaven gave us,Who can take it away?O Heaven, sure it will save usIn North America.We never will knock under,O George! we do not fearThe rattling of your thunder,Nor lightning of your spear;Though rebels you declare us,We're strangers to dismay;Therefore you cannot scare usIn North America.To what you have commandedWe never will consent,Although your troops are landedUpon our continent;We'll take our swords and muskets,And march in dread array,And drive the British red-coatsFrom North America.We have a bold commander,Who fears not sword or gun,The second Alexander,His name is Washington.His men are all collected,And ready for the fray,To fight they are directedFor North America.We've Greene, and Gates, and Putnam,To manage in the field,A gallant train of footmen,Who'd rather die than yield;A stately troop of horsemenTrained in a martial way,For to augment our forcesIn North America.Proud George, you are engagèdAll in a dirty cause,A cruel war have wagèdRepugnant to all laws.Go tell the savage nationsYou're crueler than they,To fight your own relationsIn North America.Ten millions you've expended,And twice ten millions more;Our riches you intendedShould pay the mighty score.Who now will stand your sponsor,Your charges to defray?For sure you cannot conquerThis North America.I'll tell you, George, in metre,If you'll attend awhile;We've forced your bold Sir PeterFrom Sullivan's fair isle.At Monmouth, too, we gainèdThe honors of the day—The victory we obtainèdFor North America.Surely we were your bettersHard by the Brandywine;We laid him fast in fettersWhose name was John Burgoyne;We made your Howe to trembleWith terror and dismay;True heroes we resemble,In North America.Confusion to the tories,That black infernal nameIn which Great Britain glories,Forever to her shame;We'll send each foul revolterTo smutty Africa,Or noose him in a halterIn North America.A health to our brave footmen,Who handle sword and gun,To Greene, and Gates, and Putnam,And conquering Washington;Their names be wrote in lettersWhich never will decay,While sun and moon do glitterOn North America.Success unto our alliesIn Holland, France, and Spain,Who man their ships and galleys,Our freedom to maintain;May they subdue the rangersOf proud Britannia,And drive them from their anchorsIn North America.Success unto the CongressOf these United States,Who glory in the conquestsOf Washington and Gates;To all, both land and seamen,Who glory in the dayWhen we shall all be freemenIn North America.Success to legislation,That rules with gentle hand,To trade and navigationBy water and by land.May all with one opinionOur wholesome laws obey,Throughout this vast dominionOf North America.
WhileI relate my story,Americans give ear;Of Britain's fading gloryYou presently shall hear;I'll give a true relation,Attend to what I sayConcerning the taxationOf North America.
The cruel lords of Britain,Who glory in their shame,The project they have hit onThey joyfully proclaim;'Tis what they're striving afterOur right to take away,And rob us of our charterIn North America.
There are two mighty speakers,Who rule in Parliament,Who ever have been seekingSome mischief to invent;'Twas North, and Bute his father,The horrid plan did layA mighty tax to gatherIn North America.
They searched the gloomy regionsOf the infernal pit,To find among their legionsOne who excelled in wit;To ask of him assistance,Or tell them how they maySubdue without resistanceThis North America.
Old Satan the arch-traitor,Who rules the burning lake,Where his chief navigator,Resolved a voyage to take;For the Britannic oceanHe launches far away,To land he had no notionIn North America.
He takes his seat in Britain,It was his soul's intentGreat George's throne to sit onAnd rule the Parliament;His comrades were pursuingA diabolic way,For to complete the ruinOf North America.
He tried the art of magicTo bring his schemes about,At length the gloomy projectHe artfully found out;The plan was long indulgèdIn a clandestine way,But lately was divulgèdIn North America.
These subtle arch-combinersAddressed the British court,All three were undersignersOf this obscure report—There is a pleasant landscapeThat lieth far awayBeyond the wide Atlantic,In North America.
There is a wealthy people,Who sojourn in that land,Their churches all with steeplesMost delicately stand:Their houses like the gilly,Are painted red and gay:They flourish like the lilyIn North America.
Their land with milk and honeyContinually doth flow,The want of food or moneyThey seldom ever know:They heap up golden treasure,They have no debts to pay,They spend their time in pleasureIn North America.
On turkeys, fowls, and fishes,Most frequently they dine,With gold and silver dishesTheir tables always shine.They crown their feasts with butter,They eat, and rise to play;In silks their ladies flutter,In North America.
With gold and silver lacesThey do themselves adorn,The rubies deck their faces,Refulgent as the morn:Wine sparkles in their glasses,They spend each happy dayIn merriment and dancesIn North America.
Let not our suit affront you,When we address your throne;O King, this wealthy countryAnd subjects are your own,And you, their rightful sovereignThey truly must obey,You have a right to governThis North America.
O King, you've heard the sequelOf what we now subscribe:Is it not just and equalTo tax this wealthy tribe?The question being askèd,His majesty did say,My subjects shall be taxèdIn North America.
Invested with a warrant,My publicans shall go,The tenth of all their currentThey surely shall bestow;If they indulge rebellion,Or from my precepts stray,I'll send my war battalionTo North America.
I'll rally all my forcesBy water and by land,My light dragoons and horsesShall go at my command;I'll burn both town and city,With smoke becloud the day,I'll show no human pityFor North America.
Go on, my hearty soldiers,You need not fear of ill—There's Hutchinson and Rogers,Their functions will fulfill—They tell such ample stories,Believe them sure we may,One half of them are toriesIn North America.
My gallant ships are readyTo waft you o'er the flood,And in my cause be steady,Which is supremely good.Go ravage, steal, and plunder,And you shall have the prey;They quickly will knock underIn North America.
The laws I have enactedI never will revoke,Although they are neglected,My fury to provoke.I will forbear to flatter,I'll rule the mighty sway,I'll take away the charterFrom North America.
O George! you are distracted,You'll by experience findThe laws you have enactedAre of the blackest kind.I'll make a short digression,And tell you by the way,We fear not your oppressionIn North America.
Our fathers were distressèdWhile in their native land;By tyrants were oppressèdAs we do understand;For freedom and religionThey were resolved to stray,And trace the desert regionsOf North America.
Heaven was their sole protectorWhile on the roaring tide,Kind fortune their director,And providence their guide.If I am not mistaken,About the first of May,This voyage was undertakenFor North America.
If rightly I remember,This country to explore,They landed in NovemberOn Plymouth's desert shore.The savages were nettled,With fear they fled away,So peaceably they settledIn North America.
We are their bold descendants,For liberty we'll fight,The claim to independenceWe challenge as our right;'T is what kind Heaven gave us,Who can take it away?O Heaven, sure it will save usIn North America.
We never will knock under,O George! we do not fearThe rattling of your thunder,Nor lightning of your spear;Though rebels you declare us,We're strangers to dismay;Therefore you cannot scare usIn North America.
To what you have commandedWe never will consent,Although your troops are landedUpon our continent;We'll take our swords and muskets,And march in dread array,And drive the British red-coatsFrom North America.
We have a bold commander,Who fears not sword or gun,The second Alexander,His name is Washington.His men are all collected,And ready for the fray,To fight they are directedFor North America.
We've Greene, and Gates, and Putnam,To manage in the field,A gallant train of footmen,Who'd rather die than yield;A stately troop of horsemenTrained in a martial way,For to augment our forcesIn North America.
Proud George, you are engagèdAll in a dirty cause,A cruel war have wagèdRepugnant to all laws.Go tell the savage nationsYou're crueler than they,To fight your own relationsIn North America.
Ten millions you've expended,And twice ten millions more;Our riches you intendedShould pay the mighty score.Who now will stand your sponsor,Your charges to defray?For sure you cannot conquerThis North America.
I'll tell you, George, in metre,If you'll attend awhile;We've forced your bold Sir PeterFrom Sullivan's fair isle.At Monmouth, too, we gainèdThe honors of the day—The victory we obtainèdFor North America.
Surely we were your bettersHard by the Brandywine;We laid him fast in fettersWhose name was John Burgoyne;We made your Howe to trembleWith terror and dismay;True heroes we resemble,In North America.
Confusion to the tories,That black infernal nameIn which Great Britain glories,Forever to her shame;We'll send each foul revolterTo smutty Africa,Or noose him in a halterIn North America.
A health to our brave footmen,Who handle sword and gun,To Greene, and Gates, and Putnam,And conquering Washington;Their names be wrote in lettersWhich never will decay,While sun and moon do glitterOn North America.
Success unto our alliesIn Holland, France, and Spain,Who man their ships and galleys,Our freedom to maintain;May they subdue the rangersOf proud Britannia,And drive them from their anchorsIn North America.
Success unto the CongressOf these United States,Who glory in the conquestsOf Washington and Gates;To all, both land and seamen,Who glory in the dayWhen we shall all be freemenIn North America.
Success to legislation,That rules with gentle hand,To trade and navigationBy water and by land.May all with one opinionOur wholesome laws obey,Throughout this vast dominionOf North America.