Political ballads of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
Wilkins, William Walker
mK \M< m ' ' ■':;■■ I 1 i ins MS ws y. a POLITICAL BALLADS VOL. II. LONDON PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE A)fD CO. NEW-STREET SQUARE POLITICAL BALLADS OF THE Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries ANNOTATED BY W. WALKER WILKINS More solid things do not show the complexion of the times so well as Ballads and Libels"— Selden's Table-Talk In Two Vols. VOLUME THE SECOND LONDON LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, AND ROBERTS MDCCCLX CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. WILLIAM III. A.D. 1689. Rome in an Uproar .... Pandora's Box ..... A Litany recommended to the Ecclefiaftical Commiffioners 1690. The Trimmer ..... 1 69 1. The Weafel Uncafed .... Lay by your Reafon .... 1696. The Poll Aft • 1694. England's Triumph for her Conqueft in Flanders Ballad on the Capitation .... 1695. The Belgic Boar ..... 1696. A new Ballad on the late horrid Confpiracy. A Ballad on the Taxes .... ANNE. 1707. Queen Anne, or the auld Grey Mare 1 710. The Age of Wonders. A new Ballad ..-.•• PAGE 3 7 13 16 *9 *7 3* 34 41 44 5* 57 61 68 74 vi CONTENTS OF A.D. PAGE 1710. The Age of Mad Folks. . . . ■ 83 The Weftminfter Combat. • • • 88 Salifbury Steeple reverfed. 94 I7II. The Truth at laft. , •. 99 The Thankfgiving. 104 An excellent new Song •. 109 A new Song. • • • 113 On Guifcard'a Stabbing Robin •. 116 1712. Plot upon Plot. • • 120 1712. The Soldier's Lamentation for the Lofs of their General . 124 X7i3- Nothing but Truth. • • • • 131 The Merchant a la Mode. ... . 136 The Raree Show. • . 141 GEORGE I. 1715. A Lamentation for the late Times The Vagabond Tories A new Song ..... ■r— Ormond the Brave ..... Bifhop Burnet's Defcent into Hell 1 716. The Pretender's Charge againft the Tories The Tories' Anfwer .... The Pretender's Flight, and Sorrowful Lamentation for his late Difappointment in Scotland 1 71 7. The Chriftening ..... 1 71 9. The Seven Wife Men of England 1720. A South Sea Ballad ..... The South Sea Ballad .... 1724. The Devil o'er Lincoln .... 153 157 164 168 170 174 178 182 186 191 198 203 206 THE SECOND VOLUME. vii GEORGE II. A.D. PAGE 1730. The Statefman ...... 213 1 73 1. The Norfolk Gamefter ..... 222 An Ode for the New Year ..... 228 1732. The Honeft Jury ...... 232 1733. Britannia Excifa : Britain Excif'd .... 237 The Countryman's Anfwer  The Tinker turn'd Politician ; or, Caleb's Metamorphofis . 252 1740. Admiral Hofier's Ghoft ..... 259 1741. The late Gallant Exploits of a famous Balancing Captain . 264 Argyle's Advice to Sir Robert Walpole . . .269 1742. A New Court Ballad ..... 272 Robin will be Out at Laft ..... 280 The Statefman's Fall . . . . .284 A New Ode to a great number of Great Men newly made . 289 The Old Coachman. ..... 296 1743. Sandys and Jekyll ...... 299 Harvey and Jekyll ...... 306 1753. The Jews'  The Letter of a certain Admiral . . . .329 1 757. The Secret Expedition ..... 333 POLITICAL BALLADS C?^D WILLIAM III. VOL. II. ROME IN AN UPROAR ; OR, THE POPE'S BULLS BROUGHT TO THE BAITING-STAKE BY OLD FATHER PETRE's. [The object of this ftreet ballad is too obvious to need comment. It was written fhortly after the final flight of James II., and is a paan upon the downfall of that fovereign and his jefuitical advifers, who had fyftematically labored to bring this kingdom once more under fubjeclion to the See of Rome.] To the tune of " Packington's Pound.'''' HEN England half-ruin'd had caufe to be fad, The Pope's bloody Bulls they begun to run mad ; Becaufe we had given them pafture awhile, They ran about ranging all over the I fie ; Thefe mercilefs Beafts, their rage for to feaft, They gored and had like to have murder'd our Teft ; But juft in the interim there came in a Friend, Who did the poor Teft from their fury defend. b z POLITICAL BALLADS. l689. Thefe Bulls they were kept by that Bear in the Tower *, And chiefly were nourifh'd by Difpenfing Power ; But fometimes to feaft their devouring jaws, Their Keeper would give them fome fcraps of the laws : Thefe Bulls have been found in other men's ground, But now we have put them in Packington's Pound; O never were bulls fo baited about, For certain, as thefe will be, e'er they come out. Thus in our Nation a great many fools Endeavor'd to fatten his Holinefs' Bulls; The Judges almoft out of every caufe Allow'd them a penfion of Penal Laws ; Thefe Bulls had fuch power, they'd like to devour Our Church and our laws, but they now are brought lower : Was ever fuch impudent Bulls ever known, To tofs facred Majefty out of the throne ! Their Keeper who was no lefs man than a Lord, Was by thefe mad Bulls moft notorioufly gor'd ; They had on their heads fuch a Sampfon-like power, They caft him at one clever tofs in the Tower : And fome they are jealous that he and his fellows Will be toft from the Tower to a fcaffbld or gallows — O what a fad fight would it be for to fee So many bleft martyrs to fwing on a tree ! * The brutal Jeffreys. ,689. WILLIAM III. 5 We've done with the Keeper, and now for the driver, Who valued Religion no more than a ftiver : Thefe Bulls being wanton, and at no command, They toft their poor driver quite out of the land ; This is a fad matter to lofe Obfervator * Who has zjirange name, but is ftranger by nature : 'Twould be a fad thing, mould he dance the long jig For making divifion 'twixt Tory and Whig. Thefe Bulls were fo wanton and mafterlefs grown, They broke into paftures that lay nigh the throne j They fatted themfelves, and they ranged about, And undid the owner before they came out ; He was forc'd out of hand, to leave all his land, (Such damn'd Popifh Bulls deferve all to be hang'd,) More mifchief they did which muft not be expreft, I'll leave you alone to imagine the reft. But now thefe fad beafts for the mifchief they'd done, Will be to the flaughter brought every one ; * Alluding to Sir Roger L'Eftrange, the originator of a paper fo called, the delign of which was to vindicate the meafures of the court of Charles II. and the character of that king from the charge of being popifhly affected. L'Eftrange had alfo ftrenuoufly defended the difpeniing power claimed by James II., for which reafon he was adjudged, on the acceffion of William and Mary, to be " a difaf- fecled perfon." Queen Mary Ihowed her contempt of him by the following indifferent anagram fhe made (or rather attempted) on his name : — Roger L'Eftrange, Lying ftrange Roger ! b 3 POLITICAL BALLADS. l689. And if that they were but well order'd and dreft, 'Twould make Pope and Devil a delicate feaft ; Their Bulls nor their Bears fhall breed no more fears, Nor fet us together again by the ears, We'll out of our land quickly drive out fuch beafts, As popular rogues and difquieted priefts. You that are minded to purchafe a hide, Pray lay by your coin while the Bulls they are tried, For then at the gallows you'll fee fuch a heap, An excellent pennyworth's fold very cheap : Stay but while Seflions, you'll hear fuch confeflions, As fubtle as ere was the Old Declarations ; But we fhall have now a much honefter ftate, And be no more Bull'd at fo fimple a rate. 1689. WILLIAM 111. PANDORA'S BOX; OR, THE MISCHIEVOUS EFFECTS OF THE WORD c< ABDICATE. [On the 28th January, 1689, the Commons refolved " That King James II. having endeavored to fubvert the Conliitution, by break- ing the original contraft between king and people, and by the advice of Jefuits and other wicked perfons, having violated the fundamental laws, and withdrawn himfelf out of the kingdom, hath abdicated the government, and that the throne is thereby vacant.'" This me- morable refolution was carried up to the Lords by Mr. Hampden, and occafioned long and warm altercations between the two Houfes. The writer of the following ballad exhibits the Jacobite view of the difpute, as well as expofes the tergiverfation of the clerical and other parties in the State.] i. HAVE often admired what mould be the caufe, That fome of all Se£te have deferved the laws ; Their reafon, religion, nay, everything, That good and juft is, as well as their King ; I thought 'twas a plot, By a Jefuit begot On an Amfterdam wench, or other Court trot, B 4 8 POLITICAL BALLADS. l689. At length hard fcratching brou't into my pate, 'Twas the Devil wrapt up in the word " abdicate." For fince this d — d word has grown into fafhion, It has ftrangely bewitch'd a great part of the nation ; Made ftatefmen turn rebels, judges rank traitors, Common fools and grand knaves commence legislators : King James is undone, And robb'd of his Crown, The Queen and Prince banifht for what none dares own, Unlefs for the racking and ruin o' the irate, By tyrants that taught us the word " abdicate." 'Twas this made the double-tongued rooks that take fees, To cheat all they trade with for honor and eafe, So fuddenly filent, then loudly did bawl For the rights of King James in Weitminfter Hall ; 'Twas their common theme, That he was fupreme ; But when traitors fucceeded, 'twas all but a dream ; They helpt to dethrone him, and laws abrogate, To fet up a Dutch Fop on the word " abdicate." Swearing clergy (God blefs us !) came in for their fhare, In depofing their King, their Church, and their Pray'r, A fin ne'er heard of till thofe ihow'd their feats, And ruin'd the nation by fan£tified cheats ; ,689. WILLIAM III. 9 What they preach'd up of yore They have lately forfwore, And inftead of God their new idol adore : Perjured apoftates ! who keep their eftate Have fwallow'd damnation with the word " abdicate." Jack Prefbyter promifed King James to defend, And in AddrefTes moft wretchedly penn'd, Serv'd up their cant, gave thanks with non-fenfe, For the exploded makebate called Liberty o' Confcience ; But when the Dutch Fray Had wrought his decay, They turn'd to th' Ufurper and for him did pray, Whence, my dear friends, this ufe we may gather, — Had he ftay'd, he'd been ferved as they ferved his father. The brethren, too, of the Independent perfuafion, When flatt'ring the King was too much in fafhion, Show'd a zeal for James and his royal line, But his extirpation was the Court defign ; For in a few weeks They fhow'd him their old tricks And play'd the devil on Medea's two sticks ; A new league they formed, and did jointly create An hook-nofed new Nothing* from the word " abdicate." * An allufion to the Roman nofe of William of Orange. to POLITICAL BALLADS. 1689. An Englifh Jefuit firft ftarted the word, And fanatics have giv'n't the pow'r o' th' fword ; Nay, more than divine, it all ills can do, Make treafon allegiance, contradictions true ; Would you have a wench, Or be judge on the bench, Be lord, duke, or knight, or beat Scotch or French ; All are your own, Hell itfelf can't gainfay it, If you faft and pronounce the word " abdicate." This made convention 'gainft Scripture and Law, Unmade their King, and fet up Jack Straw ; Which bold undertaking he to requite Lick'd into Parliament by the fame Right, A Communion Prayer, An eternal lord Mayor, And hungry Dutchmen to keep the land bare, Were all forc'd upon us, as we fee too late, Legions of devils in the word " abdicate." But when the curft word had worried the loyal, Upon their own party it 'gan to make trial, Schomberg and Deering and Grafton it kill'd, And a hundred thoufand men's blood it has fpill'd, For the fake of a few Of the factious crew That God, nor religion, nor honefty knew, 1689. WILLIAM III. 1 1 Poor fouls, I lament their delufion and fate, To perifh like fools for the word " abdicate" Cornbury and Churchill have had a difafter, Who, like cowardly villains, betray'd their mailer, Delamere's frowned upon, and Norfolk's unpaid ; * * # * * * j- Danby looks back, Nottingham flack, Forfeeing their Babel muft needs go to rack ; Old Wiltfhire and Bath, too, as ftories relate, Are fick o' the new king, and the word " abdicate.'''' RufTell's unhanged, and grown very poor, The rogue can't advance 'bove one tattered wh — , Commonwealth Wildman is Jack out of office, Sidney and Norfolk are grown very snuffifh ; Jackboots is blamed, By Tillotfon fhamed, And mock-bifhop Burnet lives but to be damned, For pimping and plotting for Will and his mate, And blafpheming God with the word " abdicate" Now curft be the word ! and no lefs the knaves That ruin our traffick to render us flaves, f A line here has been omitted, unfortunately, by the tran- fcriber. 12 POLITICAL BALLADS. l689. That fend Englifh money to Holland by barrels, And fpill Englifh blood in foreigner's quarrels ; May they all repent 'urn, And to Holland be fent home, On condition we lofe all the money we lent 'urn ; May King James return to his primitive ftate, In fpite of the Devil, and the word " abdicate ! " i689. WILLIAM III. 13 A LITANY RECOMMENDED TO THE EC- CLESIASTICAL COMMISSIONERS. [In 1686, James II. revived the terrible Court of High Commif- fion from which the nation had been freed by the Long Parliament. The Commiffioners whom he appointed were the brutal Lord Chan- cellor Jeffreys, Sancroft, Archbifhop of Canterbury (who declined to acl), the Bifhops of Durham and Rochefter, the Lord Treafurer, the Lord President, and the Lord Chief Juftice of the King's Bench. The whole government of the Church was committed to them. At the inftigation of Sancroft, in 1688, the infatuated King confented to abolifh the Commiflion ; but the conceflion was made too late to fave his throne. It was formally done after the acceffion of King William and Queen Mary.] ROM impudent Town that was ever unjuft, From Rebellion and Perjury, and Betrayers ofTruft, And from our new Reformation that's as bad as the worft, Libera nos, Do?nine. From Treafon, pretended for felf-prefervation, From his Honor * that at firft infected the nation, But above all from a Dutch prefervation, Libera, &c. * The Earl of Shaftefbury, who had fo obftinately contefted James II. 's right to the throne. 14 POLITICAL BALLADS. l689. From undutiful children, and fubje£t.s ungrateful, FrQm Wildman and Churchill's * crews equally hateful, And from the outlaw'd bifhopf, who hath his patefull, Libera^ &c. From a credulous Houfe of Commons and Peers, From a clergy that well deferve lofing their ears, And from his new-made Lordfhip ^, whom his mafter fears, Libera , &c. From Commiffions containing a ftrange apprehenfion, From thofe that promoted his Grace's § fufpenfion, And from the ufeful gentleman || with the liberal penfion, Libera , &c. * John Wildman, the noted republican and opponent of the Stuarts, a man of whom it was faid, that he " had a wonderful fkill in grazing the edge of treafon ; " and Lord Churchill, fubfequently Duke of Marlborough. f Dr. Henry Compton, Bifhop of London, who was fufpended from his fpiritual functions for refuting to comply with James's un- conftitutional behefts. J Vice-Admiral Arthur Herbert, who was, in this year, created Earl of Torrington. § Dr. Wm. Sancroft, Archbifhop of Canterbury, who, for re- fusing to take the oaths to the new government, was fufpended and deprived. || Titus Oates, who, for his pretended difcovery of a Popifh plot, in the time of Charles II., was rewarded with a penfion of 1,200/. a year, a fourth of which was renewed to him upon the accefhon of William III. 1 68 9. WILLIAM III. t5 From undoing of bifhops, and fenar.es uncivil, From a Kirk and a Covenant that are equally evil, And from a Country enacting to go the Devil, Libera, &c. From the lofs of our Surplice, and Mitre, and Crofs, From the lofs of our liturgy (an incurable lofs), And from the lofs of our King, which is certainly worfe, Libera, £5V. From being the fhame of all ages to come, From robbers abroad, and worfe thieves at home, And from being by friends and relations undone, Libera, &c. From our prefent confufions, and profpects of more, And thofe that commanded the King out of door, From a Dutchman that ferves inftead of a wh — , Libera, &c. From the French, the Dane, and the nafty Myn-heer, From Bob-tail his fro, that fo long hath been here, And from all the worft evils we have juft caufe to fear, Libera, &c. s^^rmmm^ 16 POLITICAL BALLADS. -l69o. THE TRIMMER. BY TOM D'URFEY. [The word " Trimmer " was a political term in ufe in the reign of Charles II. and William III. "The party of Trimmers (re- marks Scott), properly fo called, only comprehended the followers of Halifax ; but our author (i. e. Dryden) feems to include all thofe who, profefTing to be friends of monarchy, were enemies to the Duke of York, and who were as odious to the Court as the fanatical re- publicans. Much wit and more virulence was unchained againft them." According to Macaulay, inftead of quarrelling with this nickname, Lord Halifax affumed it as a title of honor, and vindi- cated, with great vivacity, the dignity of the appellation. It carne at laft, as in this ballad, to be applied exclufively to the moft profli- gate of time-fervers.] RAY lend me your ear, if you've any to fpare, You that love Commonwealth as you hate Common Pray'r, Which can in a breath, pray, dilTemble, and fwear ; Which nobody can deny, deny, Which nobody can deny. I'm firft on the wrong fide, and then on the right, To-day I'm a Jack*, and to-morrow a mite, I for either King pray, but for neither dare fight ; Which, &c. * In the political flang of the day the Jacobites, as well as the Tories who fympathifed with the ex-royal family, were thus de- fignated. i69o. WILLIAM III. 17 Sometimes I'm a rebel, sometimes I'm a faint ; Sometimes I can preach, and at other times cant; There is nothing but grace I thank God that I want ; Which, &c. Old Babylon's whore, I cannot endure her ; I'm a fan£tified faint, there's none can be purer, For fwearing I hate like any non-juror ; Which, &c. Of our gracious King William I am a great lover, Yet I fide with a party that prays for another ; I'd drink the King's health, take it one way or t'other ; Which, &c. Precifely I creep like a fnail to the Meeting, Where fighing I fit ; and fuch forrowful greeting Makes me hate a long prayer and two hours' prating ; Which, &c. Andthe n I ring pfalms as if never weary, Yet I muft confefs when I'm frolic and merry, More mufic I find in A Boat to the Ferry; Which, &c. I can pledge ev'ry health my companions drink round ; I can fay " Heaven blefs" or " the Devil confound; " I can hold with the hare and run with the hound ; Which, &c. VOL. II. C 1 8 POLITICAL BALLADS. 1690. I can pray for a bifhop, and curfe an archdeacon ; I can feem very forry that Charleroi's taken ; I can fay anything to fave my own bacon ; Which, &c. Sometimes for a good Commonwealth I am wifhing — 0 Oliver, Oliver, give us thy bleffing ! For in troubled waters now I love fifhing; Which, &c. The times are fo ticklifh I vow and profefs, 1 know not which party or caufe to embrace, I'll fide with thofe to be fure that are leaft in diftrefs ; Which, &c. With the Jacks I rejoice that Savoy's defeated * ; With the Whigs I feem pleafed he fo bravely retreated ; Friends and foes are by me both equally treated ; Which, &c. Each party, you fee, is thus full of great hope, There are fome for the Devil and fome for the Pope, And I am for anything — but for a rope ; Which nobody can deny. * Alluding to the defeat of the Duke of Savoy at Marfiglia. The viclory of the French marfhal, Catinat, was attributed to the undaunted conduA of his Irifh mercenaries, particularly the men of Limerick. l69*. WILLIAM III. j THE WEASEL UNCASED ; OR, THE IN AND THE OUTSIDE OF A PRIEST DRAWN TO THE LIFE. to Eh/? C°"flqUenCf <%* Macaulay) of the elevation of Tillotfon to the fee of Canterbury, the deanery of St. Paul's became vacant tlkeZ2 I ^ I*6 neWdean be— known, a clamour broke forth, fuch as perhaps no ecclefiaftical appointment has ever produced a clamour made up of yells of hatred, of hilTes of con- tempt, and I of fhouts of triumphant and half-infulting welcome : for the new dean was William Sherlock." At the Revolution Dr Sherlock not only refufed to take the oaths to the new government but mfluenced others to follow his example. He was tWor^ pnved, and d.fcontmued preaching from Aug. i, :689 to Feb .690-,, when he fuddenly refumed his labors, pleading 'that he had pernuffiontodofofrom « his fuperiors ; » hence the^xtraord na y clamour to which Lord Macaulay refers. Calamy fays that when Ire- land was fubdued the doclor took the oaths, and tlJt the conv nc " argument was the battle of the Boyne. Be that as it may'the cZ temporary fatinfts, to a man, chofe to attribute Dr. Sherlock's final Satirical Fable bto. Lond. l69i), the do6Ws wife is represented chfrX: 6 P°mti and thC argUmCnt °f the firA fefti°n eXPkins its " Hufband and wife at variance are About the oaths, till female art Informs his confcience he mult fwear, And brings him over to her part." The dodor is reprefented as arguing againft the oaths on the ground 20 POLITICAL BALLADS. 1691 of character. She then alludes to certain of his writings, which, fhe contends, favor her view. To this he replies : " Opinions varioufly the wife indite ; Ne'er build too much on what I write : Thou art my own, and I may boldly fay, My pen can travel this and t'other way." Ultimately the lady prevails, and the doctor's palliation of his trim- ming conduct: is found in the argument of the fecond le&ion of the fable : " A weefil of his former flock Our convert's double-dealing (hows ; Who patiently receives the (hock, And lays the fault upon his fpoufe."] PROTESTANT Priest, a man of great fame, To be rich and great was his only aim, It was Doctor Weafel the very fame; Which nobody can deny. This weafel at firft to get him fome grub, A little fmall girl, and a little good bub, Diogenes-like he preached in a tub ; Which, &c. Yet in thofe days he was very fickle, And tho' he was head of a great conventicle, Yet he had a month's mind to be higher a little ; Which, &c. ,69i. WILLIAM III. 2r And finding ambition to grow with his pride, And if he'd be great, he muff, change his fide, He left all his flock, and his firft faith denied ; Which, &c. By which they perceiv'd his heart was grown evil, They put forth a book, which he thought uncivil, The title was TVeafePs Difpute with the Devil * ; Which, &c. In which learned piece, they there did difcover That, like unto Judas, he was a falfe brother, And of a full bag he is a great lover ; Which, &c. To which bloody charge he anfwered in feafon, And why he left them, told 'em his reafon, And prov'd all their tenets border'd on treafon ; Which, &c. And then, like a hero, he did lay about, And fwore he would preach all their tub-bottoms out, And prove them to be a phanatical rout ; Which, &c. * Alluding to a fcurrilous pamphlet entitled A Friendly Debate between Satan and Sherlock, written by Thomas Danfon in 1677. c 3 22 POLITICAL BALLADS. 1691. And truly he was as good as his word, And writ a fine book, tho' by them abhor'd The Cafe of Refiftance * , which ftands on record ; Which, &c. In that loyal piece, againft the precife, He prov'd by all the grave, learned, and wife, Obedience is better than all Sacrifice ; Which, &c. And then he proceeded by Scripture and reafon, To prove non-Refiftance always in feafon, And its oppofite doctrine no lefs than treafon ; Which, &c. And having obferv'd the laws o' th' nation, With thofe of the Gofpel, had a relation, Said, thofe that refift would receive juft damnation ; Which, &c. To ftrengthen this point he quoted St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Jude, our Saviour and all, Proving none could be faved who from that faith did fall ; Which, &c. * The Cafe of Refiftance of the Supreme Powers fated and defended. 8vo. Lond. 1684. i69i. WILLIAM III. 23 But what will you fay of this Weafel ftout, If after all this he fhould face about, And in print tell the world in truth he was out ; Which, &c. Yet Reafon and Confcience a war did begin, And ftruggled with Pride and Ambition within, To take the new oaths he long thought a fin ; Which, &c. to> His fpoufe, like Job's wife, to eafe his heart-aching Did prefs him to fwear that he was miftaken, Though fome think it was for to fave his bacon ; Which, &c. At firft he did doubt, and therefore did pray, That heaven would inftrucT: him in the right way, Whether Jemmy or William he ought to obey ; Which, &c. The Pafs at the Boyne determin'd that cafe, And Precept to Providence then did give place, To change his opinion he thought no difgrace ; Which, Sic. C4 24 POLITICAL BALLADS. i69r. For tho' he had done the fame thing before, Yet now for his comfort he need change no more, For his Cafe of Allegiance * will ferve for a fcore ; Which, &c. For there he has plainly made it appear That ftrength gives a right, therefore we may fwear To him in pofleffion, though not the right heir ; Which, &c. And mould a fray happen betwixt Father and Son, If the boy beat his father, and fo make him run, Providence has appointed that thing to be done ; Which, &c. Befides he has prov'd the mighty convenience Of fubjects tranfferring their faith and allegiance To thofe that can crufh 'em all into obedience ; Which, &c. So let O. P.f or P. O.f be King, Or any one elfe, it is the fame thing, For only Heaven does that blefling bring ; Which, &c. * The Cafe of Allegiance due to Sovereign Ponvers. 4to. Lond. 1690. And its Vindication, publifhed in the fame year. f Initials referring to Oliver Prote&or, and Prince of Orange. ,69i. WILLIAM III. 25 But this with the Scripture can never agree, As Hofea the eighth and the fourth you may fee, " They have fet up Kings, but yet not by me ;" Which, &c. Now what need the prophet there to complain, If the people's Anointed and God's were the fame, If fo, David's friends they all were to blame ; Which, &c. For though God permitted the people to bring Good David's fon forth, and proclaim him King, Yet all the world knows how he punifht the King ; Which, &c. And may all fuch fons enjoy the fame fate, That dethrone their father, and him abdicate, No doubt it will happen in time, foon or late ; Which, &c. With one remark more I'll end this dull fong, And his fulfome Republican arguments ftrong, Which make wrong to be right , and right to be wrong ; Which, &c. That famous old prieft, the Vicar of Bray, Who in all change of times knew how to obey, Was an afs to the Weafel, if I may fo fay ; Which, &c. 26 POLITICAL BALLADS. ,69,. And truly I think no more need be faid, By a penny we know how a (hilling is made, For Prieft and prieft-craft is all but a trade, Which, &c. And thus I in little have drawn to the life His flefh and his fpirit alway at ftrife, But the flefh did prevail by the help of his wife ; Which nobody can deny, deny, Which nobody can deny. <S2^2? i69i. WILLIAM III. 27 LAY BY YOUR REASON. [The Jacobite author of this ballad, whilft fatirifing the govern- ment of William, affefts a fympathy for the non-jurors, whofe clamour upon the appointment of bifhops to the vacant fees revived for a feafon the expiring hopes of James's adherents.] To the tune of " Love lies Bleeding." £ -, a - v AY by your reafon, Truth's out of feafon, Rebellion now is loyalty, and loyalty is treafon ; Now forty-one, Sir, Is quite undone, Sir. A fubj'ecT: then depofed a King, but now 'tis by a Son, Sir. The Nation's falvation From mal-adminiftration Was then pretenc'd by the Saints, but now 'tis abdi- cation. And now the cafe, Sir, Bears another face, Sir ; Billy had a mind to reign, and Jemmy muft give place, Sir. 28 POLITICAL BALLADS. 1691. RaiPd Infurre&ions, With bafe Reflexions, And labour'd tooth and nail to perfect his projections. Rebellion in fafhion, Declar'd throughout the nation, Then turn'd his father out, and call'd it abdication. A Declaration * For felf-prefervation Was fpread abroad, wherein he prov'd a father's no re lation. Monarchy haters, With Abdicators, Did fwell into a league of Dutchmen, Whigs, and traitors : They enter indenture, Soul and body venture, Whilft at royal Jemmy's head their malice ftill did center. What have we gain'd ? Grievances retain'd, The Government is ftill the fame, the King is only chang'd. Was ever fuch a bargain ! What boots it a farthing, * Alluding to the famous Declaration of William, which was publifhed a few hours only before his defcent upon our mores. i69i. WILLIAM III. 29 Whether Father Petre rules, or Bentinck * and Carmar- then * : DiftrefTed, opprefTed, With empty hopes carefTed, We ftill remain mjiatu quo^ there's nothing yet redreffed. The bill for Treafonf Now's out of feafon, And judges muft be courtiers, ftill 'gainft all right and reafon ; * Bentinck, the firft Earl of Portland, and the Earl of Carmarthen, fubfequently Duke of Leeds. The former flood higheft in William's favor, and, being a foreigner, excited the jealoufy of the Englifli nobility. His influence over the King may be judged from the fol- lowing contemporary epigram, entitled a " Defcription of a Hampton Court life :"— " Man and wife are both one In flefh and bone ; From hence you may guefs what they mean ; The Queen drinks chocolate To make the King fat, The King hunts to make the Queen lean. Mr. Dean, he fays grace, With a reverend face — ' Make room,' cries Sir Thomas Duppa : Then Bentinck uplocks The King in a box, And you fee him no more till fupper ! " f Alluding to the claufe in the bill for regulating trials in cafes of high treafon, which ena£ted that no perfon fhould be convicled of that crime committed more than three years before the indictment was found. 30 POLITICAL BALLADS. l69i. Nay more I'll mention, The Senate has a penfion, Which overthrows the Contract made with the bleft Con- vention. Thus we, you fee, Sir, Come off by the lee, Sir, And gave our money to be flaves, inftead of being free, Sir. Was ever beetle Blind as his people, To think that God will own a Church with a Soci'an fteeple * : Of wits bereav'd, By priefts deceiv'd, Who've bro't themfelves unto that pafs ne'er more to be believ'd. They lear, Sir, For fear, Sir, And then they'll all repent that e'er they took the fwear, Sir. * Archbifhop Tillotfon, who fucceeded the nonjuring Sancroft in the archbifhopric of Canterbury, was moft unjuftly fufpecled, on account of his friendfhip for and correspondence with Locke, Lim- borck, Le Clerc, and others, of entertaining Socinian views. " All confederate inquifitive men,11 as he once obferved in his own defence, " that are above fancy and enthufiafm, muft be either Socinians or atheifts," in the eftimation of men of his own day. i69i. WILLIAM III 31 'Las ! what's confcience In Sherlock's own fenfe *, Where intereft lies at ftake, and oaths with him are non- fenfe. The Temple's mafter Fears no difafter, He can take a hundred oaths and yet be ne'er the fafter ; He'll wrangle and brangle, And all the caufe entangle, Nothing now can ferve the wretch except the old triangle. For holy caufe, Sir, You may break laws, Sir, Not treafon then, nor perjury, will fignify two ftraws, Sir. So fad our fate is, Worfer far than papifts, For Socinus rules the Church, and is ruled by an Atheift. The Nation's damnation Was this laft Reformation, For you muft either take the fwear, or ftarve, or lofe your ftation. * See the preceding ballad. '--~^»(M^-^ 32 POLITICAL BALLADS. 1696. THE POLL ACT. [This ballad was fuggefted by the following extraordinary refolu- tion of the Commons, 20th 061. 1696 : "That the fupplies for the ferviceof 1697 mould be raifed within the year;" which was effected by a land-tax of three millings in the pound, and a heavy capitation tax, in addition to the exifting burthens. A contemporary wit thus lampoons both King and Commons for their extravagance in con- nection with the perpetual wars of the former : " Six winter months our Senate fits Five millions for to raife ; And all the while they wrack their wits To find out means and ways. Six fummer months our hero fpends, In what you'd pleafe to fay, In finding out of ways and means To fquander all away.11] 5vf ■"""«N. /^". %£ I fW< yj£> &? 'J%2 1) I A M j POLL and Land Tax are now coming forth For our deliverance, they travel in birth, But 'tis hard to pay more for a thing than 'tis worth ; Which nobody can deny. To pay our juft taxes was once thought too much, But now extraordinary charity is fuch, We bankrupt ourfelves for maintaining the Dutch ; Which, &c. ,696. WILLIAM III. 33 A Tax for the land, and a Poll for the head, In this both the Houfes are juftly agreed, For our eftates and our heads are all forfeited ; Which, &c. If we tax and poll on for a year or two more, The French, I dare fwear, will ne'er touch on our fhore, For fear of the charge of maintaining our poor ; Which, &c. Seeing nothing is done for't, a quarterly Poll Is like taking ill phyfic which gives one no ftool, Makes the doctor a knave, and the patient a fool ; Which, &c. Since 'tis for Religion we make fuch a-do, There's no way to prove our pretenfions are true, Like parting with our goods and confciences too ; Which, &c. VOL. II. 34 POLITICAL BALLADS. l6 94- ENGLAND'S TRIUMPH FOR HER CON- QUEST IN FLANDERS. BY TOM BROWN. [In thefe farcaftic ftanzas, the author celebrates the two moll un- fortunate continental expeditions undertaken by William III. — the firft, in 1692, when the Britifh and their allies not only failed to relieve the maiden fortrefs of Namur, which was befieged by Louis XIV. in peribn, but alio fuffered a fignal defeat in the battle of Steinkirk : the fecond, in 1694, when an attempt was made to fur- prife the harbour of Breft, and the Englifh commander for his temerity paid the penalty of his life.] HEN people find their money fpent, They recollecl: which way it went, The like in order to prevent For future. That money's fpent, I need not tell, The French King's tyranny to quell ; I'm fure we muft remember well, 'Tis true, Sir. But left that we mould think it vain, Our Englifh fleet I will proclaim ; And what we did the laft campaign In Flanders. ,694. WILLIAM III. 35 With money flufh'd, and arms good ftore, We'd touch the French to th' quick, we fwore, With that in hafte we hurried o'er Commanders. But fcarce they'd fet their foot on more, But news was brought that Luxembour' Had actually befieged Namour, 'Nigh Liege, Sir. This action put 'em in amaze, And yet if they mould make delays, They thought they hardly e'er mould raife The Siege, Sir. With that they fummon all their force, Full four-fcore thoufand foot and horfe, That never flinch, nor think of lofs, When fighting. But yet all this did prove in vain, They not an inch of ground cou'd gain, There was fuch ftorms of thunder, rain, And light'ning.* * The rain (fays Macaulay) fell in torrents. The Sambre rofe and covered many fquare miles on which the harveil was green. The Mehaigne whirled down its bridges to the Meufe. All the roads became fwamps. The trenches were fo deep in water and mire that it was the bulinefs of three days to move a gun from one battery to another. d z 36 POLITICAL BALLADS. ,694. The feafon bad did make 'em fret, Not that they fear'd the French a bit, But that it was fuch curfed wet Raw weather. And raife the fiege they cou'd not do't, It was fo dirty under foot ; The French were ftrong intrench'd to boot, Tog-ether. On this they frequent councils call, In which they voted, one and all, That left the French fhou'd chance to maul The army, 'Twas better let the town be taken, Provided they could fave their bacon ; The weather, too, in time might happen Lefs ftormy.* Thus being, as you hear, diftreft, They think it now high time to reft, And full two months they took at leaft, To do it. * The town of Namur furrendered on the eighth day of the fiege, the citadel about three weeks later. i694- WILLIAM III. 37 When thus refrefh'd, then up they rofe, And fwore if none did them oppofe, They'd be reveng'd, and make their foes To rue it. Away they march, with full intent To pay thefe French a compliment, And drub them to their heart's content, But mark, Sir. The French their coming underftood, And therefore lin'd a little wood, Where they their party did make good Till dark, Sir. Thefe cunning rogues had manag'd fo, That we receiv'd another blow *, Which might have prov'd our overthrow, Pray mind it. Here our poor Englifh go to pot, Becaufe, forfooth, it is their lot To undergo all fervice hot, We find it. * At the battle of Steinkirk, where the Englifh and their allies, led by William in perfon, were fignally defeated by the Duke or Luxembourg. d 3 1 38 POLITICAL BALLADS. ,694. We had about feven thoufand flain, But that is nothing in the main, Confidering what we hope to gain Next battle. Then we'll recover all agen, For one of ours we'll kill them ten, Till we have wafted all their men, Mere rattle. But now tho' this attempt did fail, We had ftill a trick that wou'd prevail, And make Monfieur his ftars bewail With forrow. We had a project under hand, That foon wou'd make him understand, He muft not longer keep the land He'd borrowed. This noble whim to execute, A mighty fleet was fitted out, And Talmafh * is the man muft do't, Or no man. * Lieut.-Gen. Thos. Talmafh, who was mortally wounded in Camaret Bay, whilft attempting a defcent upon the harbour of Brelt. ,694. WILLIAM III. 39 Away he goes with might and main , To try if he could footing gain, But there the gallant man is flain — Brave Roman ! Namur we faw to France fubmit ; At Steinkirk w' had enough of it ; And the defcent fhow'd lefs of wit Than ever. Our conqueft thus at length you view, And how the French we did fubdue ; Our triumphs next I will to you Difcover. The Tower-guns were all prepar'd, And fire-works on lighters rear'd ; But what came on 'em I ne'er heard A verbum. In houfes all folks fet up lights, Only fome faucy Jacobites, Who were all put to mortal plights To curb 'um. Firft came the guards to clear the way, And next a fquire in boots of hay, Upon a nag moft miferably Jaded. D4 40 POLITICAL BALLADS. ,694. Mafons and bricklayers, with their rules, Join with the other rout of fools, Who were to be the party's tools Perfuaded. Next thofe, in droves the rabble come, In one hand club, in t'other ftone, Thofe windows that had candles none To batter. Laft came a coach, in which there fat Four lords, who went, as people prate, The general to congratulate And flatter. But after all, it mull be faid, Our conqueft was not quite fo bad, But they thefe triumphs merited, And more, Sir. For never yet, as I prefume, Was Britifh Prince, or Emp'ror of Rome, With farthing candles lighted home Before, Sir. 1694. WILLIAM III. 41 BALLAD ON THE CAPITATION. BY J. HOW. [This ballad was fuggefted by the imposition of the moft ob- noxious of all taxes, namely a Poll-tax, in 1694, to meet, in part, the extraordinary deficiency in the revenue of that year. The author of the ballad was the celebrated "Jack Howe," who had formerly held the office of Vice-Chamberlain in the Court of William and Mary. "Howe (fays Macaulay), latterly the moft virulent of the Whigs, had been, by the lofs of his place, turned into one of the moft virulent of the Tories. The deferter brought to the party which he had joined no weight of chara&er, no capacity or fem- blance of capacity for great affairs, but much parliamentary ability of a low kind, much fpite, and much impudence. No fpeaker of that time feems to have had, in fuch large meafure, both the power and the inclination to give pain."] AST year in the Spring The life of the King Was threaten'd with alTaflination ; This year they'll bring down The life o' the Kingdom By a curled De-capitation. 42 POLITICAL BALLADS. l694. France with England combin'd, And were plaguily join'd, That Tingle king's death to fecure ; But England alone Does to all the world own, That none but herfelf fhall undo her. When a Nation fubmits To be govern'd by chits, If fhe looks for wife acts {he's miftaken ; If the Parliament Houfe Muft be ruled by a moufe, Who the devil can fave his bacon ! The projects they advance To fave us from France, — But can France have more than «//, Sir; If we muft be undone, I think it all one, Into what lion's paws we fall, Sir. O James ! were thy party As wife as they're hearty, And thou thyfelf fit to be trufted ; What a bleft occafion Gives this Capitation For matters to be rightly adjufted. 3694. WILLIAM 111. 43 But fince thou'rt not he Whom we took thee to be, Whom nor age, nor experience has mended, Let us look once more To fome foreign more For a prince who has never offended. 44 POLITICAL BALLADS. ,69S. THE BELGIC BOAR. [From internal evidence it would appear that this Jacobite Jere- miad was immediately occafioned by the fevere taxation of this country to fupport the interminable foreign wars of King William. The author infinuates, rather than draws, a comparifon between the refpe6tive governments of William and his predecefibr, and not very flattering, of courle, to the firft-named.] A ne-zv Song, to the old tune of " Chevy Chace." OD profper long our noble King, Our hopes and wifb.es all ; A fatal landing late there did In Devonshire befall. To drive our Monarch from his throne, Prince Nafo * took his way ; The babe may rue that's newly born The landing at Torbay. The ftubborn Tarquin void of grace A vow to Hell does make, To force his father abdicate, And then his crown to take. * face. An allufion to the molt prominent feature of King William's ll 1695. WILLIAM III. 45 And eke the royal infant prince To feize or drive away ; Thefe tidings to our Sovereign came, In Whitehall where he lay. Who, unconcern'd at the report, At firft would not believe That any of his royal race Such mifchiefs could conceive. The Time, which ripens all things, did The villany difclofe ; And of a nephew and a fon Forg'd out the worft of foes. Who, by infernal inftin£t led, A mighty fleet prepares, His father's kingdom to invade, And fill his heart with cares. Our gracious King defires to know What his pretenfions were ; And how, without his leave, he durft Prefume on landing here. Declaring what was deem'd amifs, Should foon amended be, And whatfoe'er fhould be defired He would thereto agree. 46 POLITICAL BALLADS. l69S. And for a fpeedy Parl'ament He doth forthwith declare ; The Surly Brute not minding this Does to our coaft repair. With feveral thoufand Belgic Boars, All chofen rogues for fpight, Join'd with fome rebels who from hence And juftice had ta'en flight. Who, arm'd with malice and with hopes, Soon threw themfelves on fhore, Crying our religion and our laws They came for to reftore. Then Declarations flew about As thick as any hail, Which, tho' no word was e'er made good, Did mightily prevail. We muff, be Papifts or be Slaves, Was then the gen'ral cry ; But we'll do anything to fave Our darling Liberty. We'll all join with a foreign Prince Againft our lawful King, For he from all our fancied fears Deliverance doth bring. i695. WILLIAM III. 47 And if what he declares proves true, As who knows but it may ; Were he the Devil of a Prince, We'll rather him obey. Then our allegiance let's caft off, James fhall no longer guide us ; And though the French would bridle us, None but the Dutch fhall ride us. And thofe who will not join with us In this defign fo brave, Their houfes we'll pull down or burn, And feize on what they have. 