Ballad on the American War

When Guilford good our pilot stood
An´ did our hellim thraw, man,
Ae night, at tea, began a plea,
Within America, man:
Then up they gat the maskin-pat,
And in the sea did jaw, man;
An´ did nae less, in full congress,
Than quite refuse our law, man.

Then thro´ the lakes Montgomery takes,
I wat he was na slaw, man;
Down Lowrie´s Burn he took a turn,
And Carleton did ca´, man:
But yet, whatreck, he, at Quebec,
Montgomery-like did fa´, man,
Wi´ sword in hand, before his band,
Amang his en´mies a´, man.

Poor Tammy Gage within a cage
Was kept at Boston-ha´, man;
Till Willie Howe took o´er the knowe
For Philadelphia, man;
Wi´ sword an´ gun he thought a sin
Guid Christian bluid to draw, man;
But at New York, wi´ knife an´ fork,
Sir-Loin he hacked sma´, man.

Burgoyne gaed up, like spur an´ whip,
Till Fraser brave did fa´, man;
Then lost his way, ae misty day,
In Saratoga shaw, man.
Cornwallis fought as lang´s he dought,
An´ did the Buckskins claw, man;
But Clinton´s glaive frae rust to save,
He hung it to the wa´, man.

Then Montague, an´ Guilford too,
Began to fear, a fa´, man;
And Sackville dour, wha stood the stour,
The German chief to thraw, man:
For Paddy Burke, like ony Turk,
Nae mercy had at a´, man;
An´ Charlie Fox threw by the box,
An´ lows´d his tinkler jaw, man.

Then Rockingham took up the game,
Till death did on him ca´, man;
When Shelburne meek held up his cheek,
Conform to gospel law, man:
Saint Stephen´s boys, wi´ jarring noise,
They did his measures thraw, man;
For North an´ Fox united stocks,
An´ bore him to the wa´, man.

Then clubs an´ hearts were Charlie´s cartes,
He swept the stakes awa´, man,
Till the diamond´s ace, of Indian race,
Led him a sair faux pas, man:
The Saxon lads, wi´ loud placads,
On Chatham´s boy did ca´, man;
An´ Scotland drew her pipe an´ blew,
"Up, Willie, waur them a´, man!"

Behind the throne then Granville´s gone,
A secret word or twa, man;
While slee Dundas arous´d the class
Be-north the Roman wa´, man:
An´ Chatham´s wraith, in heav´nly graith,
(Inspired bardies saw, man),
Wi´ kindling eyes, cry´d, "Willie, rise!
Would I hae fear´d them a´, man?"

But, word an´ blow, North, Fox, and Co.
Gowff´d Willie like a ba´, man;
Till Suthron raise, an´ coost their claise
Behind him in a raw, man:
An´ Caledon threw by the drone,
An´ did her whittle draw, man;
An´ swoor fu´ rude, thro´ dirt an´ bluid,
To mak it guid in law, man.