Ye Parliament of England
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Lesley Nelson-Burns

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The tune is the War of 1812 from the American point of view. The words in capitals are the names of ships. Ye Parliament of England,
Ye Lords and Commons too,
Consider well what you're about,
What you're about to do.
For you're to war with Yankees,
And I'm sure you'll rue the day
You roused the Sons of Liberty
In North America!

You first confined our commerce,
And said our ships shan't trade,
You next impressed our seamen,
And used them as your slaves,
You then insulted Rodgers,
While plying o'er the main,
And had we not declared war,
You'd have done it o'er again.

You tho't our frigates were but few,
And Yankees could not fight,
Until brave HULL your GUERRIERE took
And banished her from your sight.
The WASP then took your FROLIC,
We'll nothing say to that;
The POICTIERS being of the line,
Of course she took her back.

The next, your MACEDONIAN,
No finer ship could swim,
Decatur took her gilt work off,
And then he sent her in.
The JAVA by a Yankee ship
Was sunk, you all must know;
The PEACOCK fine, in all her plume,
By Lawrence town did go.

Then next you sent your BOXER,
To box us all about,
We had an ENTERPRISING brig
That boxed your BOXER out;
She boxed her up to Portland,
And moored her off the town,
To show the sons of liberty
The BOXER of renown.

The next upon Lake Erie,
Where Perry had some fun,
You own he beat your naval force
And caused them for to run;
This was to you a sore defeat,
The like ne'er known before -
Your British squadron beat complete -
Some took, some run ashore.

There's Rodgers, in the PRESIDENT,
Will burn, sink, and destroy,
The CONGRESS, on the Brazil coast,
Your commerce will annoy;
The ESSEX, in the South Seas,
Will put out all your lights;
The flag she waves at her mast-head -
Free Trade and Sailor's Rights.
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From The Fireside Book of Favorite American Songs
See Bibliography for full information.