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The Couragious English Foys.

"I saw a smith stand with his hammer, thus,
The whilst his iron did on the anvil cool,
With open mouth swallowing a tailor's news;
Who, with his shears and measure in his hand,
Standing on slippers (which his nimble haste
Had falsely thrust upon contrary feet),
Told of a many thousand warlike French."

King John, Act iv. sc. 2.

IN money and lives, Protestantism cost us dear during the reign

of William the Third. To him we owe the foundation of our National Debt, and almost as autocratical a rule as ever was attempted by the Stuarts whom he supplanted. He never loved England, never understood it, and scarcely thought it worth his while to conceal the distrust and dislike with which he regarded almost all the statesmen, commanders, and nobility of the nation. He loved his own Dutch shores better than England's glades, and his Dutch countrymen far beyond such gentry as ventured to the dreary Court. More than once he expressed his regret that he had ever thrown himself away on our ungrateful country; and threatened, when opposed, to quit it altogether. But his coming hither had been from no love for the people, or even any paramount desire to secure their liberties as Englishmen. Natures like his, that admit of few personal attachments, are often the best fitted to accept of some ruling principle, some devotion to an abstract idea, which suffices instead of warmth and affection to give unity to their efforts. It was thus with the unloving but "philanthropic" Howard. From first to last William was constant to one idea that of forming a great Protestant League, whereof he was to be the chief director, and by means of which the Low Countries were to become exalted in the eyes of all Europe, while France and Louis the Fourteenth were to be correspondingly humiliated and disgraced. Cold, calculating, patient, and unrelenting, he seems to have had a wonderful prevision of events. Like the predecessors of his race, he could hold aloof from confidents, trusting little or nothing to those who were nominally his ministers. While young in years he had held the comprehensive grasp of details which others only acquire after long experience. Very early he learnt to weigh all his chances, all his advantages. Without any love (although, admittedly, without any dislike; for he was too sensible a man to sell himself to misery by marrying a woman who might have proved to him hateful or embarrassing), he united himself to Mary; and, after

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nine years of her obedience, learnt to esteem her. Without any hatred to James, at first, he quite willingly accepted the invitation to ruin him. His proud announcement, that he came to defend the Protestant faith, and the personal liberties of Great Britain, was not made insincerely; although by him the nation was regarded with little beyond a quiet contempt. It was England as a member of the proposed Protestant League; England as the powerful ally of Holland, and enemy of France; England, as the supplier of men to fight his battles, and the paymaster to other nations who only on such conditions of subsidy would furnish their share of combatants; England, in short, as his tool and vassal, in the working out of his special ambition as controller of Europe under the boastful Protestant League aforesaid, that he coldly countenanced and used, unlovingly but of necessity.

It is not within the scope of these brief introductions to Bagford Ballads, for us to enter into any elaborate examination of the enormous cost which the intense hatred against "Popery" brought upon us. The statistics are open for all who care to examine. Something Quixotic there has been always in this nation boutiquère, or we should not have feed all the greedy paupers of the Continent, to make them fight their own battles at our charge during the wars against Napoleon the First. But the lesson had been already fully learnt under that William of Orange, who played his cards so well as to assume the unshared power of our throne (to which by birth he held but a small claim), in the hour of England's need, 1688.

The present ballad offers an example of the way in which England was cajoled into being made a cat's-paw for this specious ambition. We believe that it was written and circulated in the early months of 1691; soon after the 1st of April, 1691, when Mons capitulated to the arms of Lewis. It was a matter of very little moment to England; but because William was devoted unreservedly to this struggle against Catholicism and the French, our men were called on to pour out their blood in battle, under foreign commanders, and enormous subsidies were drawn by heavy taxation from the English to bribe the continental malcontents to exert themselves according to their solemn promise.

We do not for one moment deny that there is a cosmopolitan point of view from which William's conduct appears noble and heroic. Assuming the expediency of the conquest to be obtained over France and the Catholic religion, he must be regarded as a skilful and energetic leader. But we fail to see any cause to love him as an English sovereign, who was utterly devoid of all affection or consideration for the land which merely helped

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him with blood and treasure to work out his vaster schemes elsewhere.

It was at the Congress of the Hague, in January, 1690-1, met to concert measures for defence of the liberties of Europe against the encroachments of France, that William gave his great remonstrance against procrastination, luke-warmness, and divided counsels. He contended that "it was not the time to deliberate, but to act. That the enemy was master of all the chief fortresses, that were the barrier of the common liberty, and that he would quickly possess himself of all the rest, if a spirit of division, slowness, and particular interest continued among them. That every one ought to remain persuaded that their respective particular interests were comprised in the general one." "And that as for himself, he would not spare his credit, forces or person, to concur with them in so just and necessary a design; and would come in the spring at the head of the troops faithfully to make good his royal word, which he had so solemnly engaged to them." The Congress, thus admonished and encouraged, resolved to employ 200,000 men against France; of these William was to furnish a tenth part, and the other Princes and States in proportion. "But notwithstanding the large quota promised by divers Princes and States of Germany, England and Holland were forced to pay them [for doing their share], and to bear the burden of the war.'

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On the previous January 5th William had thanked the English Parliament for voting supplies towards carrying on the war. Enthusiasm regarding these wars in Flanders, and a promise to carry them into France for the humiliation of Louis XIV., was scarcely so great as had been desired. The following Bagford ballad tells of the efforts made to awaken such military ardour throughout the country, and amid all sorts of trades.

This ballad is printed as the third of the eight which form "The Royal Garland of Protestant Delight; fully furnished with variety of new songs, upon sundry occasions. Licensed according to Order. Printed for J. Blare, on London Bridge, 1689." It is on sheet sign. A 5. But there are numerous differences from the broadside, of which the chief is that no part of our four last verses are given. In fact, the ballad has been re-issued,

1 The details are stated as follows. Of each thousand men the Emperor was to furnish twenty; the King of Spain in Flanders, twenty; the States General, thirty-five; the Duke of Savoy and the troops of Milan, twenty; the Elector of Bavaria, eighteen; the Elector of Saxony, twelve; the Landgrave of Hesse, eight; the Duke of Wirtemberg, six; the Elector of Brandenberg, twenty; the Prince of Liege, six; the Bishop of Munster, seven; the Elector Palatine, four; and the Prince of Luxemberg, sixteen.

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adapted to the later time, soon after April 1st, 1691. Thus
the Garland version begins, "Brave boys we shall soon have an
army of those That will both the French and Tyrconnel oppose."
The tune, moreover, is there called "Touch of the Times."
our sheet-ballad it bears the title, "Let Caesar (sic) live long
of which we have already written, on p. 302. Later it was re-
ferred to as "Let Mary live long!" Probably the tune is the
same in all. We come to it again in Bagford Coll., ii. 115; and a
Touch of the Times in ii. 155, for "The Unfortunate Miller:" q.v.
In the Royal Garland of Protestant Delight version the title is
"The City and Country's Resolution." There are only seven
verses; corresponding in order with ours, but they have eight
lines instead of six. Their additional couplet (suiting the differ-
ence of tune) forms a burden; its second line preserved almost
unchanged, but the other varying in each verse. Thus (our line
6th) reads,

And bright shining Armour resolves to receive,
To add to the force of a strong armed Band,
Who fights for Religion and Laws of the Land,

Our line 12 reads,

Vowing that Tyrconnel they'll vex to the heart,
As being resolved like Souldiers to stand,
To fight for Religion and Laws of the Land.
With one joynt consent all together will stand
To fight for Religion and Laws of the Land.
While in a vast Army together they stand,
To fight for Religion and Laws of the Land.

[verse 3]

[after line 24]

Our line 28 has, "in Flanders;" but here we read, instead,

To make the proud Papists in Ireland bleed;
And therefore they now, bid adieu to the plow,
And like valiant Souldiers they solemnly vow,
To joyn with the force of the best armed band,
And fight for Religion and Laws of the Land.
Therefore like brave souldiers together they stand,
And fight for Religion and Laws of the Land.
With Carbine and flourishing sword in each hand,
They'll fight for Religion and Laws of the Land.

[verse 6]

[verse 7]

This ends it (reading "Country" in our line 37). The references to France and Flanders are in the subsequent additional verses. Therefore, our ballad was evidently a re-issue in May, 1691.

[Bagford Collection, II. 102.]

The Couragious English Boys of several Trades and Callings;

As Weavers, Shoomakers, Butchers, Dyers and Hatters, in City and Country, whose Resolution is to March into Flanders after King William, to relieve that Country from the French Cruelty, and from thence March with him to Conquer France.

TO THE TUNE OF, Let Caesar live long. Licensed according to Order.

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[In the original are two cuts: that to the left is printed on p. 383.]

BRave Boys, we shall soon have an Army of those,

D That will both the French and the Papists oppose,
What tho' they do now on the Protestants frown,
It is not those Romans that shall run us down;
For every Trades man his Calling will leave,
And bright shining Armour resolves to receive.

6

The Weavers they throw by their Shuttle and Loom,
Resolving to stand against treacherous Rome,
Whose insolent Pride did their betters degrade,
And oftentimes proved the ruin of Trade;

Therefore the brave weavers will now play their part,
Vowing that Mounsier they'll vex to the heart.
The valliant Shoomakers in hundreds come,
Resolving to follow the true Martial Drum,
With flourishing Colours to enter the Field,
Not fearing to make the proud Enemy yeild,

12

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