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27
Britannia's Call TO HER Brave Troops and hardy Tars.
I.
Britannia's sons, Hibernia's youth,And Scotia's hardy, martial race!
Rise! fight! defend the cause of truth!
And wipe from me all foul disgrace;
With ardent eyes,
Britannia cries,
United rise!
And Frenchmen to destruction chace.
II.
See, from the coast of threat'ning France,With mischief fraught, and ill design,
Her gath'ring troops prepare t' advance,
And threat with battle my confines!
Insulting foes,
Resolv'd oppose,
Deal mortal blows!
See, see, aloft, my standard shines.
III.
My freeborn sons, (with native rage,)Arise, and hear your mother's call;
L[illeg.]ing foes, prepare t' engage:
Defend me now, or else I fall:
Your all's at stake,
To arms betake,
Strong efforts make,
And sweep to death, the troops of Gaul!
IV.
Rouze! rouze! refulgent, shine in arms!Hark! cannons roar, drums, trumpets, sound!
Rush on, all clad, in war's alarms!
And dauntless, dread, on Gallic ground!
Against the Gauls,
And their strong walls,
Ply bombs and balls,
Fling veng'ance, flame, and ruin round;
V.
Britannia thus, bespoke her sons,With ardour, ev'ry bosom boil'd,
They lin'd her shores, with troops, and guns,
And France affrighted, back recoil'd:
With stern delight,
They all unite,
And wish the fight;
But Ferdinand had Lewis foil'd.
VI.
A grand exulting joy appear'd,With martial smiles, on England's shore,
To see Great Britain's standard rear'd,
And hear her naval lions roar;
His fleets France found,
Were gath'ring round,
A dreadful bound!
Britannia, heard her threats no more.
VII.
Brunswick with mighty joy survey'd,Domestick troops begird his throne;
Safety her golden wings display'd,
And all our former fears were flown:
Our forces good,
Resolved stood,
To spill their blood,
Sooner than Frenchmen conq'rors own.
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