The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

What means this melancholy ditty,
Resounding through the ransom'd city?
Why do our aldermen exclaim,
So lately pluck'd out of the flame?
“Because His Majesty defends
Our lives, for his own private ends;
For spite, his courtiers interpose
Their help, to screen us from our foes:

471

The arbitrary ministry
Refuse to leave our city free,
And the officious soldiers kill,
By saving us against our will.

“What need of Government assistance,
When mob, and danger's at a distance;
What need of military care
To guard, when K--- is our Mayor?
When all the rioters in town
Are govern'd by the scarlet gown,
And see our livery in array
Prepared to fight—another day?

“Besides, ourselves the City guard,
And hunt the rogues through every ward:
Intrepid W--- appears our chief,
And who so fit to catch a thief?
His old vagaries he forgets,
Lives honestly, and pays his debts,
As bent immortal fame to win,
And die a royalist, like Prynne.

“Why send us troops who cannot need 'em?
Only to rob us of our freedom,
Debar us of our native right,
And dearest privilege, to fight,
And standing on our own defence,
Again to drive the rebels hence.

“Deny us arms? we cannot see
The meaning of His Majesty:
Does he suspect his faithful lieges,
Because he knows our skill in sieges,

472

In party-clubs, and coalitions,
Address, remonstrance, and petitions?
Our conduct past must have convinced him
We cannot turn our arms against him;
He knows our bold train-bands for valour
As famed and dreadful—as a taylor!
Nor are our aldermen such fools
To meddle rashly with edged tools;
Since not a crow that flies is shyer
Of gunpowder, when soldiers fire,
Which makes us first the redcoats order
To shoot—and try them then for murder!

“Unless the King his troops withdraw,
He means to rule by martial law,
And for our most unfeign'd affection
Dragoon us into tame subjection,
At last to change the constitution:
By military execution
Accomplish his despotic plan,
And as the Swedish monarch reign.

“How can we now preserve the nation,
But by a new Association?
Put arms into our hands, and see
If we can fight for liberty,
If each will not his castle guard:
Plenty of muskets be prepared,
Let every householder have one,
And teach him to let off his gun,
Then when the bridle you withdraw,
Which keeps the rioters in awe,

473

No longer when the troops restrain,
The rabble freed may rise again.
And let them rise, a desperate herd,
To take us lions by the beard!
Let every boy—and girl—come on,
And all the chimney-sweeps in town,
They to their own destruction come,
They rush upon their instant doom.

“Or if the beast will but be civil,
Committing only useful evil,
Let loose their prowess on our foes,
Who all our patriot-schemes oppose,
Their rage on N--- and S--- vent,
And the vile tools of Government;
Pity the troops should keep them under,
Or rob them of their lawful plunder,
Pity the troops should tear and rend them
For want of arms—which we could lend them.

“If mob is totally suppress'd,
How can a grievance be redress'd?
Or how revived the good old cause?
Or how supplied defective laws?
But rabble-government, we see,
With soldiers never can agree;
Unless we then the redcoats chace,
The mob can hardly show his face,
Or pull a courtier's mansion down,
Or strip a bishop of his gown.
But when the people's reign is o'er,
Freedom and property's no more,
With the mob's power religion fails,
And Popery over all prevails.”

474

Ye gentle citizens, attend
The cooler counsels of a friend:
Let not your hasty courage rise,
Or blind self-love put out your eyes;
Let not a spirit of opposition
Conceal from you your own condition,
But learn in time yourselves to know,
Nor triumph o'er an absent foe.
Your fortitude, a reed so weak,
Will play you still a slippery trick:
To fight ye never were intended,
Only to be yourselves defended;
Witness the absolute defeat
Which now ye labour to forget,
When fearing goods and lives to lose,
Your hearts sunk down into your hose!
Ye did not then the mob defy,
But piteously for mercy cry,
Panting, and pale, and out of breath,
And quash'd, as in the arms of death!

But now your courage is return'd,
The foe suppress'd, the danger scorn'd:
Yet, if the army stand aloof,
He still may put you to the proof;
And when the rabble reappears,
O'erwhelm'd with stupefying fears,
Ye may for help cry out again,
And wish the soldiers back, in vain.

Be caution'd then by good advice,
And learn your happiness to prize,
Your rage for liberty repress,
Nor turn it to licentiousness;

475

No more your gracious king mistrust,
So mild, and merciful, and just;
No more by cruel insults wrong,
Because he suffers you so long,
With pity your perverseness sees,
And saves you in your last distress.

And if you wish in peace to live,
No credence to your leaders give,
But every demagogue dismiss,
Those worst of all incendiaries,
Who foes to king and country, dare
Usurp the patriot's character,
Pleaders for liberty and laws,
Supporters of rebellion's cause,
Who set the nation in a flame,
And on their monarch cast the blame.

All counsels to sum up in one,
Do, what so few of you have done,
Poor, guilty worms, your Maker fear,
And then ye must your king revere!

In St. George's Fields.

University of Virginia Library

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