OR BLUSTERING DENUNCIATION (REPLETE WITH DEFAMATION) THREATENING DEVASTATION, AND SPEEDY JUGULATION, OF THE NEW ENGLISH NATION. -- WHO SHALL HIS PIOUS WAYS SHUN? WHEREAS the rebels hereabout Are stubborn still, and still hold out; Refusing yet to drink their tea, In spite of Parliament and me; And to maintain their bubble, Right, Prognosticate a real fight; Preparing flints, and guns, and ball, My army and the fleet to maul; Mounting their guilt to such a pitch, As to let fly at soldiers' breech; Pretending they design'd a trick, Tho' ordered not to hurt a chick; But peaceably, without alarm, The men of Concord to disarm; Or, if resisting, to annoy, And every magazine destroy: -- All which, tho' long obliged to bear, Thro' want of men, and not of fear; I'm able now by augmentation, To give a proper castigation; For since th' addition to the troops, Now reinforc'd as thick as hops; I can, like Jeremey at the Boyne, Look safely on -- fight you, Burgoyne; And now, like grass, the rebel Yankees, I fancy not these doodle dances: -- Yet, e'er I draw the vengeful sword, I have thought fit to send abroad, This present gracious proclamation, Of purpose mild the demonstration, That whosoe'er keeps gun or pistol, I'll spoil the motion of his systole; Or, whip his --, or cut his weason, As haps the measure of his treason: -- But every one that will lay down His hanger bright, and musket brown, Shall not be beat, nor bruis'd, nor bang'd, Much less for past offences hang'd; But on surrendering his toledo, Go to and fro unhurt as we do: -- But then I must, out of this plan, lock Both Samuel Adams and John Hancock; For those vile traitors (like debentures) Must be tucked up at all adventures; As any proffer of a pardon, Would only tend those rogues to harden: -- But every other mother's son, The instant he destroys his gun (For thus doth run the King's command), May, if he will, come kiss my hand. -- And to prevent such wicked game, as Pleading the plea of ignoramus, Be this my proclamation spread To every reader that can read: -- And as nor law nor right was known Since my arrival in this town, To remedy this fatal flaw, I hereby publish martial law. Meanwhile, let all, and every one Who loves his life, forsake his gun; And all the council, by mandamus, Who have been reckoned so infamous, Return unto their habitation, Without or let or molestation. -- Thus graciously the war I wage, As witnesseth my hand, -- TOM GAGE. By command of MOTHER CARY, |