Ye Parliament of England
Ye Parliament of England, you Lords and Commons too,
Consider well what you’re about, and what you’re going to do;
You’re now to fight with Yankees, 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 sha’n’t trade;
You next impressed our seamen, and used them as your slaves;
You then insulted Rogers while ploughing o’er the main,
And had not we declared war you’d have done it o’er again.
You thought our frigates were but few and Yankees could not fight,
Until brave Hull your Guerrière 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 down did go.
Then next you sent your Boxer to box us all about,
But we had an Enterprising brig that beat your Boxer out;
We 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 Rogers, 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 Sailors’ Rights.’
Lament, ye sons of Britain, far distant is the day
When you’ll regain by British force what you’ve lost in America;
Go tell your King and Parliament, by all the world ’tis known
That British force by sea and land by Yankees is o’erthrown.
Use every endeavour, and strive to make a peace,
For Yankee ships are building fast, their navy to increase;
They will enforce their commerce, the laws by heaven are made
That Yankee ships in time of peace to any port may trade.