English and Scottish Ballads Volume VII Part 31

Protestant boys, both valliant and stout, Fear not the strength and frown of Rome, Thousands of them are put to the rout, Brave Londonderry tells 'um their doom.

For their cannons roar like thunder, 5 Being resolved the town to maintain For William and Mary, still brave Londonderry Will give the proud French and Tories their bane.

Time after time, with powder and b.a.l.l.s, Protestant souls they did 'um salute, 10 That before Londonderry's stout walls Many are slain and taken to boot.

Nay, their n.o.ble Duke of Berwick,[L13]

Many reports, is happily tane, Where still they confine him, and will not resign him, Till they have given the Tories their bane. 16

Into the town their bombs they did throw, Being resolved to fire the same, Hoping thereby to lay it all low, Could they but raise it into a flame. 20 But the polit.i.tious Walker,[L21]

By an intreague did quail them again, And blasted the glory of French, Teague, and Tory; By policy, boys, he gave them their bane.

Thundering stones they laid on the wall, 25 Ready against the enemy came, With which they vow'd the Tories to mawl, Whene'er they dare approach but the same.

And another sweet invention, The which in brief I reckon to name; 30 A sharp, b.l.o.o.d.y slaughter did soon follow after, Among the proud French, and gave them their bane.

Stubble and straw in parcels they laid, The which they straightways kindled with speed; By this intreague the French was betrayed, 35 Thinking the town was fired indeed.

Then they placed their scaling ladders, And o'er the walls did scour amain; Yet strait, to their wonder, they were cut in sunder, Thus Frenchmen and Tories met with their bane. 40

Suddenly then they opened their gate, Sallying forth with vigor and might; And, as the truth I here may relate, Protestant boys did valliantly fight, Taking many chief commanders, 45 While the sharp fray they thus did maintain, With vigorous courses, they routed their forces, And many poor Teagues did meet with their bane.

While with their blood the cause they have sealed, Heaven upon their actions did frown; 50 Protestants took the spoil of the field, Cannons full five they brought to the town.

With a l.u.s.ty, large, great mortar, Thus they returned with honor and gain, While Papists did scour from Protestant power, 55 As fearing they all should suffer their bane.

In a short time we hope to arrive With a vast army to Ireland, And the affairs so well we'll contrive That they shall ne'er have power to stand 60 Gainst King William and Queen Mary, Who on the throne does flourish and reign; We'll down with the faction that make the distraction, And give the proud French and Tories their bane.

13. In a sally which was made by the garrison towards the end of April, the Duke of Berwick is said to have received a slight wound in the back.

21. The Rev. George Walker, rector of the parish of Donaghmore, the hero of the defence. His statue now stands on a lofty pillar, rising from a bastion which for a long time sustained the heaviest fire of the besiegers.

PR[OE]LIUM GILLICRANKIANUM. See p. 152.

From Johnson's _Museum_, p. 105.

Grahamius notabilis coegerat montanos, Qui clypeis et gladiis fugarunt Anglicanos; Fugerant Vallicolae, atque Puritani, Cacavere Batavi et Cameroniani.

Grahamius mirabilis, fortissimus Alcides, Cujus regi fuerat intemerata fides, Agiles monticolas marte inspiravit, Et duplicatum numerum hostium profligavit.

n.o.bilis apparuit Fermilodunensis, Cujus in rebelles stringebatur ensis; n.o.bilis et sanguine, n.o.bilior virtute, Regi devotissimus intus et in cute.

Pitcurius heroicus, Hector Scotica.n.u.s, Cui mens fidelis fuerat et invicta ma.n.u.s, Capita rebellium, is excerebravit, Hostes unitissimos ille dimicavit.

Glengarius magnanimus atque bellicosus, Functus ut Eneas, pro rege animosus, Fortis atque strenuus, hostes expugnavit, Sanguine rebellium campos coloravit.

Surrexerat fideliter Donaldus Insula.n.u.s, Pugnaverat viriliter, c.u.m copiis Skyanis, Pater atque filii non dissimularunt, Sed pro rege proprio unanimes pugnarunt.

Macleanius, circ.u.mdatus tribo martiali, Semper, devinctissimus familiae regali, Fort.i.ter pugnaverat, more atavorum, Deinde dissipaverat turmas Batavorum.

Strenuus Lochielius, multo Camerone, Hostes ense peremit, et abrio pugione; Istos et intrepidos Orco dedicavit, Impedimenta hostium Blaro reportavit.

Macneillius de Bara, Glencous Kepocha.n.u.s, Ballechinus, c.u.m fratre, Stuartus Apia.n.u.s, Pro Jacobo Septimo fort.i.ter gessere, Pugiles fortissimi, feliciter vicere.

Canonicus clarissimus Gallovidia.n.u.s, Acer et indomitus, consilioque sa.n.u.s, Ibi dux adfuerat, spectabilis persona, Nam pro tuenda patria, hunc peperit Bellona.

Ducalidoni dominum spreverat gradivus, n.o.bilis et juvenis, fortis et activus: Nam c.u.m nativum principem exulem audiret, Redit ex Hungaria ut regi inserviret.

Illic et adfuerat tutor Ra.n.a.ldorum, Qui strenue pugnaverat c.u.m copiis virorum; Et ipse Capetaneus, aetate puerili, Intentus est ad pr[oe]lium, spiritu virili.

Glenmoristonus junior, optimus bellator Subito jam factus, hactenus venator, Perduelles Whiggeos ut pecora prostravit, Ense et fulmineo Mackaium fugavit.

Regibus et legibus, Scotici constantes, Vos clypeis et gladiis pro principe pugnantes, Vestra est victoria, vestra est et gloria, In cantis et historia perpes est memoria!

THE BOYNE WATER.

This momentous battle was fought on the 1st of July, 1690. James had a strong position and thirty thousand men, two thirds of whom were a worthless rabble. William had thirty-six thousand splendid soldiers.

The loss on neither side was great. Of James's troops there fell fifteen hundred, the flower of his army; of the conqueror's not more than five, but with them the great Duke of Schomberg. The present version of this ballad is from Croker's _Historical Songs of Ireland_, p. 60, given from a MS. copy in the editor's possession.

July the first, in Oldbridge town,[L1]

There was a grievous battle, Where many a man lay on the ground, By the cannons that did rattle, King James he pitched his tents between 5 The lines for to retire; But King William threw his bomb-b.a.l.l.s in, And set them all on fire.

Thereat enraged, they vow'd revenge, Upon King William's forces; 10 And often did cry vehemently, That they would stop their courses.

A bullet from the Irish came, Which grazed King William's arm; They thought his majesty was slain, 15 Yet it did him little harm.

Duke Schomberg then, in friendly care, His king would often caution To shun the spot where bullets hot Retain'd their rapid motion. 20 But William said--"He don't deserve The name of Faith's defender, That would not venture life and limb To make a foe surrender."

When we the Boyne began to cross, 25 The enemy they descended; But few of our brave men were lost, So stoutly we defended.

The horse was the first that marched o'er, The foot soon followed a'ter, 30 But brave Duke Schomberg was no more, By venturing over the water.

When valiant Schomberg he was slain, King William thus accosted His warlike men, for to march on, 35 And he would be the foremost.

"Brave boys," he said, "be not dismayed For the losing of one commander; For G.o.d will be our king this day, And I'll be general under." 40

Then stoutly we the Boyne did cross, To give our enemies battle; Our cannon, to our foes great cost, Like thundering claps did rattle, In majestic mien our prince rode o'er, 45 His men soon followed a'ter; With blows and shouts put our foes to the route, The day we crossed the water.

The Protestants of Drogheda Have reasons to be thankful, 50 That they were not to bondage brought, They being but a handful.

First to the Tholsel they were brought, And tied at Milmount a'ter,[L54]

But brave King William set them free, 55 By venturing over the water.

The cunning French, near to Duleek[L57]

Had taken up their quarters, And fenced themselves on every side, Still waiting for new orders. 60 But in the dead time of the night, They set the field on fire; And long before the morning light, To Dublin they did retire.

Then said King William to his men, 65 After the French departed, "I'm glad," said he, "that none of ye Seemed to be faint-hearted.

So sheath your swords, and rest awhile, In time we'll follow a'ter:" 70 These words he uttered with a smile, The day he crossed the water.

Come, let us all, with heart and voice, Applaud our lives' defender, Who at the Boyne his valour shewed, 75 And made his foes surrender, To G.o.d above the praise we'll give, Both now and ever a'ter, And bless the glorious memory 79 Of King William that crossed the Boyne water.

1. The Dutch guards first entered the river Boyne at a ford opposite to the little village of Oldbridge.--CROKER.

54. "After the battle of the Boyne, the Popish garrison of Drogheda took the Protestants out of prison, into which they had thrown them, and carried them to the Mount; where they expected the cannon would play, if King William's forces besieged the town. _They tied them together_, and set them to receive the shot; but their hearts failed them who were to defend the place, and so it pleased G.o.d to preserve the poor Protestants."--_Memoirs of Ireland, &c._, cited by Croker.

57. "When, in the course of the day, the battle approached James's position on the hill of Donore, the warlike prince retired to a more secure distance at Duleek, where he soon put himself at the head of his French allies, and led the retreat; the King and the French coming off without a scar."--O'Driscol, cited by Croker.