City of Lincoln Waites

King, Liberty, Laws

A New SONG, to the Tune of "HEARTS OF OAK". Sung at the Rein-Deer Inn, City of LINCOLN. (Curtois 1/15)

This song - from the Curtois' Collection - seems to date from sometime between 1792 and 1809. The King in the song is George III. The term "Jacobins", used in the song, was unknown before 1789 and most Englishmen would not have linked Tom Paine with the French until after he published the "Rights of Man" (in which he clearly supported the French Revolution) in 1791/92. These facts, coupled with the knowledge that the latest dated document in the Curtois Collection is 1809, leads me to think this song was printed and sung sometime between 1792 and 1809.

Tom Paine was born in Thetford, Norfolk. When employed as an exciseman, Paine worked in Lincolnshire.

Midi file: Hearts of Oak

Ye Britons so brave, so bold, and so free,
Come lend your attention, and listen to me,
I'll show you most clearly the plots that are laid,
To steal all your comforts - your blessings invade;
But to join in the cause
Of King, Liberty, Laws,
Ye always are ready,
And steady, boys, steady,
To defend our Old England, huzza, boys, huzza!
The French most prefidious are now to their crown,
Old England they hate, and would fain pull her down,
Our glory they envy - our happiness too,
And would change our old gold for their tinsel so new;
But we'll shew in the cause
Of King, Liberty, Laws,
Ye always are steady,
And ready, boys, ready,
To defend our Old England, huzza, boys, huzza!
Afraid that the Lion of England should 'wake,
They try to steal what they dare not take,
They pay wicked men to seduce you with lies,
And to rob you securely, throw dust in your eyes;
But they'll find in the cause
Of King, Liberty, Laws,
Ye always are steady,
And ready, boys, ready,
To defend our Old England, huzza, boys, huzza!
No Religion or Laws the vile Jacobins own,
Their God they deny, and their King they dethrone;
To gain their own ends, the poor people they cheat,
Then leave them, alas, not a morsel to eat!
Then let us in the cause
Of King, Liberty, Laws,
Be ever most steady,
And ready, boys, ready,
To defend our Old England, huzza, boys, huzza!
Their trade is all gone - there is none now to buy,
The Rich are all banish'd - the Poor left to die!
No Corn in their markets - no Coin in their states;
No Ships in their ports - no Faith in their gates;
But they'll find in the cause
Of King, Liberty, Laws,
Ye always are steady,
And ready, boys, ready,
To defend our Old England, huzza, boys, huzza!
But look, ye bold Britons, around you and fee,
The contrast how great - ye are happy and free:
Here Peace spreads her olive, and Plenty her store,
And Justice alike guard the rich and the poor:
Then shew in the cause
Of King, Liberty, Laws,
Ye always are ready,
And steady, boys, steady,
To defend our Old England, huzza, boys, huzza!
Our commerce is great - manufat-rers well paid,
The world is our mart, fo extensive our trade;
All, all have employment - the idle alone
Have cause to complain - but the fault is their own.
Then firm in the cause
Of King, Liberty, Laws,
Ye always are ready,
And steady, boys, steady,
To defend our Old England, huzza, boys, huzza!
Our Nobles for Liberty freely will bleed,
Since they planted her first in the fam'd Runnymead;
Most sacred our Gentry her boughs will sustain,
From the blows of vile France or their engine Tom Paine.
Then firm in the cause
Of King, Liberty, Laws,
Ye always are ready,
And steady, boys, steady,
To defend our Old England, huzza, boys, huzza!
Our Soldiers are loyal, brave, honest and true,
And our Sailors unmatch'd should you search the world throo';
The Poor, when industrious, have plenty and ease,
And Charity shelters old age and disease.
Then firm in the cause
Of King, Liberty, Laws,
Ye always are ready,
And steady, boys, steady,
To defend our Old England, huzza, boys, huzza!
Great George is our Father, Protector, and Friend,
And firmly our Rights and his own will defend;
Then, uniting our hearts and our voices, we'll sing,
And pray for long life and long reign to our King:
And staunch in the cause
Of King, Liberty, Laws,
Be ever most steady,
And ready, boys, ready,
To defend our Old England, huzza, boys, huzza!

As almost 250 years have passed since this Song was printed as a Broadsheet, there are no copyright issues.

Note from Dr Alan Radford: "Leeds Waits were playing similar patriotic music at the time. Republican sentiments were not uncommmon following the American and French revolutions, and the authorities encouraged public displays of resistance to anything so progressive."

Note from Dr James Merryweather: "The York Waits were present at Sheriffs' dinners at the Black Swan (see York Music). In fact they had trouble getting to all the events that they were expected to attend! Also, there are plenty of records of waits playing for various trade guild events, including dinners, so there is a significant probability that the Lincoln Waits were at these council dinners. Since the name of Curtois occurs both in the waits and in the collection title, there is a chance there's something in any link you care to follow. The sentiments are very typical of the age: Anti-French! See, for instance, various versions of The Roaft Beef of Old England and Auld Lang Syne (see Dr Merryweather's Song-Booke)."

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