Forecastle song
Ye Parliament of England,
ye Lord and Commons too,
Consider well what you're about,
what you're about to do.
For you're to war with Yankees,
and 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 shan't trade,
You next impressed our seamen,
And used them as your slaves;
You then insulted Rodgers,
While ploughing o'er the main,
And had we not declared war,
You'd have done it o'er again.
You tho’t 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 boxed your Boxer out;
She 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 & sore defeat,
The like ne'er known before
Your British squadron beat complete
Some took, some run ashore.
There's Rodgers, in the President,
Will burn, sink, and destroy;
The Congress, on the Brazil coast,
Your commerce will annoy;
The Essez, in the South Seas,
Will put out all your lights,
The flag she waves at her mast-head-
"Free Trade and Sailors' Rights."
