Since you all will
have singing, and won't be said nay, I cannot refuse, when you so beg
and pray; So, I'll sing you a song, -- as a body may say, 'Tis of the
King's Regulars, who ne'er run away.
O the old
Soldiers of the King, and the King's own Regulars.
At Prestonpans we
met with some Rebels one day, We marshall'd our selves all in comely
array; Our hearts were all stout, and bid our legs stay, But our feet
were wrong-headed, and took us away.
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
At Falkirk we
resolv'd to be braver, And recover some credit by better behaviour: We
would not acknowledge feet had done us any favour, So feet swore they
would stand, but ------ legs ran however.
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
No troops perform
better than we at reviews, We march and we wheel, and whatever you
chuse, George would see how we fight, and we never refuse, There we all
fight with courage -- you may see't in the news.
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
To Mohongahela with
fifes and with drums, We march'd in fine order, with cannon and bombs,
That great expedition cost infinite sums; But a few irregulars cut us
all into crumbs.
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
It was not fair to
shoot at us from behind trees, If they had stood open, as they ought,
before our great guns, we should have beat 'em with ease, They may
fight with one another that way if they please, But it is not regular
to stand, and fight with such rascals as these.
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
At Fort George and
Oswego, to our great reputation, We shew'd our vast skill in
fortification; The French fir'd three guns; of the fourth they had no
occasion; For we gave up those forts -- not thro' fear, but -- mere
persuasion.
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
To Ticonderoga we
went in a passion, Swearing to be revenged on the whole French nation;
But we soon turn'd tail, without hesitation, Because they fought behind
trees, -- which is not the regular fashion.
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
Lord Loudun,
he was a regular General, they say; With a great regular army he went
his way, Against Louisburgh, to make it his prey, But return'd --
without seeing it, -- for he did not feel bold that day.
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
Grown proud at
reviews, great George had no rest, Each Grandsire, he had heard, a
rebellion supprest. He wish'd a rebellion, look'd round and saw none,
So resolv'd a rebellion to make -- of his own,
With the old
Soldiers, &c.;
The Yankees he
bravely pitch'd on, because he thought they wou'd'n't fight, And so he
sent us over to take away their right; But lest they should spoil our
review-clothes, he cry'd braver and louder; For God's sake, brother
Kings, don't sell the cowards -- any powder!
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
Our General with
his council of war did advise How at Lexington we might the Yankees
surprise; We march'd -- and remarch'd -- all surpris'd -- at being
beat; And so our wise General's plan of surprise -- was
complete.
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
For fifteen miles
they follow'd and pelted us, we scarce had time to pull a trigger. But
did you ever know a retreat perform'd with more vigour? For we did it
in two hours, which sav'd us from perdition; 'Twas not in going out,
but in returning, consisted our EXPEDITION.
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
Says our General,
"We were forc'd to take to our arms in our own defence," (For arms
read legs, and it will be both truth and sense) Lord Percy
(says he) I must say something of him in civility, And that is -- "I
can never enough praise him for his great -- agility."
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
Of their firing
from behind fences he makes a great pother, Every fence has two sides,
they made use of one, and we only forgot to use the other; That we
turn'd our backs and ran away so fast, don't let that disgrace us;
'Twas only to make good what Sandwich said, that the Yankees -- could
not face us.
O the old
Soldiers, &c.;
As they could not
get before us, how could they look us in the face? We took care they
shouldn't, by scampering away apace. That they had not much to brag of,
is a very plain case; For if they beat us in the fight, we beat them --
in the race.
O the old
Soldiers of the King, and the King's own Regulars.