On General Robertson'S Proclamation[169]

Old Judas the traitor (nor need we much wonder) Falling down from the gallows, his paunch split asunder, Affording, 'tis likely, a horrible scent Rather worse than the sulphur of hell, where he went.

So now this bra' chieftain, who long has suspended And kept out of view what his master intended, Bursts out all at once, and an inside discloses, Disgusting the Tories, who stop up their noses.

The short of the matter is this, as I take it-- New-York of true Britons is plainly left naked, And their conduct amounts to an honest confession, That they cannot depend on the run-a-way Hessian.

In such a dilemma pray what should they do? Hearts loyal, to whom should they look but to You?-- You know pretty well how to handle the spade, To dig their canals and to make a parade;

The city is left to your valiant defence, And of course it will be but of little expence, Since there is an old fellow that looks somewhat sooty Who, gratis, will help you in doing your duty--

"In doing our duty!--'tis duty indeed "(Says a Tory) if this be the way that we speed; "We never loved fighting, the matter is clear-- "If we had, I am sure we had never come here.

"George we owned for our king, as his true loyal sons, "But why will he force us to manage his guns?-- "Who 'list in the army or cruise on the wave, "Let them do as they will--'tis their trade to be brave.

"Guns, mortars and bullets, we easily face, "But when they're in motion--it alters the case; "To skirmish with Huddies[A] is all our desire "For though we can murder, we cannot stand fire.

[A] Capt. Huddy, an American Captain, who, after capitulating in a block-house, was hanged by refugees, called new levies.--Freneau's note.

"To the standards of Britain we fled for protection, "And there we are gathered, a goodly collection; "And most of us think it is rather too hard "For refusing to arm to be put under guard;

"Who knows under guard what ills we may feel!-- "It is an expression that means a great deal-- "'Mongst the rebels they fine 'em who will not turn out, "But here we are left in a sorrowful doubt;--

"These Britons were always so sharp and so shifty-- "The rebels excuse you from serving when fifty, "But here we are counted such wonderful men "We are kept in the ranks, till we are four score and ten.

"Kicked, cuffed and ill treated from morning till night "We have room to conjecture that all is not right, "For Freedom we fled from our country's defence "And freedom we'll get--when death sends us hence.

"If matters go thus, it is easy to see "That as idiots we've been, so slaves we shall be; "And what will become of that peaceable train "Whose tenets enjoin them from war to abstain?

"Our city commandant must be an odd shaver, "Not a single exception to make in their favour!-- "Come let us turn round and rebelliously sing, "Huzza for the Congress!--the de'il take the king."

First published in the Freeman's Journal, June 10, 1782, prefaced by the following reprint of the proclamation taken from Rivington's Royal Gazette of the 26th of June:

"By His Excellency Lieutenant-General JAMES ROBERTSON, Governor of New York, &c., &c. The Commander-in-chief having shown the great confidence he reposes in the Citizens of New York by trusting his Majesty's interest there, to their Zeal, Loyalty, and Gallantry, I persuade myself that every citizen will with alacrity claim his title to a share of the Militia duty; that none may be deprived of this, and that those whose zeal would lead them to appear whenever called for, may not be called for too often, I think proper to declare:

"That all persons are to perform the Militia duty, excepting the Ministers of God's Word, his Majesty's Counsellors and principal servants whose avocations to religious and civil, necessarily prevents their attendance on Military duties.

"All persons who from age or infirmity are unable to act, may do duty by substitutes, providing those they offer are judged sufficient by the Colonel of the regiment, or commanding officer of the corps to which they belong.

"If any of the Gentlemen of the learned professions find themselves so usefully employed as to be induced to avoid the honour of appearing in person, they are supposed to be judges of the importance of their own time, and may act by proper substitutes.

"As no person deserves protection in a place of which he refuses to contribute to the defence; every person who refuses to appear when summoned to his Militia duty is to be confined in the Main-Guard by the Colonel or commanding Officer of the corps to which he belongs, where he is to be kept till further orders.

JAMES ROBERTSON. New York, June 22, 1782."

"Gun bullets in boxes."--Ed. 1786.

In place of this stanza, the edition of 1786 had the following:

"Provided the clergy but preach non-resistance "And passive obedience--they wave their assistance; "But we--tho' we're sick and have death in our faces, "Must purchase a proxy to serve in our places."