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The Silverton Mummers' Rhymes - 1873 |
The Plough Boys (from Tollerton, Nottinghamshire) 1950 |
1. |
ladies and gentleman i beg your kind permission |
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2. |
we are going to entertain you with a grand exhibition |
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3. |
of all fights and wars to you i will rehearse |
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4. |
i will repeat it to you all in verse |
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5. |
gentlemen now at the door do stand |
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6. |
they will walk in with drawn sword in hand |
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7. |
if you don t believe in what i ve got to say |
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8. |
let general hill walk in and boldly clear the way |
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9. |
well my brave countrymen with joy |
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10. |
are you the men whose noble heart and tender care |
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11. |
has made these rocks and friends so dear |
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12. |
what say my friend i see thou hast not done |
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13. |
my whole instructions in our native lon |
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14. |
all hail general hill and with delight i see thou be |
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15. |
the saviour of old england s country |
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16. |
dost thou belong to all britain s united phrase |
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17. |
i think we ve got a cheerful voice then let us raise |
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18. |
britannia britannia rules the waves |
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19. |
britons never shall be slaves |
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20. |
all hail that glorious news that fires my heart |
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21. |
to hear of bonny s downfall and the honour of peace |
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22. |
although on these foundations do i build my fame |
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23. |
to injulate that great and roman name |
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24. |
i am the spanish general |
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25. |
just come from the rock of gibraltar |
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26. |
and now to make the crown of spain |
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27. |
the british old jovial the sons of the main |
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28. |
i ll first let you know who you are to engage |
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29. |
it s general hill inspires your rage |
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30. |
who puts not his trust in the shows of the pope |
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31. |
but in the god of battles do i put my hope |
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32. |
ah hill it is vain for thee to oppost |
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33. |
such a handful of men to my numerous host |
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34. |
although in thy small garrisons i pity thy distress |
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35. |
it s not in my power to give thee thy redress |
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36. |
although in my small garrisons do i put my trust |
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37. |
i m not to be smoted by thy numerous host |
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38. |
although thy gunboats and batteries make a loud noise |
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39. |
at least they don t down daunt our brave british boys |
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40. |
who to our queen and country and lovers prove true |
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41. |
for thy mighty forces to subdue |
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42. |
we want not for skill nor courage nor conduct at all |
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43. |
but i d rather press on thee with hot and cold ball |
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44. |
ah hill shouldn t thou have courage to enter |
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45. |
or yet suffer one transport to venture |
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46. |
there was such a reinforcement in dover we have |
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47. |
i d rather be taken than smitten to a watery grave |
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48. |
no number at all do i meditate |
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49. |
canst thou remember in spain what was thy fate |
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50. |
there was an engagement there where i made thee comply |
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51. |
and a fleet of men before me to fly |
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52. |
so now press on and draw forth thy sword and see who obtains the victory |
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53. |
here comes i brave admiral howe my exploits to make known |
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54. |
who fought the french all on the sea and made them bow to england s crown |
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55. |
who fought the french all on the sea my honour to advance |
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56. |
the fleet we met we did defeat and retired to proud france |
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57. |
here comes i poor old father christmas welcome or welcome not |
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58. |
i hope poor old father christmas will never be forgot |
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59. |
christmas comes but once a year |
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60. |
and when he comes he brings good cheer |
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61. |
and when he s gone he s never the near |
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62. |
my head is big my back is bent |
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63. |
my knees be weak and my days is almost spent |
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64. |
eighteen hundred and seventy three |
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65. |
it s a very great age for me |
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66. |
and if i d been sucking all these years |
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67. |
what a monster i should be |
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68. |
now i come but a short time to stay |
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69. |
and if you don t believe what i ve forgot to say |
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70. |
let my wife dolly come in and boldly clear the way |
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71. |
here comes i little dame dolly |
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72. |
drinking gin is all my folly |
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73. |
i m not like the little maidens in may |
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74. |
i don t think much of drinking tay |
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75. |
and my son john he s down below |
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76. |
if you don t believe what i ve got to say |
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77. |
let my son room come in and boldly clear his way |
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78. |
brave gallants all give room |
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79. |
we all come here this night to show you sport and pastime |
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80. |
sport and pastime is all our mirth |
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81. |
we are called upon to act saint george s birth |
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82. |
let bells ring loud and music play |
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83. |
i pray let the king of egypt come in and boldly clear his way |
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84. |
here comes i the king of egypt see how grand he doth appear |
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85. |
saint george saint george he is my son my only son and heir
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thy n only son thy n onle heir
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86. |
saint george come on and boldly act thy part |
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87. |
and let the jovial company see thou hast a noble heart |
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88. |
here comes i saint george that valiant knight |
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89. |
i ll spill my blood for old england s right |
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90. |
old england s right will i maintain |
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91. |
i ll fight for old england once and again |
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92. |
but now i m come to understand |
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93. |
that some proud turk has placed his foot on english land |
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94. |
fight him will i if i m sure to be slain |
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95. |
as long as i ve one drop of blood to circulate in any vein |
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96. |
here come i the turkish knight |
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97. |
just come from the turkish land to fight |
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98. |
fight thee saint george thou man of courage bold |
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99. |
and if thy blood is hot soon will i fetch it cold |
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100. |
to whom to whom and you that saucy challenge give |
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101. |
to thee to thee thou english dog no longer shalt thou live |
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102. |
draw out thy sword and fight |
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103. |
pull out thy purse and pay |
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104. |
for satisfaction will i have before i go away |
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105. |
no satisfaction shalt thou have no satisfaction shalt thou crave |
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106. |
for in ten minutes time i ll make thee a turkish slave |
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107. |
so now prepare draw forth thy sword and see who gets the victory |
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108. |
arise thou turkish dog and to thy homans go and tell |
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109. |
what champions bold do in fair england dwell |
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110. |
here comes i prince valentine that man of high renown |
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111. |
soon shall that lofty courage of thine saint george come tumbling down |
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112. |
ah prince valentine art thou come with sword in hand |
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113. |
against saint george that no man can withstand |
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114. |
yes yes saint george with thee i mean to fight |
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115. |
and with one blow i ll let thee know |
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116. |
i m not the turkish knight |
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117. |
although the turk deny th atoning blood we won t to them surrender |
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118. |
but yet i ll fight with thee saint george thou noble heart defender |
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119. |
ah prince valentine saint george is in this very room |
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120. |
thou rt come in this unlucky hour to seek thy fatal doom |
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121. |
here lies the body of prince valentine |
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122. |
the darling of our crew |
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123. |
no more he ll hear the trumpet sound |
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124. |
for death has brought him to |
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125. |
is there a doctor to be found
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if there is one to be found anywhere
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126. |
that will try to heal this worthy champion of his deep and deadly wound |
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127. |
yes yes saint george there is a doctor that will try |
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128. |
to heal this worthy champion of his deep and deadly wound |
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129. |
what made thee doctor
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how became you to be a doctor
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130. |
my travels
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by my travels
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131. |
pray give me some of them |
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132. |
yes yes saint george from the front door to the cupboard cupboard to the fireplace fireplace and to bed
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also to my old grandmother s cupboard
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133. |
very short travels indeed doctor |
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134. |
pray give me some of your longer ones |
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135. |
yes yes saint george i ve travelled through england ireland scotland flanders france and spain |
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136. |
and by good luck and fortune i returned to old england again |
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137. |
what is thy fee |
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138. |
five pounds and a hot roll to thee |
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139. |
very good well but here tis a cold and frosty morning |
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140. |
pray heal this man |
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141. |
ladies and gentlemen i ve a little bottle of medicine |
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142. |
that goes by the name of virtue and fame |
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143. |
that will make the worthy champion rise and fight again |
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144. |
here comes i the valiant soldier bold slasher is my name |
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145. |
with sword and buckler by my side in hopes to win the game |
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146. |
my head is not of iron my body is not of steel |
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147. |
my breeches isn t thickest skin but i ll fight thee saint george for all thy skill |
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148. |
from whence art thou |
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149. |
from england ireland scotland flanders france or spain |
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150. |
i m a champion don t be surprised |
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151. |
i ve come here on purpose to make thee my prize |
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152. |
i ll prove thous t come to thy fatal death |
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153. |
prepare draw forth thy sword |
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154. |
for thou surely shalt lose thy breath |
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155. |
here comes i the giant great |
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156. |
just waiting for another meat |
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157. |
if i could catch thee in my claws |
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158. |
with my sharp teeth and jaws |
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159. |
marrow from thy bones i d squeeze |
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160. |
and suck thy blood all by degrees |
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161. |
slay thee too saint george will all my might and main |
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162. |
and twenty thousand more before i return again |
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163. |
hold hold saint george i pray thee stand by |
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164. |
i ll conquer him or else i ll die |
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165. |
long with that hero i will engage |
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166. |
although i am but a little page |
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167. |
fight on my little page and conquer |
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168. |
and don t thou be perplext |
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169. |
for if thou discourage in this field |
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170. |
fight him will i next |
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171. |
though little man great words they was he spake to me |
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172. |
and there he lies all on the floor as you can plainly see |
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173. |
ah cruel monster see what havoc thou hast made |
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174. |
see the lovely stripling all on the floor is laid |
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175. |
thy life for this thy body i will slay |
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176. |
come on my lads and carry this little page away |
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177. |
carry away the dead father |
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178. |
let s see whe er he s dead or no first georgy |
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179. |
i thinks he s dead enough georgy |
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180. |
carry him away then father |
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181. |
thee s killed him thee can carry him away |
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182. |
if you can t carry him call for help |
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183. |
dree or vower o you great loggerheaded vellers |
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184. |
come in and carry him away |
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185. |
here comes i little dame dorothy |
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186. |
flap port and good morrow t ye |
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187. |
my head is big my body is small |
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188. |
i m the prettiest little jade among you all |
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189. |
knock knock saint george i pray stand by |
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190. |
and let little dame dorothy pass by |
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191. |
oh you wicked old jade |
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192. |
i ll commit your body to a watery grave |
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193. |
oh see oh see what hast thou done
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o murphy murphy what hast thou done
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194. |
thou st killed our aged mother |
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195. |
is there a doctor to be found
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if there is one to be found anywhere
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196. |
that will try and heal this lady of her deep and deadly wound |
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197. |
yes yes saint george there is a doctor to be found |
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198. |
that will try and heal this lady of her deep and deadly wound |
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199. |
pray cure this old lady |
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200. |
ladies and gentlemen i have a little bottle of pills in my pocket
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1. oh i have a box of pills here
2. oh i have another box here
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201. |
that will cure all strange diseases hereafter and to come |
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202. |
that will cause this here old lady to rise away and run |
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203. |
ladies and gentlemen shall have my advice gratis |
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204. |
here comes i bold bonaparte |
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205. |
with my broadsword i ll make the king of spain to smart |
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206. |
here comes i the king of spain |
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207. |
to fight that swaggering bonarparte for my country once again |
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208. |
here comes i little man jack |
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209. |
the master of giants |
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210. |
if i could but conquer thee saint george |
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211. |
i d bid the world defiance |
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212. |
suppose thou art little man jack the master of all giants |
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213. |
i ll take thee up upon my back and carry thee out with violence |
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214. |
tippoo is my name and india is my right |
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215. |
what force or power can withstand |
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216. |
the forces of this british land |
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217. |
i have eighty thousand fleet that will fight at my command |
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218. |
and eighteen of them now will before me stand |
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219. |
soon will i let cornwallis know |
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220. |
that india s hills with english blood shall flow |
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221. |
why tippoo why dost thou so vainly boast |
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222. |
or make mention of thy mighty host |
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223. |
what s all thy force when english blood is heated |
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224. |
and by the english thou always wast defeated |
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225. |
me defeated don t talk so fast |
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226. |
not a dog like thee shall my honour blast |
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227. |
as long as i have strength to lift this point of steel |
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228. |
i d rather die a hero than live a coward still |
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229. |
thou say st thou dst rather die |
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230. |
than to our english terms comply |
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231. |
i m the man to strike thee with a blow |
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232. |
that shall chill thy blood and make thy tears to flow |
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233. |
here comes i brave admiral nelson |
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234. |
see how grandly he doth show |
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235. |
i have but one arm and a good one too |
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236. |
with my mighty arm i make both men and fleets to fall |
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237. |
we meet these french dogs all on the coast of spain |
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238. |
and we intend to give a broadside before we return again |
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239. |
old england expects every man to do his duty and stand to his gun |
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240. |
and we ll soon make those french dogs run |
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241. |
is there a doctor to be found
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if there is one to be found anywhere
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242. |
that will try to cure this champion of his deep and deadly wound |
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243. |
yes yes saint george etc |
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244. |
ah nelson british hero how art thou fallen |
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245. |
thine is a deep and deadly wound |
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246. |
to thee the truth i ll tell |
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247. |
help help shall i cry help again |
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248. |
to carry poor nelson from the place where he was slain |
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249. |
see the tears on his either cheek |
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250. |
britons our nelson s dead |
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251. |
but he is not in the arms of the dead but the living god |
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252. |
here comes i bold collingwood |
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253. |
who fought the french and boldly stood |
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254. |
and now the life of that bold briton s gone |
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255. |
i ll put the crown of victory on |
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256. |
ladies and gentlemen our sports are all ended |
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257. |
prepare for the box which is highly commended |
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258. |
the box would speak if it had but a tongue |
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259. |
so now prepare and give them a song |
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260. |
every man is expected his duty to do |
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261. |
was the last signal made by the british fleet crew |
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262. |
be your watchword like nelson s ye sons of the main |
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263. |
then ye ll fight and ye ll conquer again and again |
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264. |
huzza huzza the army and navy huzza |
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265. |
we ll ne er find such men as the navy huzza |
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266. |
success to old england the land of the free |
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267. |
success to our sovereign the queen of the sea |
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268. |
success to all sailors the lords of the main |
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269. |
success to our army and navy again |
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270. |
huzza huzza huzza |
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