Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

William McCarty, comp. The American National Song Book. 1842.

Lord North’s Recantation

WHEN North first began,

With his taxation plan,

The colonies all to supplant;

To Britain’s true cause,

And her liberty, laws,

O, how did he scorn to recant.

O, how did he boast

Of his power and his host,

Alternately swagger and cant;

Of Freedom so dear

Not a word would he hear,

Nor believe he’d be forced to recant.

That Freedom he swore,

They ne’er should have more,

Their money to give and to grant;

Whene’er they address’d,

What disdain he express’d,

Not thinking they’d make him recant.

He armies sent o’er

To America’s shore,

New government there to transplant;

But every campaign

Proved his force to be vain,

Yet still he refused to recant.

But with all their bombast,

They were so beat at last,

As to silence his impious rant;

Who for want of success,

Could at last do no less

Than draw in his horns and recant.

With his brother, Burgoyne,

He is forced now to join,

And a treaty of peace for to want;

Says he never will fight,

But will give up his right

To taxation, and freely recant.

With the great General Howe,

He’d be very glad now

He ne’er had engaged in the jaunt;

And every proud Scot,

In the devilish plot,

With his lordship are forced to recant.

Old England, alas!

They have brought to such pass,

Too late are proposals extant;

America’s lost:

Our glory at most

Is only that—tyrants recant.