A New Presbiterian Ballad to the Old Tune of
The clean contrary way.
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I.
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ALass poor Whiggs, our Senats gone,
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Our Glorys now a setting:
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The Popish Plots laid at our door,
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A Bastard of our getting:
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Our bloody Cheats, and Shifts and Tricks,
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And all our Devillish Play
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Will be disclosd and we provd Saints
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The clean contrary way.
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II.
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[D]iscoverers will Discovered be,
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As paultry Purjurd stuff,
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[A]nd we the Hellish Plotters, that
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Prepard such Hell-hound-Proof:
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We had the face to guild their Vice,
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And them like Saints display,
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[A]nd wheedled them to swear the Truth
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The clean contrary way.
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III.
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We made their piteous Nonsence good,
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And Contradictions true,
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[A]nd relisht their unlikely Tales,
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So blundring like blind Hugh.
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What card we, if they damnd themselves?
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So we obtaind the day,
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[A]nd meritorious make our work
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The clean contrary way.
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IV.
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When men did scruple to believe
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Things, so absurd to Reason,
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We scorned Reasons Ballance, and
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We still cryd, Treason, Treason:
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When the Informers halted had
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Our hubbubs bore the sway,
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[A]ffrighting folks into their Wits,
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The clean contrary way.
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V.
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[Su]ch Toolls we rakd for Evidence,
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Like those, that search in Ditches,
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[A]nd darksome holes for poysonous Toads,
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And hungry sucking Leeches:
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We gulld Fitz-harris for more guile,
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The guiltless to betray:
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[F]or which hel reap a sweet reward
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The clean contrary way.
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VI.
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We made the Papists Traitors all,
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That none the Snare might scape,
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[A]nd all the Royal Protestants
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We would bring in the Trap:
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[T]hey must be Romanizers too,
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What er they do or say
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[A]nd zealous wishers to the Pope
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The clean contrary way.
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VII.
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The Realms Religion, thats by Law
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In its Establishment,
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We made as if afraid to lose,
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Though from it we dissent;
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The Church of England in the dust
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That Level we would lay
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To shew our selves true Protestants
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The clean contrary way.
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VIII.
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The long-black-rebel-Parliament
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We stood to vindicate,
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We blossomd new in th good Old Cause
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Of Commonwealth and State;
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Yet Monmouths Duke cryd up the while
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And usd him like a Toy
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A future Monarch hes designd,
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The clean contrary way.
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IX.
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Twas such, as we, for Charles the first,
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With many a Protestation
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His Glory did so much pretend,
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His Weal and Preservation;
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But drew the Sword against his Friends,
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And forcd them all away,
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And him forlorn they did preserve,
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The clean contrary way.
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X.
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Twas such, as we, the second Charles
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Did scornfully disown,
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Calld him the common Enemy
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Debard him from his Throne:
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Who now, but we, cry out of Plots,
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And for his safety pray,
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And stand up stout in his defence
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The clean contrary way.
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XI.
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Twas such, as we, in Scotland late
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Twice actually Rebeld,
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And (Maugre all the Mercy here)
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Our English venom sweld:
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We to Oblivions Act so kind
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Unkind Oblivion pay
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Like cherisht Vipers yielding thanks
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The clean contrary way.
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XII.
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Yet we assumd the confidence
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Tho conscious of whats past,
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To busy our Petitions bold,
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So frequent and so fast:
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Instead of Blest, we Blasted are,
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Alack and well aday!
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And we henceforth shall trusted be
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The clean contrary way.
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