"O ye, whom glory doth unite,

Who Freedom's cause espouse; Whether the wing that's doom'd to fight, Or that to drive the cows,

"Ere yet you tempt your further way,

Or into action come,
Hear, soldiers, what I have to say,
And take a pint of rum.
"Intemp'rate valor then will string
Each nervous arm the better;
So all the land shall I O sing,
And read the Gen'ral's letter.

"Know that some paltry refugees,

Whom I've a mind to fright,
Are playing h-l amongst the trees
That grow on yonder height.

"Their fort and blockhouses we'll level,

And deal a horrid slaughter; We'll drive the scoundrels to the devil, And ravish wife and daughter.

"I, under cover of th' attack,

Whilst you are all at blows, From English neighb'rhood and Nyack, Will drive away the cows;

"For well you know the latter is

The serious operation,

And fighting with the refugees
Is only demonstration."

His daring words, from all the crowd,
Such great applause did gain,
That every man declar'd aloud

For serious work with Wayne.

Then from the cask of rum once more,
They took a heady gill;
When one and all, they loudly swore,
They'd fight upon the hill.

But here the Muse hath not a strain
Befitting such great deeds;
Huzza! they cried, huzza! for Wayne,
And shouting, - did their needs.

CANTO II

Near his meridian pomp, the sun
Had journey'd from th' horizon;
When fierce the dusky tribe mov'd on,
Of heroes drunk as pison.

The sounds confus'd of boasting oaths,
Reechoed through the wood;
Some vow'd to sleep in dead men's clothes,
And some to swim in blood.

At Irving's nod 't was fine to see
The left prepare to fight;

The while, the drovers, Wayne and Lee,
Drew off upon the right.

Which Irving 't was, fame don't relate,
Nor can the Muse assist her;
Whether 't was he that cocks a hat,
Or he that gives a clyster.

For greatly one was signaliz'd,
That fought on Chestnut Hill;
And Canada immortaliz'd
The vender of the pill.

Yet their attendance upon Proctor, They both might have to boast of; For there was business for the doctor, And hats to be disposed of.

Let none uncandidly infer,

That Stirling wanted spunk;

The self-made peer had sure been there, But that the peer was drunk.

But turn we to the Hudson's banks,
Where stood the modest train,
With purpose firm, tho' slender ranks,
Nor car'd a pin for Wayne.

For them the unrelenting hand

Of rebel fury drove,

And tore from ev'ry genial band
Of friendship and of love.

And some within the dungeon's gloom,
By mock tribunals laid,
Had waited long a cruel doom
Impending o'er each head.

Here one bewails a brother's fate,
There one a sire demands,
Cut off, alas! before their date,
By ignominious hands.

And silver'd grandsires here appear'd
In deep distress serene,

Of reverent manners that declar'd
The better days they'd seen.