Classic Poem

Know then, my brethren, heaven is clear,
And all the clouds are gone;
The righteous now shall flourish, and
Good days are coming on:
Come then, my brethren, and be glad,
And eke rejoice with me;
Lawn sleeves and rochets shall go down,
And hey! then up go we!

We'll break the windows which the Whore
Of Babylon hath painted,
And when the popish saints are down,
Then Barrow shall be sainted.
There's neither cross or crucifix
Shall stand for men to see;
Rome's trash and trumperies shall go down,
And hey! then up go we!

If once that Antichristian crew
Be crush'd and overthrown,
We'll teach the nobles how to crouch,
And keep the gentry down.
Good manners have an ill report,
And turn to pride, we see;
We'll therefore cry good manners down,
And hey! then up go we!

The name of lord shall be abhorr'd,
For every man's a brother;
No reason why, in church or state,
One man should rule another.
But when the change of government
Shall set our fingers free,
We'll make the wanton sisters stoop,
And hey! then up go we!

What though the King and Parliament
Do not accord together,
We have more cause to be content,
This is our sun-shine weather;
For if that reason should take place,
And they should once agree,
Who would be in a Roundhead's case,
For hey! then up go we!

What should we do then in this case,
Let's put it to a venture,
If that we hold out seven years space,
We'll sue out our indenture.
A time may come to make us rue,
And time may set us free,
Except the gallows claim his due,
For hey! then up go we!