Tom Gage's Proclamation

TOM GAGE'S PROCLAMATION:

Or blustering denunciation (Replete with defamation) Threatening devastation, And speedy jugulation, Of the new English nation, Who shall his pious ways shun?

Whereas the rebels hereabout, Are stubborn still, and still hold out; Refusing yet to drink their tea, In spite of Parliament and me; And to maintain their bubble, Right, Prognosticate a real fight; Preparing flints, and guns, and ball, My army and the fleet to maul; Mounting their gilt to such a pitch, As to let fly at soldier's breech; Pretending they design'd a trick Tho' ordered not to hurt a chick; But peaceably, without alarm, The men of Concord to disarm; Or, if resisting, to annoy, And every magazine destroy: All which, tho' long obliged to bear Thro’ want of men, and not of fear; I'm able now by augmentation, To give a proper castigation; For since th' addition to the troops, Now reinforc'd as thick as hops; I can, like Jemmy at the Boyne, Look safely on-fight you, Burgoyne; And mow, like grass, the rebel Yankees, I fancy not these doodle dances: Yet ere I draw the vengeful sword, I have thought fit to send abroad, This present gracious proclamation, Of purpose mild the demonstration, That whoso'er keeps gun or pistol I'll spoil the motion of his systole: Or, whip his, or cut his weason As haps the measure of his treason: But every one that will lay down His hanger bright and musket brown, Shall not be bruised, nor beat, nor bang'd, Much less for past offences hang'd; But on surrendering his toledo, Go to and fro unhurt as we do :- But then I must, out of this plan, lock Both SAMUEL ADAMS and JOHN HANCOCK; For those vile traitors (like debentures) Must be tucked up at all adventures; As any proffer of a pardon, Would only tend those rogues to harden: But every other mother's son, The instant he destroys his gun, (For thus doth run the king's command) May, if he will, come kiss my hand. And to prevent such wicked game, as Pleading the plea of ignoramus; Be this my proclamation spread To every reader that can read :- And as nor law nor right was known Since my arrival in this town; To remedy this fatal flaw, I hereby publish martial law. Meanwhile, let all, and every one Who loves his life, forsake his gun; And all the council by mandamus, Who have been reckoned so infamous, Return unto their habitation, Without or let or molestation. Thus graciously the war I wage, As witnesseth my hand, - TOM GAGE.” By command of Mother Carey, Thomas Flucker, Secretary