I will not sing in Parker’s praise, disgraceful is the story, Nor yet to seamen tune my lays, eclipsed is now their glory; Fell Faction’s head they proudly rear ’gainst country and ’gainst king, sir, And on their land they now do try destruction for to bring, sir. _Then Britons all, with one accord, fight for your Constitution, And let surrounding foes behold we want no revolution._ Parker the means has brought about our seamen to corrupt, sir, And like a daring traitor bold, our trade doth interrupt, sir; The ships at Sheerness rear the flag, the emblem of defiance, With sorrow strikes us to reflect, on them we’ve no reliance. _Then Britons all, etc._ An admiral he calls himself, takes a commander’s station, On board the _Sandwich_ doth insult, and braves the English nation; Gives law, dispenses life and death or punishment disgraceful, And by his arbitrary deeds hath made himself most hateful. _Then Britons all, etc._ A terror to each merchant ship, detains and doth them plunder, And if they offer to sail by, his guns at them do thunder; Whate’er he likes he from them takes, and should they dare refuse, sir, The captain’s ordered to be flogged, thus doth he them ill use, sir. _Then Britons all, etc._ Five hundred pounds is the reward, the traitor to bring in, sir, Who thus the bloody flag hath reared ’gainst country and ’gainst king, sir; Let’s hope the villain quickly will to punishment be brought, sir, Who like a daring traitor bold his country’s ruin sought, sir. _Then Britons all, with one accord, fight for your Constitution, And let surrounding foes behold we want no revolution._ _THE DEATH OF PARKER._ Ye gods above, protect a widow! and with pity look on me. Help, O help me out of trouble, out of sad calamity! It was by the death of Parker fortune prov’d to me unkind; And though hung for mutiny, worse than he were left behind. Parker was my lawful husband, my bosom friend, whom I loved dear; Yet at the time he was to suffer, alas! I could not him get near! Again I ask’d, again I tried them--three times o’er and o’er, in vain; They still that one request denied me, and ordered me on shore again. The yellow flag I thought was flying, a signal for my love to die; The gun they fired, as was required, to hang him on the yard-arm high. The boatswain did his best endeavour, and I on shore was sent straightway, Where I stood watching, like a mermaid, to take my husband’s corpse away.