The Cavalier Songs and Ballads of England/The Dominion of the Sword
For other versions of this work, see Law lies a Bleeding.
The Dominion of the Sword.
A song made in the Rebellion.
From the Loyal Garland, 1686.
To the tune of “Love lies a bleeding.”
To the tune of “Love lies a bleeding.”
Lay by your pleading,
Law lies a bleeding,
Burn all your studies down, and
Throw away your reading,
Law lies a bleeding,
Burn all your studies down, and
Throw away your reading,
Small pow’r the word has,
And can afford us,
Not half so much priviledge as
The sword does.
And can afford us,
Not half so much priviledge as
The sword does.
It fosters your masters,
It plaisters disasters,
It makes the servants quickly greater
Than their masters.
It plaisters disasters,
It makes the servants quickly greater
Than their masters.
It venters, it enters,
It seeks and it centers,
It makes a ’prentice free in spite
Of his indentures.
It seeks and it centers,
It makes a ’prentice free in spite
Of his indentures.
It talks of small things,
But it sets up all things;
This masters money, though money
Masters all things.
But it sets up all things;
This masters money, though money
Masters all things.
It is not season,
To talk of reason,
Nor call it loyalty, when the sword
Will have it treason.
To talk of reason,
Nor call it loyalty, when the sword
Will have it treason.
It conquers the crown too,
The grave and the gown too,
First it sets up a Presbyter, and
Then it pulls him down too.
The grave and the gown too,
First it sets up a Presbyter, and
Then it pulls him down too.
This subtle disaster
Turns bonnet to beaver;
Down goes a Bishop, sirs, and up
Starts a weaver.
Turns bonnet to beaver;
Down goes a Bishop, sirs, and up
Starts a weaver.
This makes a layman,
To preach and to pray, man;
And this can make a lord of him that
Was but a drayman.
To preach and to pray, man;
And this can make a lord of him that
Was but a drayman.
Far from the gulpit,
Of Saxby’s pulpit,
This brought an Hebrew ironmonger
To the pulpit.
Of Saxby’s pulpit,
This brought an Hebrew ironmonger
To the pulpit.
Such pitiful things be
More happier then Kings be;
They get the upper hand of Thimblebee
And Slingsbee.
More happier then Kings be;
They get the upper hand of Thimblebee
And Slingsbee.
No gospel can guide it,
No law can decide it,
In Church or State, till the sword
Has sanctified it.
No law can decide it,
In Church or State, till the sword
Has sanctified it.
Down goes your law-tricks,
Far from the Matricks,
Sprung holy Hewson’s power,
And pull’d down St Patrick’s.
Far from the Matricks,
Sprung holy Hewson’s power,
And pull’d down St Patrick’s.
This Sword it prevails, too,
So highly in Wales, too,
Shenkin ap Powel swears
“Cots-plutterer nails, too.”
So highly in Wales, too,
Shenkin ap Powel swears
“Cots-plutterer nails, too.”
In Scotland this faster
Did make such disaster,
That they sent their money back
For which they sold their master.
Did make such disaster,
That they sent their money back
For which they sold their master.
It batter’d their Gunkirk,
And so it did their Spainkirk,
That he is fled, and swears the devil
Is in Dunkirk.
And so it did their Spainkirk,
That he is fled, and swears the devil
Is in Dunkirk.
He that can tower,
Or he that is lower,
Would be judg’d a fool to put
Away his power.
Or he that is lower,
Would be judg’d a fool to put
Away his power.
Take books and rent ’em,
Who can invent ’um,
When that the sword replies,
Negatur argumentum.
Who can invent ’um,
When that the sword replies,
Negatur argumentum.
Your brave college-butlers,
Must stoop to the sutlers;
There’s ne’er a library
Like to the cutlers’.
Must stoop to the sutlers;
There’s ne’er a library
Like to the cutlers’.
The blood that was spilt, sir,
Hath gain’d all the gilt, sir;
Thus have you seen me run my
Sword up to the hilt, sir.
Hath gain’d all the gilt, sir;
Thus have you seen me run my
Sword up to the hilt, sir.