THE

MERRY CAMPAIGN;

OR THE

WESTMINSTER AND GREEN-PARK SCUFFLE:

A NEW COURT BALLAD.

To the Tune of "Chevy Chace."

GOD prosper long our noble Peers,
And eke our Commons all;

A woful scuffle late there was,
Near Litigation-hall.

To drub a Peer, with mickle might,
Bold Crowle he took his way;

His Lordship's bones might rue that night,
The drubbing of that day.

* Lord Hervey.

With Cane uprear'd, in ireful hand,
Brave Crowle th' attack begun,
Which from his Lordship's batter'd sconce
Soon made the blood to run.

The Peer enrag'd, return'd the same,

Full fraught with fury dire,

His breast glow'd with indignant shame,

To be drubb'd by a 'squire.

Then thwick thwack fell the blows like hail,

On head, back, sides, and all;

Good Lord! how echo'd then the rooms!

Near Litigation-hall.

Sir Blue-string startled at the noise,

Cry'd out with might and main,

A plot upon the ministry,

We all shall here be slain.

* Sir Robert Walpole.

Then out Will. Addle* ran, to know
Whence came the dreadful sound;

And saw the champions stout engag'd,
With many a bleeding wound.

"Hold your dead-doing hands," cry'd he,

Ye bold and hardy wights:

Know ye not these walls sacred are
To peace, and peaceful knights.

Should but Sir Blue-string chance to know
You caus'd here these alarms,

You would be ta'en in custody,
Of serjeant 'clep'd at arms.

Then company running between,

Did farther harm prevent;

God knows there how much precious blood

Had otherwise been spent.

* Wm. Pultney.

But still his Lordship glowd with ire,
And bloody vengeance vow'd,

On him who had him thus abus'd,
To cane him 'fore a crowd.

Wherefore for pen and ink he call'd,
And these words strait did write,

Which by a brother Peer he sent,
His second in this fight.

"Meet me," said he, "thou recreant knave,

"I mean thy blood to spill, "Because we will not parted be,

"On Constitution-hill.

"A second likewise with thee bring,

"As I have one provided,

"That all our quarrels there at once 66 May fairly be decided."

The Peer straitway to th' Mitre goes,

And for the lawyer sent, Who to him instantly repairs, Suspecting the event.

Crowle having soon perus'd the scroll,

Was not the least dismay'd;

But, with a bold undaunted air,
Thus to the Peer he said:

"Go, tell my Lord, this challenge I "With as much joy receive, "As would a condemn'd criminal,

"At Tyburn, a reprieve.

"I'll meet him there without delay, "Arm'd with my trusty steel,

"We soon shall see if he's a man

"Whose arm my blood can spill."