On the celebration of the Twelfth of July
at Lisburn, in the year 1823
(From The Purple Marksman Book of Orange songs - A
collection of popular songs
and poems for all True
Orangemen.)
Blithe joy bells announced the glad
morning
Which Lisburn still hails with delight,
When William, all idle fears scorning,
Rush’d valiantly forth to the fight;
And soon in a splendid procession
Did hundreds in harmony join.
Lodge following Lodge in procession,
As regiments march’d to the Boyne.
The town with sweet music resounded,
Which heighten’d the joy of the day,
Full fifty-three Lodges went round it,
All marshall’d in Orange array;
To Church we proceeded delighted,
Devotional homage to pay,
To Him who the foeman affrighted,
And freed us by Nassau this day.
The sun seem’d to brighten in splendour -
Our flags waving wide in the wind,
Inscribed with the words, “No Surrender,”
With orange and purple entwined;
An arch near the Church we erected,
And through it we marched in a line;
None passed there who e’er were suspected,
For each gave the true Purple sign.
The sermon was short but impressive,
Instructive in every part,
Propounding religion progressive,
The homage that comes from the heart;
It taught us morality - royal,
Allegiance to Sion’s great King;
We join’d them in harmony loyal,
Our hymns of thanksgiving to sing.
Intrigues of Jesuits cunning,
That rule in our vice-regal court,
Their course of deception still running,
New laws may propound and support;
A Cabinet faithless and venal,
The servers of Mammon and Time,
May make our processions all penal,
And meeting in churches a crime.
Another Tyconnel may urge us
A second allegiance to try;
A third of the Jameses may scourge us,
But still we shall triumph or die -
Our Bible the Doyle’s men may banish,
And truth for a time disappear;
Our teachers in terror my vanish
But Babylon’s downfall draws near.
