Steeleye Span - Ned Ludd Part 4 (Prelude to Peterloo) lyrics
[Steeleye Span - Ned Ludd Part 4 Prelude to Peterloo lyrics]
At the end of January in 1817
Prince regent rode through London in
His carriage to be seen
When through the window crashed a stone
Thrown by the angry crowd, he
Set his mind to vengeance
Hard punishments avowed
Secretive committees - both the
Commons and the Lord
Wrote a new set of laws more cruel and sorts
You get more bread on the treadmill
And your meat is free, besides
You need your strength to grind the corn
And push a stone that size
But, if you'vе been an honest
Man and never been insidе
Get seven pence and a gallon
Loaf with Poor Law subsidies
We're growing the corn that we
Can't afford to buy
How long must we stand and
Watch our children die?
Five thousand starving people met all
In Saint Peter's Square
They would march to London
And meet prince-regent there
Dressed in sacks and blankets
Against the winter cold
They had for him a letter
Which of their hardships told
The magistrates the Riot Act
They solemnly did read
The troopers rode behind us and
Our bravest they did lead
Some they went to Macclesfield
And some of them went home
Only six brave souls at Ashborne
Across the bridge did go
Oliver was a Government spy
He said "Brandreth follow me
For London she is ready to rise
To make all England free
To make all England free!"
But when they came to Nottingham
The troops arrested some
Some they were transported
Three of them were hung
Three of them were hung!
Prince regent rode through London in
His carriage to be seen
When through the window crashed a stone
Thrown by the angry crowd, he
Set his mind to vengeance
Hard punishments avowed
Secretive committees - both the
Commons and the Lord
Wrote a new set of laws more cruel and sorts
You get more bread on the treadmill
And your meat is free, besides
You need your strength to grind the corn
And push a stone that size
But, if you'vе been an honest
Man and never been insidе
Get seven pence and a gallon
Loaf with Poor Law subsidies
We're growing the corn that we
Can't afford to buy
How long must we stand and
Watch our children die?
Five thousand starving people met all
In Saint Peter's Square
They would march to London
And meet prince-regent there
Dressed in sacks and blankets
Against the winter cold
They had for him a letter
Which of their hardships told
The magistrates the Riot Act
They solemnly did read
The troopers rode behind us and
Our bravest they did lead
Some they went to Macclesfield
And some of them went home
Only six brave souls at Ashborne
Across the bridge did go
Oliver was a Government spy
He said "Brandreth follow me
For London she is ready to rise
To make all England free
To make all England free!"
But when they came to Nottingham
The troops arrested some
Some they were transported
Three of them were hung
Three of them were hung!