XXIII.

LILLI BURLERO.

The following rhymes, slight and insignificant as they may now seem, had once a more powerful effect than either the Philippics of Demosthenes, or Cicero; and contributed not a little towards the great revolution in 1688. Let us hear a contemporary writer.

"A foolish ballad was made at that time, treating the Papists, and chiefly the Irish, in a very ridiculous manner, which had a burden said to be Irish words, _Lero, lero, liliburlero_, that made an impression on the (king's) army, that cannot be imagined by those that saw it not. The whole army, and at last the people, both in city and country, were singing it perpetually. And perhaps never had so slight a thing so great an effect."--_Burnet._

It was written, or at least republished, on the earl of Tyrconnel's going a second time to Ireland in October, 1688. Perhaps it is unnecessary to mention, that General Richard Talbot, newly created earl of Tyrconnel, had been nominated by K. James II. to the lieutenancy of Ireland in 1686, on account of his being a furious papist, who had recommended himself to his bigotted master by his arbitrary treatment of the protestants in the preceding year, when only lieutenant general, and whose subsequent conduct fully justified his expectations and their fears. The violences of his administration may be seen in any of the histories of those times: particularly in bishop King's _State of the Protestants in Ireland_, 1691, 4to.

This song is attributed to Lord _Wharton_ in a small pamphlet, intitled, _A true relation of the several facts and circumstances of the intended riot and tumult on Q. Elizabeth's birth-day, &c._ 3d. ed. Lond. 1712, pr. 2_d._--See p. 5, viz.--"A late Viceroy (of Ireland,) who has so often boasted himself upon his talent for mischief invention, lying, and for making a certain _Lilliburlero Song_; with which, if you will believe himself, he sung a deluded Prince out of Three Kingdoms."

_Lilliburlero_ and _Bullen-a-lah_ are said to have been the words of distinction used among the Irish Papists in their massacre of the Protestants in 1641.

* * * * *

[To no song could be better attributed Fletcher of Saltoun's dictum than to this poor specimen of verse, which caught the fancy of the people and drove James from his throne. Macaulay wrote of it as follows:--"From one end of England to the other all classes were constantly singing this idle rhyme. It was especially the delight of the English army. More than seventy years after the Revolution, Sterne delineated with exquisite skill a veteran who had fought at the Boyne and at Namur. One of the characteristics of the good old soldier is his trick of whistling _Lilliburlero_." The air is attributed to Purcell, but it is supposed that he only arranged an earlier tune. Hume thought that the popularity of the song was rather due to the composer of the air than to the author of the words.

Mr. Markland, in a note to Boswell's _Life of Johnson_, says, that "according to Lord Dartmouth there was a particular expression in it, which the king remembered that he had made use of to the Earl of Dorset, from whence it was concluded that he was the author." Upon this Mr. Chappell remarks, 1. that "the Earl of Dorset laid no claim to it, and it is scarcely to be believed that the author of _To all you ladies now on land_ could have penned such thorough doggrel." 2. That "the ballad contains no expression that the King would have used, which might not equally have been employed by any other person."[872] There can now be little doubt that the author was Thomas Marquis of Wharton, father of the mad Duke Philip of Wharton. He discerned the indications of the political horizon and espoused the winning side. He was well rewarded for his wisdom. Mr. S. Redmond (_Notes and Queries_, third series, viii. 13) writes that he has often heard the girls in the south and south-east of Ireland, while engaged in binding the corn into sheaves after the reapers, sing the following chorus, which always had reference to one of the gang who was not so quick at her work as the others, and who consequently was left behind:

"Lully by lero, Lully by lero, Lully by lero, Help her along."]

* * * * *

Ho! broder Teague, dost hear de decree? Lilli burlero, bullen a-la. Dat we shall have a new deputie, Lilli burlero burlen a-la. Lero lero, lilli burlero, lero lero, bullen a-la, 5 Lero lero, lilli burlero, lero lero, bullen a-la.

Ho! by shaint Tyburn, it is de Talbote:[873] Lilli, &c. And he will cut de Englishmen's troate. Lilli, &c. 10

Dough by my shoul de English do praat, Lilli, &c. De law's on dare side, and Creish knows what. Lilli, &c.

But if dispence do come from de pope, 15 Lilli, &c. We'll hang Magna Charta, and dem in a rope. Lilli, &c.

For de good Talbot is made a lord, Lilli, &c. 20 And with brave lads is coming aboard: Lilli, &c.

Who all in France have taken a sware, Lilli, &c. Dat dey will have no protestant heir. 25 Lilli, &c.

Ara! but why does he stay behind? Lilli, &c. Ho! by my shoul 'tis a protestant wind. Lilli, &c. 30

But see de Tyrconnel is now come ashore, Lilli, &c. And we shall have commissions gillore. Lilli, &c.

And he dat will not go to de mass, 35 Lilli, &c. Shall be turn out, and look like an ass. Lilli, &c.

Now, now de hereticks all go down, Lilli, &c. 40 By Chrish and shaint Patrick, de nation's our own. Lilli, &c.

Dare was an old prophesy found in a bog,[874] Lilli, &c. "Ireland shall be rul'd by an ass, and a dog." 45 Lilli, &c.

And now dis prophesy is come to pass, Lilli, &c. For Talbot's de dog, and JA**S is de ass. Lilli, &c. 50

FOOTNOTES:

[872] [_Popular Music of the Olden Time_, vol. ii. p. 569.]

[873] Ver. 7. Ho by my shoul, _al. ed._

[874] Ver. 43. What follows is not in some copies.