Plant, Plant the Tree

  • Posted on: 18 September 2009
  • By: David Thrale

Written by Hester Lynch Thrale. Thraliana entry dated October to November 1794.

I have just had a Letter from Birdey, as we now call my eldest Daughter; all is well at Brighthelmstone, and She seems delighted with her Verses : yet prefers some I wrote lately in Answer to the Seditious Ballad called “; “;Plant, Plant the Tree”; ”;. it is really a scandalous Performance, just good enough to deserve the Reply, which shall be written out after the Original, which Sophy sent me a few Weeks ago from Sussex,

See, See, they come, the Myriads come
From Gallia to invade us,
Prepare the Pike, beat beat the Drum
They come my Friends to aid us

Plant, Plant the Tree
The glorious Tree
Midst Bloodshed Death & Slaughter
Each Patriots Breast its Soil shall be
And the Tyrants Blood its Water.

The useless Crown which long adorn’d
The heads of Royal Ninnies1,
To better Ends Shall now be turn’d
Coyn’d into useful Guineas.

Then plant the Tree, the glorious Tree
Midst Battle Blood and Slaughter,
Each patriot Breast its Soil shall be
And Tyrant’s Blood its Water.

The Palace which in Ages past
For Sov’reigns was appointed;
The Sovereign People claim at last,
And scorn the Lords Anointed.

Then plant the Tree fair Freedom’s Tree,
Mid Blood & Wounds & Slaughter,
Each Patriot Breast its Soil shall be
And Royal Blood its Water.

On all your holy Mummeries
Our Boys contemptuous trample;
That Church that seems to prop the Skies
Shall turn to Reason’s Temple.

Then plant Oh Plant the glorious
Tree Midst Battle Blood & Slaughter,
Each patriot Breast its Soil shall be
And the Tyrant’s Blood its Water.

Our ’Squires shall then Ça Ira Sing
Nor more be tender hearted,
Your Bells no more to Church shall ring
To thundring Guns converted.

Plant plant the Tree the glorious Tree
Midst Bloodshed Wounds & Slaughter;
Each Patriot Breast its Soil shall be,
And the Royal Blood its Water.

The Stocks like Mist upon the Hills
Shall vanish out of Sight Sir;
And Abraham Newlands2 fam’d Bank Bills
Be turn’d to Paper Kites Sir:

Then plant Oh plant fair Freedoms Tree,
Midst Bloodshed Death & Slaughter
Each Patriots Breast its Soil shall be
And the Tyrants Blood its Water

The Commons3 too that say forsooth
They represent the Nation,
Shall scamper East West North & South
To ’scape our Indignation.

Then plant the Tree the glorious Tree
Midst Death & Wounds & Slaughter
Each Patriot Breast its Soil shall be
And Tyrant’s Blood its Water.

Written by Hester Lynch Thrale. Thraliana entry dated October to November 1794.