JACOBUS ON THE BATTLE OF THE BRIDGE-{A LONG WAY) AFTER MACAULAY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1968, 17 February 1885, Page 2

JACOBUS ON THE BATTLE OF THE BRIDGE -{A LONG WAY) AFTER MACAU LAY.

TO THK rOHOH. Silt, — Tn looking out .mi nld inurnment elicit I di-.co\eied .unonjj MMinj inu»t> p.ijior-', tied « ltli furled i ilihon l>y the h m<l of «iinnu dead .uid fjonu ancp->toi, tlio follow injf fi.i^meiit On tlip in utfin were mhih 1 aiuiot.ituini in tlio peculiar chu.ictei> uid quaint .stylo of )>VK<»ne centuries. One of tlii'iii i<m a-> follows :—": — " Ye dammicd foolc- did cut y*-io owno thio.ite*. ' 1 don't quite undeist.ind the allusion ; peili.i|n ->omo <if your readeis can explain it. It is a pity Macaulay did not m*o it, n> probably ho would have gi\en it .i place in his " L.iys of Ancient Rome." I mmml it, .us I think the case is not without a paiallel in our own times. — I am, ie, Scunw r\ 1 1 u. Puniii, Fob. 14th, 1885. Great Jacobui of u ell -known fame, Hj the nine pipers swore Hi it the (food King William Should rule the ro Ist no more. Hy thr pipers nine lie swore it, 1 li.it at sonic future day, For all the wrong-. (') th.it he had wrought, King William he would pay. And some wont south and some went north ■ Oh such a Ricketty crew. To gather all the names they could, Prom Gentile and from Jew. Sh.imc on the timid rock.itoo. Who will not si|;n his name ; For on them all, both grc.it and small, Great Jacobus hath claim. And to his standard flocking, From the d.ile of t's there c.ime, John the lul\, Jim the truthful, And others of less fame. With the Kokb tli.it crow Who vow ed that low He'd bring the good king's name. And now )nth the petition Upon it twentj names, Of all the eel weirs in the land To help Jac with his q imes. Upon the banks ol ll'o I'uinu Is gathered an array , Three Maori men who dim kled at The tricks that the) did pi ly. " Now {father," said King William, '• To see the fun this day, Io knock Jacobus into (its To mo is but child's pl<iy. We'll firmly stand, a little band, And cook his goose this diy." Then up spake brave J, W., \ plucky fellow he, " At \our right hand I'll take my stand To fight for Kihikihi." And out spoke the centurian, Ot the horsemen chief was he — " Oh blow Ihe odds, I know (he cods Will smile on jou and me." And silent stood the little band, It wa*. a gallant sight. J. W. E. on William\ left. Th 1 ccMurian on his right. And holy |ohn rushed from his ranks, S ud he " I'll fix that tiew." Hut Hill h id the engineer's report, And with it pierce J John through. ] irobiis tiien his troops withdrew I rom off that ghastly plain, And stamping in impotent rage, S.ii<l " I hoult hear from me again. I'll weigh thee in the I) >llance, \nd thou shalt wanting be ; !• rom th> despotic rule I swear 1 he country to set free. "O Puniii, lovely Puniu, Mowing calmly on thy way, Upon thy fern-clad banks was fought A gallant fight that day." lhen spake the good King William, And in spoiling pledged his word 1 h it to the 1 ist ho would stand fast 'Gainst Jacobus and his horde. M'hon the chieftain mends his eel-weirs, He laughs with all his might At the tri( k he played and names he signed l 7 pon that paper white. And in the pubi at Kihikihi '1 hi" story oft is told, How William won the bridge foi them 'Spite of Jacobus the Hold.