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The Epilogue was sung to the tune of Derry Down.
It was considered to be a Tory song; or rather one embraced by the Loyalists and Tories who were British sympathizers during the War. But despite being a Tory song, The Epilogue was not vicious or spiteful toward the rebels, their neighbors and kinsmen who had taken up arms against the mother country.
Our farce is now finished, your sport's at an end! But ere you depart, let the voice of a friend,
By way of a chorus, the evening crown With a song to the tune of a hey derry down,
Derry down, down, hey derry down.
Old Shakespeare, a poet who should not be spit on, Although he was born in an island called Britain,
Hath said the mankind are all players at best, A truth we'll admit of, for the sake of the jest.
Derry down, down, hey derry down.
On this puny stage we've strutted our hour, And have acted our parts to the best of our power;
That the farce hath concluded - not perfectly well, Was surely the fault of the Devil in Hell!
Derry down, down, hey derry down.
This Devil you know, out of spleen to the Church, Will oftentimes leave his best friends in the lurch,
And turn them adrift in the midst of their joy, 'Tis a difficult matter to cheat the Old Boy,
Derry down, down, hey derry down.
Since this is the case, we must e'en make the best Of a game that is lost: let us turn it to jest!
We'll smile, nay, we'll laugh, we'll carouse, and we'll sing, And cheerfully drink life and health to the king,
Derry down, down, hey derry down.
Let Washington now from his mountains descend, Who knows but in George he may still find a friend?
A Briton, although he loves bottle and wench, Is an honester fellow than parlez-vous French,
Derry down, down, hey derry down.
Our great "Independence" we give to the wind, And pray that Great Britain may once more be kind;
In this jovial song all hostility ends, And Britons and we will forever be friends,
Derry down, down, hey derry down.
Boys, fill me a bumper! now join in the chorus! There is happiness still in the prospect before us,
In this sparkling glass, all hostility ends, And Britons and we will for ever be friends!
Derry down, down, hey derry down.
Good night! my good people, retire to your houses, Fair ladies, I beg you, convince your dear spouses
That Britons and we are united in bliss, And ratify all with a conjugal kiss.
Once more, here's a health to the king and queen! Confusion to him, who in rancor and spleen
Refuses to drink with an English friend, Immutable amity to the world's end.
Note: The midi file linked to this page was sequenced by Mudcat Cafe, whose website is located at:http://www.mudcat.org/?plain
