Peterloo

On Peter's Fields in Manchester in t' year one eight one nine When t' cotton folk of Lancashire in protest did combine Corn laws had browt the crippling tax And the price of food near broke folks' backs And set aleet to t' smouldering flax And it bristled mony a spine Salute once more these men of yore Who were to conscience true And gave their blood for t' common good On t' fields of Peterloo Sixteenth day of August browt the sound of marching feet When workers fifty thousand strong on Peter's Fields did meet From Mount Street in an upstairs room The Magistrates looked down with gloom And scoffed this rabble of the loom Vengeance they thowt is sweet Salute once more these men of yore Who were to conscience true And gave their blood for t' common good On t' fields of Peterloo Then t' riot act were gabbled out at Parson Hay's command For this here Rochdale Vicar made wi' t' richest living in t' land But t' folk at t' meeting never knew O' t' riot act till t' bugles blew And mounted redcoats come in view With sabres in their hands Salute once more these men of yore Who were to conscience true And gave their blood for t' common good On t' fields of Peterloo These soldiers mowed folk down like flies Their sabres dripped wi' blood They gormed no mon nor woman's cries But pierced 'em wheer they stood Mony deed that day were named And hundreds more were hurt and lamed While t' Tyrants watching unashamed Said it'd do 'em good! Salute once more these men of yore Who were to conscience true And gave their blood for t' common good On t' fields of Peterloo For mony a year folk struggled on till 1832 Reform Act come, Corn Laws were done And food were chepper too John Bright and Cobden paved the way And now where Peter's Fields once lay The Free Trade Hall it stands today On t' fields of Peterloo Salute once more these men of yore Who were to conscience true And gave their blood for t' common good On t' fields of Peterloo