Come lend an ear of pity while I my tale do tell.
It happened at Manchester a place that's known right well.
For to redress our wants and woes reformers took their way
A lawful meeting being called upon a certain day.
The sixteenth day of August eighteen hundred and nineteen
There many thousand people on every road were seen
From Stockport, Oldham, Ashton and from other places too,
It was the largest meeting that reformers ever knew.
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe. (*)
Brave Hunt he was appointed that day to take the chair.
At one o'clock he did arrive, our shouts did rend the air.
Some females fair in white and green near the hustings stood
And little did we all expect to see such scenes of blood.
Scarcely had Hunt begun to speak, "Three cheers!" was all the cry
What to shout we little knew, but still we did reply
He saw the enemies, Be firm, said he, my friends.
But little did we expect what would be the end
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe.
Our enemies so cruel, regardless of our woe
They did agree to force us from the plain of Peterloo.
But if that we had been prepared, or any cause for fear,
The regulars might have cleared the ground, and they stood in the rear.
Then to the fateful ground they went and thousands tumbled down
And many harmless females lay bleeding on the ground.
No time for flight was gave to us, still every road we fled.
But heaps on heaps were trampled down, some wounded and some dead.
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe.
Brave Hunt was then arrested and several others too.
Then marched to the New Bailey, believe me it is true
Numbers there was wounded and many there was slain
Which makes the friends of those dear souls so loudly to complain.
Oh God look down upon us for Thou art just and true
And those that can no mercy show thy vengeance is their due.
Now quit this hateful mournful scene, look forward with this hope
That every murderer in this land may swing upon a rope.
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe.
But soon reform shall spread around for sand the tide won't stay.
May all the filth in our land right soon be washed away.
And may sweet harmony from hence in this our land be found
May we be blessed with plenty in all the country round.
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe.
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe.
It happened at Manchester a place that's known right well.
For to redress our wants and woes reformers took their way
A lawful meeting being called upon a certain day.
The sixteenth day of August eighteen hundred and nineteen
There many thousand people on every road were seen
From Stockport, Oldham, Ashton and from other places too,
It was the largest meeting that reformers ever knew.
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe. (*)
Brave Hunt he was appointed that day to take the chair.
At one o'clock he did arrive, our shouts did rend the air.
Some females fair in white and green near the hustings stood
And little did we all expect to see such scenes of blood.
Scarcely had Hunt begun to speak, "Three cheers!" was all the cry
What to shout we little knew, but still we did reply
He saw the enemies, Be firm, said he, my friends.
But little did we expect what would be the end
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe.
Our enemies so cruel, regardless of our woe
They did agree to force us from the plain of Peterloo.
But if that we had been prepared, or any cause for fear,
The regulars might have cleared the ground, and they stood in the rear.
Then to the fateful ground they went and thousands tumbled down
And many harmless females lay bleeding on the ground.
No time for flight was gave to us, still every road we fled.
But heaps on heaps were trampled down, some wounded and some dead.
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe.
Brave Hunt was then arrested and several others too.
Then marched to the New Bailey, believe me it is true
Numbers there was wounded and many there was slain
Which makes the friends of those dear souls so loudly to complain.
Oh God look down upon us for Thou art just and true
And those that can no mercy show thy vengeance is their due.
Now quit this hateful mournful scene, look forward with this hope
That every murderer in this land may swing upon a rope.
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe.
But soon reform shall spread around for sand the tide won't stay.
May all the filth in our land right soon be washed away.
And may sweet harmony from hence in this our land be found
May we be blessed with plenty in all the country round.
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe.
With Henry Hunt we'll go, my boys, with Henry Hunt we'll go,
We'll mount the cap of Liberty, in spite of Nadin Joe.
(*) “Nadin Joe” - Joseph Nadin, uno dei soldati a cavallo che, nel corso dell’arresto del leader radicale Henry Hunt, diedero il via al massacro.
inviata da The Lone Ranger - 3/5/2010 - 13:36
Anche nell’album del 1968 intitolato “Waterloo-Peterloo”, realizzato da The Critics Group, sotto la direzione di Ewan MacColl e Peggy Seeger
Bernart Bartleby - 12/12/2017 - 13:32
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Brano che consta di diverse esecuzioni. Mi limito a citare quella di Mark Dowding e Chris Harvey in “Manchester Ballads” (1983), una raccolta curata da Harry Boardman e Roy Palmer per conto del Manchester Education Committee.
Testo trovato su Mudcat Café
Come spiegato nell’introduzione a The Nottingham Captain di Roy Bailey, dopo la fine delle guerre napoleoniche i sudditi del Regno Unito – che pure era uscito vittorioso dalla guerra – non se la passavano affatto bene. Alle devastazioni portate dalla guerra si aggiunse subito una terribile crisi occupazionale ed economica, aggravata da alcune criminali misure protezionistiche assunte dal governo che impedirono l’acquisto all’estero di generi alimentari di prima necessità a più basso costo e che determinarono un’impennata dei prezzi sul mercato interno. La gente che aveva combattuto e sofferto in 12 anni ininterrotti di guerra si vedeva ora ridotta alla fame e alla disperazione.
La protesta sociale non tardò a scoppiare.
Nel 1817 a Nottingham, Jeremiah Brandreth guidò un’improvvisata e sfortunata ribellione che si concluse con la di lui impiccagione… Cosa ben più seria fu la manifestazione che la Manchester Patriotic Union, uno dei movimenti radicali che guidavano le proteste, organizzò proprio a Manchester nell’agosto del 1819. A St Peter's Field convennero tra le 60mila e le 80mila persone che chiedevano di poter eleggere i propri rappresentanti (allora il diritto di voto era riconosciuto solo a chi possedesse della terra) e di poter acquistare il pane ad un prezzo accessibile e non a quello imposto per garantire i profitti dei landlords. Arringava la folla un grande oratore, il radicale Henry Hunt, precursore di quello che di lì a poco sarebbe divenuto il movimento Cartista proto-socialista… Il governo, che aveva schierato numerosi reparti militari, tutti con poca esperienza e zeppi di fanatici anti-radicali, emanò subito un ordine di arresto per Hunt e i suoi più stretti collaboratori, così da impedirgli di parlare. I soldati non esitarono a lanciarsi coi cavalli contro la folla per raggiungere Hunt e trarlo in arresto… Il primo a morire fu un bambino di due anni, travolto dai cavalli insieme alla madre che lo teneva in braccio… Arrestato Hunt, i cavalieri si trovarono circondati dai manifestanti e si fecero largo a colpi di sciabola… A questo punto, tutti gli altri drappelli schierati nell’area ebbero il pretesto per attaccare e la manifestazione fu in breve dispersa.
Il bilancio fu di 15 morti e centinaia di feriti, tutta gente disarmata che semplicemente aveva voluto manifestare per il proprio diritto ad esistere. Il popolo inglese che aveva vittoriosamente difeso il Regno contro Napoleone a Waterloo, oggi veniva fatto a pezzi dagli stessi governanti che aveva servito. Per questo la strage di St Peter's Field a Manchester venne subitò battezzata “The Peterloo Massacre”.