The True Born Englishman
The True Born Englishman
Original Text
Daniel Defoe, The True-born Englishman; a satyr ([London,] 1701). D-10 2267 Fisher Rare Book Library
280That het'rogeneous thing, an Englishman:
281In eager rapes, and furious lust begot,
283Whose gend'ring off-spring quickly learn'd to bow,
284And yoke their heifers to the Roman plough:
285From whence a mongrel half-bred race there came,
286With neither name, nor nation, speech nor fame.
287In whose hot veins new mixtures quickly ran,
288Infus'd betwixt a Saxon and a Dane.
290Receiv'd all nations with promiscuous lust.
291This nauseous brood directly did contain
292The well-extracted blood of Englishmen.
295Among themselves maintain'd eternal wars,
296And still the ladies lov'd the conquerors.
297 The western Angles all the rest subdu'd;
298A bloody nation, barbarous and rude:
299Who by the tenure of the sword possest
300One part of Britain, and subdu'd the rest
301And as great things denominate the small,
302The conqu'ring part gave title to the whole.
303The Scot, Pict, Britain, Roman, Dane, submit,
304And with the English-Saxon all unite:
305And these the mixture have so close pursu'd,
306The very name and memory's subdu'd:
307No Roman now, no Britain does remain;
308Wales strove to separate, but strove in vain:
309The silent nations undistinguish'd fall,
310And Englishman's the common name for all.
311Fate jumbled them together, God knows how;
312What e'er they were they're true-born English now.
313 The wonder which remains is at our pride,
314To value that which all wise men deride.
315For Englishmen to boast of generation,
316Cancels their knowledge, and lampoons the nation.
317A true-born Englishman's a contradiction,
318In speech an irony, in fact a fiction.
319A banter made to be a test of fools,
320Which those that use it justly ridicules.
321A metaphor invented to express
322A man a-kin to all the universe.
323 For as the Scots, as learned men ha' said,
324Throughout the world their wand'ring seed ha' spread;
325So open-handed England, 'tis believ'd,
326Has all the gleanings of the world receiv'd.
327 Some think of England 'twas our Saviour meant,
328The Gospel should to all the world be sent:
329Since, when the blessed sound did hither reach,
330They to all nations might be said to preach.
331 'Tis well that virtue gives nobility,
332How shall we else the want of birth and blood supply?
333Since scarce one family is left alive,
334Which does not from some foreigner derive.
Notes
279] This poem (which was enormously popular) was written in answer to The Foreigners: a Poem (1700) by William Tutchin, an attack on William III as a foreigner. Back to Line
282] Britain: Briton. Back to Line
289] rank: lustful. Back to Line
293] medley canton'd: divided up in a medley. Back to Line
294] rhapsody: loose collection. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1701
RPO poem Editors
N. J. Endicott
RPO Edition
2RP.1.520; RPO 1996-2000.
Form