King William III

(Tune — “When the Kye came hame”)

Wherefore is the name of William
Such a watchword to the free?
Why do we still prize and honour
His immortal memory?
Not because he was a hero,
Nor a statesman, nor a king;
But because the truth he honour’d
More than every other thing.

Not because he was the leader
Of our fathers in the field,
Nor because to kingly traitors,
He, more kingly, would not yield;
But because for truth he battled,
And because for truth he bled,
And because for truth he conquered,
With the heroes he had led.

Therefore was the Prince of Orange,
Honoured and beloved by those
Who defied Rome’s usurpation,
And became her mightiest foes.
Therefore is his memory
“Pious, Glorious, and Immortal” too;
Would that all Great Britain’s Rulers,
To the truth, like him, were true!

King William's Day

The glorious days of Aughrim’s field —
The day of chivalry
We’ll ne’er forget, when helm and shield
Were bless’d with victory!
Like wildfire flashed our engines, then
Red havoc spread dismay;
Up, rouse ye, then, my merry Orangemen,
It is King William’s day!
To blast the torch of Liberty,
Which our brave sires once fired,
False James — the slave of bigotry —
With Papist foes conspired
But history’s page tells where and when
We made them run away;
Up, rouse ye, then, my merry Orangemen,
It is King William’s day!

Another Boyne may have its fray;
Another Aughrim rise;
Another Londonderry may Shew where its martyr lies.
And should such scenes blaze forth again —
Stand close upon that day;
Up, rouse ye, then, my merry Orangemen,
It is King William’s day!

King William Forever

(Air — “Macgregor’s Gathering”)

On the Twelfth of July, at the Battle of the Boyne,
King William he fought, and gained great renown;
He defeated King James, and his Papists he slew,
For they never could stand before Orange and Blue.

Then steady, Orangemen, steady, steady;
Steady, Orangemen, steady, steady;
Die we can do, boys, yield we can never;
Let the toast be, “Our Order and King William for ever.”

Then here’s to County Antrim and brave Donegal,
And the ‘Prentice Boys of Derry, who saved them from all;
And brave Enniskillen and Armagh so true,
For their sons all rejoice in the Orange and Blue.

Then steady, Orangemen, steady, steady;
Steady, Orangemen, steady, steady;
Die we can do, boys, yield we can never;
Let the toast be, “Our Order and King William for ever.”

And here’s to King William of glorious fame,
And the Protestant Boys who rejoice in his name;
And here’s to the lodges of Orange and Blue,
For they are the boys that are loyal and true.

Then steady, Orangemen, steady, steady;
Steady, Orangemen, steady, steady;
Die we can do, boys, yield we can never;
Let the toast be, “Our Order and King William for ever.”