1September 1993 2 3 The United Empire Loyalists -- Patriotic Verse 4 5 ...edited by Marijan Salopek 6 7 ============================= 8 9 The United Empire Loyalist 10 11 by 12 13 Rev. LeRoy Hooker 14 15 What did they then, those loyal men, 16 When Britain's cause was lost? 17 Did they consent, 18 And dwell content 19 Where Crown, and Law, and Parliament 20 Were trampled in the dust. 21 22 Dear were their homes where they were born; 23 Where slept their honoured dead: 24 And rich and wide 25 On every side 26 The fruitful acres spread; 27 But dearer to their faithful hearts 28 Than home, or gold, or lands, 29 Were Britain's laws, and Britain's crown, 30 And Britain's flag of long renown, 31 And grip of British hands. 32 33 They would not spurn the glorious old 34 To grasp the gaudy new. 35 Of yesterday's rebellion born 36 They held the upstart power in scorn -- 37 To Britain they stood true. 38 39 With high resolve they looked their last 40 On home and native land; 41 And sore they wept, 42 O'er those that slept 43 In honoured graves that must be kept 44 By grace of stranger's hand. 45 46 They looked their last and got them out 47 Into the wilderness, 48 The stern old wilderness! 49 All dark and rude 50 And unsubdued; 51 The savage wilderness! 52 53 54 Source: . Toronto: 1885, p. 63.