Auty, Squire
The National Orange and Protestant Minstrel. Bradford: Printed and published by Squire Auty, at the Orange and Blue Banner Office, Kirkgate, 1852. 12mo, leather backed boards; provenance: Francis Thompson, 1858 (owner's ink MSS signature to ffep).
Billed as a 'Collection of Constitutional & Protestant Songs, Hymns, Toasts, Sentiments, and Recitations, Original and Select', this little volume seems curiously at odds with its own intent. The preface by Auty admits truth in the statement that 'Orangemen have ever been regarded as tyrannical, bloodthirsty, implacable bigots' - especially if one studies their songs. He hopes that there is no line in this collection that 'would offend the most moral and religious of the brotherhood'. This preface would seem to be advocating charitable and Christian songs in a sense of brotherhood as Orangemen, rather than in the position of an opposition in Ireland. This sense by no means carries over to the words, which complain about groaning under popery, laud the valiant death of the Duke Schomberg and sing of remembering the Gunpowder Plot to the tune of Auld lang Syne. It would seem Christian brotherhood stops at ecumenicism.

The poems and songs vary in their quality and vehemence, but it is hard to be unimpressed by the combination of liturgical education and merry ballad in 'Popery A Novelty' This catchy song (to the tune of anti-Irish 'Croppies Lie Down') calls for Irish Catholics to return to Celtic Irish Christianity by advising them St Patrick knew nothing of Transubstantiation 'Or I'm certain he'd told us before he had flown;/Look to the fourth Latern council and there you shall see,/That in it they invented this necromancy.' A seemingly rare and definitely intriguing work.