Alexander Brome: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

The Parliaments Pedigree

Alexander Brome

“The Parliaments Pedigree” as printed in Rump Songs (1662).

Alexander Brome: Collected Lyrics Text 50 1662 · historical text
Public domainPolitical songHistorical song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from Rump Songs, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

No Pedigrees nor Projects

Of after-times I tell,

Nor what strange things the Parliament

In former times befell,

Nor how an Emperour got a King,

Nor how a King a Prince,

But you shall hear what Progenies

Have been begotten since.

Verse 2

The Devil he a Monster got,

Which was both strong and stout,

This many-headed Monster

Did strait beget a Rout:

This Rout begat a Parliament,

As Charles he well remembers,

The Parliament got Monsters too,

The which begot Five Members.

Verse 3

The Members Five did then beget

Most of the House of Peers,

The Peers mis-understandings got

All Jealousies and Fears;

The Jealousies got Horse and Men,

Lest Warrs should have abounded,

And I dare say this Horse got Pym,

And he begot a Round-head.

Verse 4

The Round-head got a Citizen,

That great Tax-bearing Mule,

The Mule begot a Parliament Asse,

And he begot a Fool:

Some say the Fool got Warwick,

And Rich gave him his whole Land,

In zeal Lord Rich got God knows who,

And God knows who got H———

Verse 5

This H——— Surplices got down,

And those Church Rites that were,

He hath Petitions enough each day,

No need of the Lords Prayer:

But it’s no wonder that’s cry’d down,

And that indeed the rather,

’Cause Pym and he two Bastards are,

And dare not say, Our Father.

Verse 6

Now since this is the chiefest thing,

Hath got this great division,

Which London for to reconcile,

Hath got this great Munition:

The City hath now been refin’d,

From all her Drosse and Pelf,

They’re now about for to new mold,

And Coyn the Common-wealth.

Credits

Written by Alexander Brome

Words by Alexander Brome. Historical text published in Rump Songs (1662); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

Rump Songs (1662), “The Parliaments Pedigree”

This 1662 collection (Rump: or an Exact Collection of the Choycest Poems and Songs Relating to the Late Times, 1639-1661) is credited to Alexander Brome (died 1666); every contributor died more than 330 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide, and the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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