"Oh! Forge Not a Chain for the Brave" (c1834)
[Music re-used from Russell's
"On the Brave We Have Fallen No Tear We Bestow", 
or "The Patriot's Welcome" (22 Oct 1834)]
Words by Eliza Cook (1818-1889)
Music by Henry Russell (1812-1900)

London: The Musical Bouquet (No. 470)
[Source: pages 67-68 from
"Herny Russell's Copyright Songs, Book II"]

1. Let the cold fetters circle the limbs of the one,
Who would strike in the dark, and steal back in the sun,
Go, bind the false traitor and dastardly spy,
Let them joyously live, and despairingly die;
They are fitted right well with the doom of the slave,
But away with your chains from the gallant and brave.

2. Could a Wallace or Washington— spirits divine!
Live on as the captur’d to languish and pine,
Should earth show a wall as a dungeon of such,
Or ought like a chainlink profane with it’s touch?
Strike, strike in pure mercy, ’twere torture to save,
Kill at once, but oh! forge  not a chain for the brave.

3. No, no, when the destiny woven by Fate,
Sends the power to vanquish and trample the great,
Let us give not the noble one trammels to wear
Till his heartstrings are snapp’d by the pressure they bear,
Let him fall like the free, give him death and a grave,
But oh! never! in mercy, place chains on the brave.