[March 10, 1812. "Mr. Smith, a Huddersfield manufacturer" receives a letter of obscure origin. See page 558 of E.P.Thompson's Rise of the English Working Class, 1966 Vintage Books, New York.]

To Mr. Smith of Huddersfield
(2000 Sworn Heroes)

To Mr. Smith of Huddersfield
with you we correspond
from the right hand of General Ludd
it's vital that you understand.
We've been informed that you possess
those shearing frames that we detest.
And so we give our warning fair
we've no desire to travel there.

Two thousand sworn heroes,
bound together.

Now pull them down, and if you don't
we'll be marching there, don't think we won't.
And if you delay
soon we'll rally in your yard
and break your frames
and torch them hard.

Two thousand sworn heroes,
bound together.
And if you dare to fire upon
the General's men, they'll
just march on.
To your dwelling place and
your family, believe me friend,
you don't have long.
They'll murder you,
and burn your home, penniless
Mrs. Smith will die alone.

Laissez faire economy,
progress comes to history.
Don't read no books or dig no graves,
we're getting better wave by wave.
Laissez faire economy--
work will surely set you free.

From "the Ballad of Ned Ludd",
a listener directed techno-folk opera,
on-line continuously since 1994.

performed by Ctrl-Z
written and produced by Becknell and Lucas
Recorded 1995 at Big Eastern studio