midnight
`` From forth the woods of Canady The Frenchmen tooke their way , The people of Schenectady To captivate and slay . `` They march for two and twenty daies , All thro ' ye deepest snow ; And on a dismal winter night They strucke ye cruel blow . `` The lightsome sunne that rules the day Had gone down in the West ; And eke the drowsie villagers Had sought and found their reste . `` They thought they were in safetie all , Nor dreamt not of the foe ; But att midnight they all swoke In wonderment and woe . `` For they were in their pleasant beddes , And soundlie sleeping , when Each door was sudden open broke By six or seven menne ! `` The menne and women , younge and olde , And eke the girls and boys , All started up in great affright Att the alarming noise . `` They then were murthered in their beddes Without shame or remorse ; And soon the floors and streets were strew 'd With many a bleeding corse .