We were Prince Henry's gentlemen,--
His gentlemen were we,
To dare the gods of Heathendom,
Whoever they might be,--
To do our master's sovereign will
Upon a trackless sea.
We were Prince Henry's gentlemen,
And undismayed we went
To fight for Lusitania
Wherever we were sent,--
The stars had laid our course for us,
And we were well content.
We were Prince Henry's gentlemen,
And though our flagship lie
Where white the great-winged albatross
Came wheeling down the sky,
Or black abysses yawned for us,
We could not fear to die.
We were Prince Henry's gentlemen,--
Around the Cape of Wrath
We sailed our wooden cockleshells--
Great pride the pilot hath
To voyage to-day the Indian Sea--
But we marked out his path!