Than to see the bold _Defiance_ sailing right before the wind,
O’er the white waves as she danced, and her colours gaily flew;
But that was not half so charming as the trim of lovely Sue.
On a rocky coast I’ve driven where the stormy winds do rise,
Where the rolling mountain billows lift a vessel to the skies;
But from land, or from the ocean, little dread I ever knew,
When compared to the dangers in the frowns of scornful Sue.
Long I wonder’d why my jewel had the heart to use me so,
Till I found by often sounding she’d another love in tow;
So farewell hard-hearted Sukie, I’ll my fortune seek at sea,
And try in a more friendly latitude, since in yours I cannot be.
_FAIR SALLY LOV’D A BONNY SAILOR._
Fair Sally lov’d a bonny sailor,
With tears she sent him out to roam,
Young Thomas taking leave did tell her
He left her with his heart at home.
She view’d the seas from off the hill,
And as she turn’d her spinning-wheel,
Sang of her bonny sailor.
The wind grew loud and she grew paler
To see the weathercock turn round,
When lo! she spied her bonny sailor
Come whistling o’er the fallow ground:
With nimble haste he leap’d the stile,
Fair Sally met him with a smile,
And hugg’d her bonny sailor.
Fast round the waist he took his Sally,
But first around his mouth wip’d he;
Like home-bred spark he could not dally,
But press’d and kiss’d her with a glee.
‘Through winds, and waves, and dashing rain,’
Said he, ‘thy Tom’s return’d again,
To bring a heart for Sally.’
‘Welcome!’ cry’d she, ‘my constant Thomas,
Tho’ out of sight, ne’er out of mind,
Tho’ seas our hearts have parted from us,
Yet still my thoughts were left behind;
So much my thoughts took Tommy’s part,
That time nor absence from my heart
Could drive my constant Thomas.’
‘This knife the gift of lovely Sally,
Which still I’ve kept for her dear sake,
A thousand times in am’rous folly
Her name has carv’d upon the deck.
Again this happy pledge returns,
To shew how truly Thomas burns,
How truly burns for Sally.’
‘This thimble thou didst give to Sally,
Whene’er I see I think on you.
Then why should Tom stand shilly shally
When yonder steeple’s in our view?’
Tom, never to occasion blind,
Now took her in the coming mind,
And went to church with Sally.
‘_HOW PLEASANT A SAILOR’S LIFE PASSES._’
How pleasant a sailor’s life passes,
Who roams o’er the watery main!
No treasure he ever amasses,
But cheerfully spends all his gain.
We’re strangers to party and faction,
To honour and honesty true,
And wou’d not commit a base action
For power or profit in view.
_Then why should we quarrel for riches,
Or any such glittering toys?
A light heart and a thin pair of breeches
Goes through the world, brave boys._
The world is a beautiful garden
Enrich’d with the blessings of life,
The toiler with plenty rewarding,
Which plenty too often breeds strife.
When terrible tempests assail us,
And mountainous billows affright,
No grandeur or wealth can avail us,
But skilful industry steers right.
The courtier’s more subject to dangers,
Who rules at the helm of the State,
Than we that, to politicks strangers,
Escape the snares laid for the great.
The various blessings of nature
In various nations we try.
No mortals than us can be greater,
Who merrily live till we die.
_THE BOATSWAIN’S WHISTLE._
Life is chequer’d--toil and pleasure
Fill up all the various measure.
See the crew in flannel jerkins
Drinking, toping flip by firkins;
And as they raise the tip
To their happy lip,
On the deck is heard no other sound,
But prithee Jack, Prithee Dick,
Prithee Sam, Prithee Tom,
Let the can go round.
_Chorus._
_Then hark to the Boatswain’s whistle, whistle!
Then hark to the Boatswain’s whistle, whistle!
Bustle, bustle, brave boys,
Let us sing, let us toil,
But let’s drink all the while,
For labour’s the price of our joys,
For labour’s the price of our joys._
Life is chequer’d--toil and pleasure
Fill up all the various measure:
Hark! the crew with sun-burnt faces,
Chanting Black-ey’d Susan’s graces;
And as they raise their notes
Thro’ their rusty throats
On the deck is heard no other sound,
But prithee Jack, prithee Dick,
Prithee Sam, prithee Tom,
Let the can go round.
_Then hark, etc._
Life is chequer’d--toil and pleasure
Fill up all the various measure.
Hark! the crew their cares discarding
With huffe-cap or with chuck-farthing:
Still in merry pin
Let ’em lose or win,
On the deck is heard no other sound
But prithee Jack, prithee Dick,
Prithee Sam, prithee Tom,
Let the can go round.
_Then hark, etc._
_THE DOWNFALL OF PIRACY._
Being a full and true account of a desperate and bloody sea-fight
between Lieutenant Maynard and that noted pirate Captain Teach,
commonly call’d by the name of Black-beard; Maynard had fifty men,
thirty-five of which where kill’d and wounded in the action: Teach had
twenty-one, most of which was kill’d and the rest carried to Virginia
in order to take their tryal.
Will you hear of a bloody battle, lately fought upon the seas?
It will make your ears to rattle and your admiration cease:
Have you heard of Teach the rover, and his knavery on the main;
How of gold he was a lover, how he lov’d ill-got [ten] gain?
When the Act of Grace appeared Captain Teach and all his men
Unto Carolina steered, where they us’d him kindly then;
There he marry’d to a lady, and gave her five hundred pound,
But to her he prov’d unsteady, for he soon march’d off the ground.
And returned, as I tell you, to his robbery as before:
Burning, sinking ships of value, filling them with purple gore.
When he was at Carolina, there the Governor did send
To the Governor of Virgin[i]a, that he might assistance lend.
Then the man-of-war’s commander, two small sloops he fitted out;
Fifty men he put on board, sir, who resolv’d to stand it out.
The lieutenant he commanded both the sloops, and you shall hear
How before he landed he suppress’d them without fear.
Valiant Maynard as he sailed soon the pirate did espy;
With his trumpet he then hailed, and to him they did reply:
‘Captain Teach is our commander.’ Maynard said, ‘He is the man
Whom I am resolv’d to hang, sir, let him do the best he can.’
Teach replied unto Maynard, ‘You no quarter here shall see,
But be hanged on the mainyard, you and all your company.’
Maynard said, ‘I none desire of such knaves as thee and thine.’
‘None I’ll give,’ Teach then replied; ‘my boys, give me a glass of
wine.’
He took the glass and drank damnation unto Maynard and his crew,
To himself and generation, then the glass away he threw.
Brave Maynard was resolv’d to have him, tho’ he’d cannons nine or
ten:
Teach a broadside quickly gave him, killing sixteen valiant men.
Maynard boarded him and to it they fell with sword and pistol too;
They had courage, and did show it, killing of the pirate’s crew.
Teach and Maynard on the quarter fought it out most manfully;
Maynard’s sword did cut him shorter, losing his head he there did
die.
Every sailor fought while he, sir, power had to wield his sword,
Not a coward could you see, sir, fear was driven from aboard;
Wounded men on both sides fell, sir, ’twas a doleful sight to see,
Nothing could their courage quell, sir; O they fought couragiously.
When the bloody fight was over we’re informed by a letter writ,
Teach’s head was made a cover to the jack-staff of the ship;
Thus they sailed to Virginia, and when they the story told
How they killed the pirates many, they’d applause from young and old.
_ADMIRAL CAVENDISH’S DISTRESS ON BOARD THE CANTERBURY._
Come all ye valiant seamen of courage stout and bold,
That value more your honour more than misers do their gold;
When we receive our orders we are obliged to go
O’er the main to proud Spain, let the wind blow high or low.
It is the valiant _Canterbury_, as I to you shall tell,
Since Providence has sav’d my life in such a manner well,
And all our whole ship’s company as well as I do know,
When we were in despair in the Bay of Biscay, oh!
The eighteenth of September from Spithead we set sail,
With the _Romney_ in our company, blest with a pleasant gale,
And so we kept together to the Bay of Biscay, oh!
Till anon the storm came on and the wind began to blow.
Then seeing of the storm come on the _Romney_ bore away
And left the _Canterbury_, for she could no longer stay.
And when they came to Gibraltar they told the people so,
That they thought we were lost in the Bay of Biscay, oh!
But as Providence would have it, it was not quite so bad;
But first we lost our mizen-mast, and along with it a flag,
The next we lost our main-mast, two of our guns also,
And five men were drownded then in the Bay of Biscay, oh!
When the main-mast went away it gave a dismal stroke,
And in the larboard-quarter a great hole thro’ it broke,
Whereby the sea came roaring which made our gun-room flow,
And we rowl’d and we shoal’d in the Bay of Biscay, oh!
Then our fore-mast went away at four o’clock at night,
Our men [were] in our fore-top, which put us in a fright,
Poor souls we could not save them but overboard did go:
They were lost with the mast in the Bay of Biscay, oh!
It being dark and dismal besides a dreadful night,
One man upon the fore castle was killed out right,
With a ring upon his finger in pieces broke also,
There he lay till next day when we overboard him throw.
We stove our barge and long boat and hove them overboard,
Because we had no tackle or else we might have lower’d.
What with the sea roaring in which made our chests to flow,
And we rowl’d and we shoal’d in the Bay of Biscay, oh!
We lay in that condition full seven or eight days,
Till our furnace tumbled down, which put us in a maze
For we could get no victuals dress’d as I am very sure,
We did eat all raw meat till we came to Gibraltar.
As for our admiral and captain, they are stout hearts of gold,
Besides our three lieutenants of courage stout and bold,
And all our whole ship’s company we made a gallant show,
Altho’ we were in despair in the Bay of Biscay, oh!
The storm being quite over we got up jury-masts,
And steer’d away to Gibraltar, to which we came at last,
And when we came to Gibraltar on shore the yawl did go,
For to tell what befel in the Bay of Biscay, oh!
Within a day or two after we came into the mole.
The people all came flocking down, our ship to behold:
They said it was the strangest thing that ever they did know,
We ne’er repine but drink wine and drown all woe.
As for oatmeal and peas, we ne’er got any of that:
Our purser H----s put ’em in his pocket to make his guts fat.
But when we did come home, boys, we paid him off his score,
Tho’ [he] knew ’twas our due, it help’d to increase [his store].
_THE PACIFICK FLEET: A NEW BALLAD._
Good people, give ear, I’ll tell you a story,
Will tickle your ears, if you wish Britain’s glory;
For in rhyme sure the like was ne’er yet laid before ye,
_Which nobody can deny_.
The Spaniards of late so haughty are grown,
They pretend both our towns and our ships are their own,
And the latter they take still, ’tis very well known,
_Which, etc._
Hereupon we sent word they would find it the best
To give over these pranks, for we liked not their jest,
And they gravely replied they would weigh our request,
_Which, etc._
But still they went on highly pleased with the joke,
Our traders were taken, our merchants were broke,
Resolved if they could our stern wrath to provoke,
_Which, etc._
So our wrath was provoked, and our rage was so great,
That a fleet was equipped, those proud Spaniards to beat,
And we sent for Dutch help in a violent heat,
_Which, etc._
So the Dutch came to help us with twelve men-of-war
(For the Dutch like the Devil injustice abhor,
And they knew that the Spaniards had not played us fair),
_Which, etc._
So to Spithead they went, and at Spithead have lain,
But design very soon to scower out the main,
To retrieve us our honour and humble proud Spain,
_Which, etc._
But when to this purpose the fleets are to weigh,
I am sure yet no Briton will venture to say,
But this I am sure, they will sail when they may,
_Which, etc._
But in the meantime, as in line they are laid,
Most wisely they are of a double use made:
To our nobles diversion, to our foes they give dread,
_Which, etc._
For the gentry all round, and nobility too,
To Portsmouth ride post this Armada to view,
As the first English fleet was set out for a show,
_Which, etc._
But as France will not bear Christian blood to be shed,
Notwithstanding a Wager himself’s at the head,
Fat bucks in great number have bled in their stead,
_Which, etc._
For the Cardinal thinks the same end we fulfil
If we bear the expense, tho’ the fleet does lie still,
For we so frighten Spain they will do what we will,
_Which, etc._
So the fleet lies at anchor, the chaplains read prayers,
The ladies are learning our tarpawling airs,
And each cook for each day some new dishes prepares,
_Which, etc._
The treats are of venison, of rack-punch, and jelly,
Chaire entière have the ladies as some people tell ye
And few will return without tarr in their belly,
_Which, etc._
So when sail they will, they will leave us at home
A brood of young sailors for ages to come,
Who will ’list volunteers at the sound of a drum,
_Which, etc._
On this score alone the expense were well made,
For sailors are wanting for war both and trade,
So the scheme for the public was very well laid,
_Which, etc._
_THE ENGLISH SAILOR’S RESOLUTION TO FIGHT THE SPANIARDS._
Come all you jolly sailors bold,
Who always scorn to be controul’d;
But freely us’d to range the seas,
And plow the ocean where they please;
But now are oppos’d and plundered by those
Guarda Coastas belonging to Spain;
But this I can tell, would we thump them but well,
Our merchants might have their own again.
Our merchants have been long abus’d,
Our ships have been taken, our men misus’d;
And tho’ we often did complain,
No restoration e’er could gain;
But still are put by, with some fallacy,
Altho’ we’re masters of the main;
But this I can tell; wou’d we thump them but well,
Our merchants might have their own again.
’Cause Captain Jenkins did them oppose,
They cut off his ears and slit his nose,
And then his hands together bound,
And to the yard arm drew him up and down;
Then with a jear, they gave him his ear,
Saying ‘Take it to your master’ in disdain.
But our King I can tell, loves his subjects so well,
That he’ll curb the haughty pride of Spain.
So insolent they did behave,
They of our sailors did make slaves,
And work’d all day hard as they cou’d.
With musty horse beans for their food,
Or else a little dish of stinking stock-fish;
Not fitting unto the dogs to throw,
These men would delight to do themselves right,
If to war with the Spaniards we go.
Fifty-two sail of ships (they say)
In nine years time they’ve took away.
A very tragical account,
To what great sums must this amount;
Our rights to in[v]ade and spoil our trade,
High time for our merchants to complain.
I hope to see the day this long score they must pay,
And make them refund it all again.
For these vile crimes they’ve an excuse,
And say they suffer great abuse;
[line missing]
And bring their pieces of eight away,
This I must own by some has been done,
But let them only have the blame;
’Tis hard to condemn all the rest for them,
For rogues will be rogues while the world remains.
Our gracious King and parliament
To right our merchants are fully bent;
For they have been too long abus’d,
And by false pretences have been amus’d.
But now I’m glad to find our Government so kind.
To redress our merchants who complain,
For this I can, etc.
With taking our ships they’re not content,
But want our towns on the continent;
As Georgia and Carolina brave,
They boast and brag they soon will have.
But we hope that our fleet their designs will defeat,
When they approach the coast of Spain,
For this I can, etc.
There’s Giberaltar and Portmahone,
They very fain would make their own;
It grieves them much, we’ve been told,
That two such places we should hold.
Giberalter’s the key, ’tis well known of that sea
Call’d by the name of the Mediterain.
For this I can, etc.
Come jolly sailors, far and near,
To man our fleet with speed prepare;
With Admiral Haddock freely go,
True British valour for to show;
And brave boys boldly fight our merchants for to right,
Free plunder, boys, will crown your pain,
For this I can tell, would we thump them but well,
Our merchants might have their own again.
_ENGLAND’S GLORY IN THE DECLARATION OF WAR._
COMPOS’D BY GEORGE BARKER.
Let every loyal soul rejoyce,
And joyn with me in heart and voice,
Since now we have a happy choice,
France and Spain to bring under.
Fall on, brave boys, without delay,
Brave Haddock will his guns display,
And quickly make of Spain a prey,
And give his men the plunder.
Next, merchants, let your voices ring,
O’er flowing bowls we’ll cheerful sing,
With many thanks unto the King,
For granting us protection.
No longer we’ll be in the dark,
Since we have got letters of marque,
We’ll make Jack Spaniard for to smart
And pay for the Convention.
Spithead shall no more with us groan,
Nor we poor sailors make our moan,
We’ll alter Jack Spaniard’s tone,
Though they so long have wanted.
For now we shall be kept in pay,
Our wives next year appear so gay;
Of Spanish gold we’ll make a prey,
With courage most undaunted.
No more of trade let us complain;
Our antient rights we shall maintain,
Brave Britain’s isle flourish again
By the new declaration.
We’ll learn Spain in this present war
Our merchant captains for to fear,
With us they have run their jest too far,
In their base depredations.
Our shops shall soon be open’d wide,
By humbling Jack Spaniard’s pride,
And our poor tradesmen full employ’d,
To their great satisfaction.
Then let us all in love unite,
And stand for the King and country’s right;
Boldly with proud Spain we’ll fight,
And thus end all distraction.
_THE TAKING OF THE PRINCISSA._
You brave English sailors that plow the ocean wide,
There are no better fellows in all the world beside;
Give ear unto a bloody fight to you I will display
Between a Spanish man-of-war, and the _Kent_, near Cator Bay.
The _Lennox_ and the _Orford_ was cruising thereabout,
And by a Spanish man-of-war they quickly were spy’d out.
Under French colours she down upon us bore,
Thinking we were two merchant ships which had of riches store;
The third she thought a man-of-war our convoy for to be,
And soon she tho’t to have taken us, if not more force than she;
But whilst our English man-of-war did preparations make,
And when that she came up with her, it prov’d a sad mistake.
She carried five hundred seamen, four hundred marines,
Most of them Irish fellows, who fought with [courage keen];
Seventy-four guns she mounted, all of the largest size,
With which she thought of our ships to make a noble prize,
But she was much mistaken, as plainly doth appear,
For we have made a prize of her, and she’s arrived here.
The _Lennox_, Captain Manning, receiv’d the first broadside,
Which carried away his foremast, and his bowsprit beside;
This sad unhappy accident he would no longer stay;
He was so sore disabled, was forc’d to bear away;
But for to shew his courage bold altho’ distressed sore,
He did a thundering broadside into the Spaniard pour.
The next run up the _Kent_, with Captain Durell bold,
Who gave to them a good broadside, like jolly hearts of gold,
Which scar’d the Spanish captain so, he was just going to strike,
So certainly he had it done, but for an Irish tike,
Which was his first lieutenant, who with the men combin’d;
He said ‘I’ll fight the ship myself, the captain we’ll confine.
‘Now come, my loving countrymen, with courage play your parts,
For if the English take us, we are sure of our deserts;
’Tis better manfully to fight, and here to die at sea,
For if the English take us now, we shall all hanged be.’
With that they gave a loud huzza, unto him thus did cry,
‘You shall from hence our captain be, we’ll fight until we die.’
Like jolly hearts of gold they made their cannons roar,
Into the _Kent_ without delay a full broad-side did pour;
Which noble Captain Durell bold did soon return again;
Full fifty of the Spanish men by that broad-side were slain.
Broad-side for broad-side, nine hours we did fight,
Till we at length did take them, our cause being just and right.
Yard-arm and yard-arm, for hours there [we] lay;
With great guns, small arms, and cutlasses we made a bloody fray;
Dead men in numbers lay about, our scuppers fill’d with blood,
Which made the seas [a]round us so like a purple flood.
Three fingers from one hand brave Captain Durell lost;
But yet he was not daunted, still he maintain’d the cause.
The third it was the _Orford_, who had spectator been,
But could not come to help us, nor join the bloody scene;
He hove his ship up to the wind, and brought some guns to bear,
When the desperate saw that, his heart sunk down with fear;
He was so sore disabled, and was so flutter’d then,
To which he had already lost above five hundred men.
But then this Irish desperate did also order then
Two guns to point down in the hold, to sink both ship and men.
O! this unhappy order fill’d his men with horrid dread,
When instantly a cannon-ball came and took off his head.
They made no more resistance, but down their colours took,
And to the _Orford_ now come up, immediately she struck.
So now these Irish desperates, their case it must look sad;
To fight against King and country, their cause was very bad.
Here’s health to all our admirals, and the captains also,
Likewise to every brave seaman aboard with them that go.
And may the bowl successful flow to all our British fleet,
Wishing they may Jack Spaniard drub, where’er with them they meet.
_ENGLISH COURAGE DISPLAY’D, OR BRAVE NEWS FROM ADMIRAL VERNON._
Being a copy of verses giving an account of the taking Porto Bello, the
22nd of November last, written by a seaman on board the _Burford_, the
admiral’s ship, and sent here from Jamaica.
Tune of _Glorious Charles of Sweden_.
Come loyal Britons all rejoyce with joyful acclamations,
And join with one united voice upon this just occasion;
To Admiral Vernon drink a health, likewise to each brave fellow
Who with that noble admiral was at the taking of Porto Bello.
From Jamaica he did sail with Commodore Brown to attend him,
Against the Spaniards to prevail, for which we must commend him,
At Porto Bello he arriv’d where each brave gallant fellow
With Admiral Vernon bravely fought, at the taking Porto Bello.
Two men-of-war of twenty guns, likewise five Guarda Costa’s
They in the harbour quickly took, to surrender they were forc’d, sir;
Then the town he summons’d strait, to surrender at his will O,
Which they refusing he did bumbard the town of Porto Bello.
He did bumbard it above two days, and they again return’d it;
The bombs and morters loud did play, he vow’d that he would burn it:
Which when they came to understand, and that he was so brave a
fellow
They did surrender out of hand, the town of Porto Bello.
Then with his men he went on shore who strait began to plunder,
’Tis as they serv’d our ships before, and therefore is no wonder.
With plenty of rum and good strong wines, our men did soon get
mellow
Then swore that never a house should stand in the town of Porto
Bello.
The governor to the admiral sent and to him made an offer
Of thirty thousand pieces of eight the houses to save did proffer.
Which the admiral did accept with a right and free goodwill O,
And therefore let the houses stand in the town of Porto Bello.
Their Iron Castle he destroy’d, and all their guns he seized.
The Spaniards ne’er was more anoy’d; he did just what he pleased.
The South Sea snow he did release, and many a stout English fellow
Whom they had rob’d upon the seas, and carried into Porto Bello.
All their brass guns he took away, the iron ones he nailed
And then threw them into the sea, before from thence he sailed,
Many a jolly sailor’s pouch was cram’d with white and yellow,
For they from plunder could not be kept in the town of Porto Bello.
Besides, brave Vernon freely gave amongst his men as follows,
Who bravely did themselves behave, full thirty thousand dollars,
This must their courage animate; each tar is a rich fellow,
And this is good encouragement for the taking Porto Bello.
When he had stayed there nineteen days, with just resentment fir’d,
Their forts demolished and castles rase’d he from them then retired,
But first he to Panama sent for many a gallant fellow,
Who in prison lay confin’d to be brought to Porto Bello.