Come, cheer up, my lads!
'tis to glory we steer,
To add something more
to this wonderful year:
To honour we call you,
not press you like slaves:
For who are so free
as the sons of the waves?
Hearts of oak are our ships,
Gallant tars are our men;
We always are ready:
Steady, boys, steady!
We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again.
We ne'er see our foes
but we wish them to stay;
They never see us but
they wish us away;
If they run, why, we follow,
or run them ashore;
For if they won't fight us,
we cannot do more.
Hearts of oak, etc.
Britannia triumphant,
her ships sweep the sea;
Her standard is Justice--
her watchword, "Be free!"
Then cheer up, my lads!
with one heart let us sing,
"Our soldiers, our sailors,
our statesmen, and king."
Hearts of oak, etc.
_David Garrick_.