The Sailor’s Onely Delight
Shewing the brave fight between George-Aloe, the Sweep-stakes and certain Frenchmen at Sea.
The George-Aloe and the Sweep-stake too,
With hey, with hoe, for and a nony no;
O they were merchant-men and bound for Safee,
And alongst the coast of Barbary.
The George-Aloe to anchor came,
But the jolly Sweepstake kept on her way.
They had not sayled leagues two or three,
But they met with a Frenchman of war upon the sea.
‘All haile, all haile, you lusty gallants,
Of whence is your fair ship, or whither are you bound?’
‘We are Englishmen and bound for Safee,
Of whence is your fair ship, or whither are you bound?’
‘Amaine, amaine, you gallant Englishman,’
‘Come, you French swads, and strike down your sayle.’
They laid us aboord on the star-boord side,
And they overthrew us into the sea so wide.
When tidings to the George-Aloe came,
That the jolly Sweep-stake by a Frenchman was tane.
‘To top! to top, thou little ship-boy!
And see if this Frenchman of war thou canst descry.’
‘A sayle, a sayle, under our lee,
Yea, and another under her obey.’
‘Weigh anchor! weigh anchor, O jolly boat-swain,
We wil take this Frenchman if we can.’
We had not sayled leagues two or three,
But we met the Frenchman of war upon the sea,
‘All haile, all haile, you lusty gallants,
Of whence is your faire ship and whither are you bound?’
‘O, wee are merchant-men and bound for Safee.’
‘I, and wee are French-men, and war upon the sea.
‘Amaine, amaine, you English dogges!’
‘Come aboard, you French rogue, and strike down your sailes.’
The first good shot the George-Aloe (made),
He made the French-men’s hearts sore afraid.
The second shot the George-Aloe did afford,
He struck their mainmast over the board.
‘Have mercy, have mercy, you brave Englishmen,’
‘O what have you done with our brethren,
As they sayled in Barbarie?’
‘Wee laid them aboard on the starboard side,
And we threw them into the sea so wide.’
‘Such mercy as you have shewed unto them,
Then the like mercy shall you have againe.
Wee laid them aboard on the larboard side,
And we threw them into the sea so wide.
Lord! how it grieves our hearts full sore,
To see the drowned French-men swim along the shore.
Now, gallant sea-men all, adieu,
With hey, with hoe, for and a nony no;
This is the latest newes that I can write to you,
To England’s coast from Barbarie.