A New Song in Praise of Admiral Duncan
By J. Prat.
Tune Arethusa
To tame the Dutch, our treacherous foes,
And give Mynheers a bloody nose,
Brave Duncan to the Texel goes,
Expecting they would meet him.
Many boisterous nights and days
We roll’d upon the raging seas,
Enduring hardships various ways;
Wind and cold, in storms we roll’d,
Yet our tars and admirals bold
Resolved they would beat them.
No toils nor storms the Dutch endure,
But snug at home they sleep secure,
And judge it safe not to unmoor
While Duncan keeps his station.
When our brave Admiral saw their plan,
He said, ‘We’ll ’tice them if we can:
Let it be known that we are gone
To Yarmouth Roads to take on board
Fresh wholesome stores our isles afford—
They’ll credit the relation.’
Then we bore off for England’s shore,
And moored in Yarmouth Roads once more.
Our anchors soon the deep explore;
We quickly were refitted.
Our Admiral soon a signal ’spies:
‘Prepare, my lads!’ he loudly cries;
‘The proud Mynheer from the Texel steers;
Our anchors weigh—make no delay,
We’ll shew our cowardly enemy
’Tis in vain for to escape us.’
The shore we clear’d, and off we steer’d,
And soon in sight the Dutch appear’d;
The signal rose, the sailors cheer’d,
And quickly rang’d for battle.
All hands then to their quarters run,
Each tar with courage seiz’d his gun;
At twelve the bloody fight begun,
At every fire our foes expire;
We drubbed them to our heart’s desire:
God prosper British sailors!
Dutch ships eleven with fire and rage
Did fiercely three of ours engage,
But we their fury did assuage
And made them to surrender:
De Winter haul’d his colours down,
And their vice-admiral soon did own
That victory British tars must crown;
Of eleven more that struck, but four
Escap’d to tell their friends on shore
That all the rest were taken.
On board the Ardent, known so well,
Brave Captain Burgess boldly fell;
His loss we mourn, but fame shall tell
His worth to future ages.
Our efforts they could not evade,
Two admirals we prisoners made;
Ships of the line we captured nine:
In a battered state the rest retreat,
To weep at home their sad defeat
On the glorious eleventh of October.
Let every loyal Briton sing
God save great George our King!
And in her train may Victory bring
Long peace unto our nation;
To Duncan and his tars success,
Who did the Dutch so warmly dress;
And Vincent bold, who Spain controul’d;
With Home also, who aim’d a blow
That brought the fleet of Gallia low.
Success to all true Britons!