The Valiant Seamen’s Courage
Who by the order of the Right Honourable Admiral Russel did on the tenth of May perform a brave exploit on the French, burning thirty-eight sail of their merchantmen, and taking a man-of-war, to the great honour of the English nation.
To the Tune of Fond boy, etc.
Joyful tydings I bring; let us merrily sing
Till we make the whole nation with triumph to ring;
For an admiral, he, by his conduct at sea,
Now has made the poor French-men to come by the lee.
This is but the beginning of what we intend
For to shew them before the brave summer does end.
A detachment sent out bravely scour’d about
Till they put a whole fleet of French ships to the rout;
We were four or five sail, who to fight never fail,
And the one carry’d fiery flames in her tail.
This, etc.
To these merchants of France we did fairly advance;
So good was our fortunate, prosperous chance
That we put them in fear: to the shore they did steer,
While we follow’d with thundering shot in the reer.
This, etc.
Some was sailing for Brest and St. Malo’s, we guest,
To fair Dunkirk with stores and provision the rest;
But their voyage we stay’d and fierce havock we made,
While our thundering cannons against them we play’d.
This, etc.
Quoth the frighted Mounsieur, ‘To de shore let us steer,
Here is coming five sail of de proud Englateer;
Now, begar, let us run from de noise of deir gun,
Or dey’ll serve us as dey did our dear Rising Sun.’
Yet this is but a taste, boys, of what we intend
For to give them before the brave summer does end.
As they fled in disgrace still we mended our pace,
And, like true sons of thunder, we follow’d the chase,
Where in harbour near shore thirty-eight sail or more
We did set all on fire; in flames they did roar.
This, etc.
When our project did take, such a flame it did make,
Just as if the seas had been a fiery lake;
All their charges and cost of their cargo were lost:
Now was ever poor French-men so plaguely crost?
This, etc.
It was on the tenth day of this sweet month of May
When the valiant bold Britains did shew them this play,
And we make no great doubt, e’er the summer is out,
For to give them a sharp and more vigorous rout.
This, etc.
Boys, the work we’ll compleat with a most royal fleet,
For we valiant tarpollins do scorn to retreat;
Not a French-man we’ll spare; let them come if they dare
On the ocean, brave Russel will fight with them fair.
This is but a beginning of what he intends
For to shew them before the brave summer it ends.