Neptune's Raging Fury ; or, the Gallant Seaman's Sufferings

You gentlemen of England, that lives at home at ease,
Full little do you think upon the dangers of the seas :
Give ear unto the marriners, and they will plainly show,
The cares and the fears when the stormy winds do blow.

All you that will be seamen must bear a valiant heart,
For when you come upon the seas you must not think to start,
Nor once to be faint-hearted in hail, rain, or snow,
Nor to shrink, nor to shrink when the stormy winds do blow.

The bitter storms and tempests poor seamen must endure,
Both day and night, with many a fright, we seldom rest secure ;
Our sleep it is disturbed with visions strange to know,
And with dreams on the streams, when the stormy winds do blow.

In claps of roaring thunder which darkness doth enforce,
We often find our ship to stray beyond our wonted course,
Which causeth great distractions, and sinks our hearts full low ;
'Tis in vain to complain when the stormy winds do blow.

Sometimes in Neptune's bosom our ship is tost in waves
And every man expecting the sea to be their graves :
Then up aloft she mounteth and down again so low;
'Tis with waves, oh ! with waves, when the stormy winds do blow.

Then down again we fall to prayer with all our might and thought';
When refuge all doth fail us 'tis that must bear us out ;
To God we call for succour, for He it is, we know,
That must aid us and save us when the stormy winds do blow.

The lawyer and the usurer that sits in gown of fur,
In closets warm, can take no harm, abroad they need not stir;
When winter fierce with cold doth pierce, and beats with hail and snow,
We are sure to endure when the stormy winds do blow.

We bring home costly merchandise, and jewels of great price
To serve our English gallantry with many a rare device;
To please the English gallantry our pains we freely show,
For we toyl and we moile when the stormy winds do blow.

We sometimes sail to the Indies to fetch home spices rare,
Sometimes again to France and Spain for wines beyond compare
Whilst gallants are carousing in taverns on a row
Then we sweep o'er the deep when the stormy winds do blow.

When tempests are blown over, and greatest fears are past,
In weather fair and temperate air, we straight lie down to rest:
But when the billows tumble and waves do furious grow
Then we rouse, up we rouse when the stormy winds do blow.

If enemies oppose us, when England is at wars
With any foreign nations we fear not wounds and scars ;
Our roaring guns shall teach 'em our valour for to know,
Whilst they reel in the keel when the stormy winds do blow.

We are no cowardly shrinkers, but Englishmen true bred;
We'll play our parts like valiant hearts, and never fly for dread ;
We'll ply our business nimbly, where'er we come or go
With our mates, to the Straits, when the stormy winds do blow.

Then courage all, brave mariners, and never be dismayed;
Whilst we have bold adventure[r]s we ne'er shall want a trade ;
Our merchants will employ us to fetch them wealth, we know ;
Then be bold, work for gold, when the stormy winds do blow.

When we return in safety with wages for our pains
The tapster and the vintner will help to share our gains;
We'll call for liquor roundly and pay before we go,
Then we'll roar on the shore when the stormy winds do blow.