Hood's Conquest over the Count de Grasse

Come, all you jovial sailors, give ear unto my song;
Let joy inspire your hearts while glory leads you on.
The Count de Grasse with all his fleet has threatened us full sore
That with his great armada he'd scour the British shore,
Our ships he'd sink, our islands take all under his command;
But the courage of bold Britons has stopt his warlike hand.

The proud and lofty hero in Port Royal harbour lay,
And on the eighth of April from thence he sail'd away,
And with his floating batteries, in all just thirty-three,
A large convoy of transports to bear him company;
With troops and ammunition, as plainly does appear,
For to besiege Jamaica his course he strait did steer.
He thought this great attempt was very bold indeed,
But now I will unfold to you how far he did succeed.

For Hood soon had tidings the birds had took their flight
That he with so much diligence had watch'd both day and night;
Then with the gallant British fleet we sail'd from St. Lucia,
Resolving the destruction of the daring enemy.
It was on the ninth of April, just at the break of day,
We spy'd these lofty Frenchmen at Dominica lay.
There being but little wind, and they to windward were,
In spite of our best efforts their convoy did get clear.

The squadron under gallant Hood receiv'd a gallant breeze,
To bring the French to action the present moment seiz'd ;
The whole French fleet we did engage full eight glasses or more,
And with our little squadron we well paid their score ;
And like undaunted Britons each man stood to his gun,
Altho' the French at times were nearly two to one.
The rest of our fleet coming up, on them began to play,
Which made them to haul their wind, like cowards run away.

Those cowards then to windward three days we did pursue,
Until the twelfth of April the glorious fight renew'd ;
The wind did seem to favour us, our fleet hove in a line,
And for to close our enemy it was our whole design.
Bold Drake led the van, and fully bent was he
To die or else to conquer the daring enemy.
The action it commenced from the van unto the rear,
And we brake their line of battle amidst the smoke of fire.
Their Glory was dismasted, our shot so well we plied,
While fury round the enemy did rage on every side.

So closely we pursued them they knew not where to run
To shelter their disabled ships from the fire of English guns.
From morning until evening the battle we maintained.
The sea on every side of us seem'd to be in a flame.
The lofty City of Paris and haughty Count de Grasse,
The one we took a prisoner, the other laid avast. .
What joy inspired each Briton's heart, when the action it did close,
To see the lilly of France strike to the English rose.
Now the lofty Ville de Paris to Lewis is no more ;
Behold, she trims her lofty sails to deck Britannia's shore,
With three more of their lofty ships to bear her company,
And two, to make the fight compleat, lay buried in the sea.

So now bold Lewis think no more bold Britons to ensnare:
Our English tars will curb your pride ; your boasting we don't fear.
So, Britons, now join chorus and sound our admiral's praise,
Brave gallant Hood, and Drake, the terror of the seas,
All captains and lieutenants that fought with courage great,
All officers and seamen throughout the British fleet,
For we have and will still beat them; so, Britons bold, advance
To curb the boasting insults of proud and haughty France.