The Valliant Admiral ; or, The Wonderful Success of Sir John Leake

Now of noble, hardy men of might,
And those that with valour can heartily maintain
In the bloody field King Charles' right,
To make him happy on the royal throne of Spain,
Of these I mean to sing
While fame is on the wing,
Glad tydings to convey,
How we the other day
Did many laden transports take
On the seas, with much ease,
By the right renowned Sir John Leake.

Now the French have lost their trusty friend,
Who used to. inform them of all our! State affairs ;
On his letters they did still depend,
By which we oft were drawn into fatal snares;
He's gone, he's gone with shame.
Now valiant men of fame
Can prosper when they go,
And daunt the daring foe,
Making their stubborn hearts to ake,
As they find Fortune kind
To the right renowned Sir John.Leake.

Under his command the royal fleet
With transports and tenders was for Lisbon bound.
This passage 'twas his chance to meet
The French, which he did manfully encompass round,
A hundred sail and more,
As they was passing o're
Towards the banks of Spain, '
All loaded well with grain.
We ninety of those barks did take,
Which was there, by the care
Of the right renowned Sir John Leake.

When our flying streamers they beheld,
And stout men-of-war, which was likewise rarely man'd,
They were with exceeding sorrow fill'd.
A thousand times in vain they wish themselves on land.
Aloud they cry'd, ' Morblew.'
Alas ! that wou'd not do.
The British lyon bold,
Which scorns to be controul'd,
Caused their stubborn hearts to ake ;
Took they were by.the care
Of the right renowned Sir John Leake.

This vast fleet of barks was then convey'd
Under the protection of three French men-of-war.
Finding they by us.captives were made,
Alas ! they rung their hands and cry'd aloud, 'Begar,
De Britains bold are come,
With cannon, trumpet, drum,
To seize upon our corn,
'And make us all forlorn.'
This was the mourn which they did make;
For they found they were bound
To submit to valliant Sir John Leake.

Cloathes for many thousands were on board
Those barks which was taken, and naval stores likewise:
Barley, oats, and wheat, which did afford
Much comfort to the army of the Grand Allies ;
For well we may conclude,
They having store of food,
And other comforts still,
They'll fight with right good-will
And of the French strange havock make;
Then let's pray, night and day,
For the right renowned Sir John Leake.

To fair Barcelona they have brought
o the French commander little thought Those rich laden cargoes, worth many thousand pounds.

They should meet with crabid Fortune's fatal frown:
But so it came to pass;
Each looking like an ass
At their unhappy doom,
How they did fret and foam,
While we joy and triumph make,
Drinking still, with good-will,
To the right renowned Sir John Leake.