Captain Cobb's Bravery

Captain Cobb in Lynn doth dwell, a man of worthy fame,
He went on board the bold Bacchus, a ship of lovely "fame, fal lal lal, etc.

From Lynn to Port there we were bound, and for to load with wine;
And as we were returning home, a privateer espyed.

Our master bold said, ' Every man stand true [un]to his gun ;
And let us give them a full broadside, and see if we can them shun.'

No sooner we had fired at them, but the Spaniards returned the same;
We tacked our ship about again, and gave them [a] thump for their pain.

The second broadside the Spaniard [fired] they wounded our captain sore,
'For quarters, quarters,' our captain [cried]; ' No, damn it,' the boatswain swore,

'Go you down into your cabin, and leave all things to me ;
I'll warrant I'll make them all stand true, and will gain the victory.'

We had no more than fourteen men, and two boys which made sixteen;
We fought with a hundred and twenty-four men, and cleared our way of them.

There were thirty of them boarded us, a dreadful sight to see,
I could not get my gun to fire, and sore it did grieve me.

A blunderbuss I took in hand, and did them sweetly bang;
Some we drove into the sea, and some on the deck lay slain.

And the rest of them that was left alive, their arms we took from them ;
And stowed them close down in their hold, till to England we came.

We began at four in the afternoon, and fought while eight at night;
And before we had fired at her larboard side on her we 'spyed a light.

No sooner [had] we fired at her, no more of her we could see,
God knows whether we sunk her, or whether she run away.

The Heavens above alone did us love, o'er our enemies to prevail;
So we set sail and away we came, with a fine and pleasant gale.

When to old England we come, and our merchants do hear of the same,
I hope they will some kindness shew, and reward us for our pains.

If every Englishman like us would fight upon the sea,
They need not fear to sail the seas, nor to face the enemy.