History & Politics
England's Glory ; or, The French King Stripped
From Naval Songs and Ballads, ed. C. H. Firth (1908)
Come all you jolly seamen, that's willing to enter
On board of the Duke, your lives for to venture,
On board of the Duke, she's called by name,
She cruizes the seas for old England's fame.
Fal, etc.
The fourth day of May from the Downs we set sail,
O, we were blest with a very fine gale :
And with the Prince Frederick being our Commodore,
We steered away, boys, for the Canary shore.
etc.
The tenth day of July, it being very clear,
We espy'd three ships belonging to Mounsieur ;
O, these three ships were coming from Peru,
With gold and silver, boys, all in our view.
etc.
A broadside from these French dogs we did receive,
But quickly two for one O we did them give :
But then at length they would no longer fight,
' Our ships are a sinking,' for quarter they cry'd.
Fal, etc.
We hoisted out our pinnace, went to them straitway,
We boarded two of their ships the very same day ;
We brought all the prisoners on board our own ship,
Our hearts then within us began for to leap.
Fal, etc.
Then we went to Kingsale, being the nearest place,
That we durst go to for to show our face :
Where we had good wine and punch in gollore,
And rum and brandy, boys, all in good store.
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (Naval Songs and Ballads). “England's Glory ; or, The French King Stripped.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-naval-songs/76/.
Chicago
Anonymous (Naval Songs and Ballads). “England's Glory ; or, The French King Stripped.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-naval-songs/76/.
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