Bold Sawyer

Come all ye jolly sailors with courage stout and bold,
Come enter with bold Sawyer, he'll cloath you all in gold;
Repair on board the old Nassau,
As fine a ship as e'er you saw,
We'll make the French to stand in awe;
She's manned with British boys.

Commander Keppel with his good design,
Commanded the squadron, five sail of the line,
The Prince Edward of forty guns,
The Firedrake and Furnace bombs,
To take Goree it must be done,
By true British boys.

The 29th of October from Spithead we set sail,
Kind Neptune convey'd us with a sweet and pleasant gale,
So steering on the Barbary shore,
Distance about twelve leagues or more,
The wind at west aloud did roar;
Stand by, ye British boys.

So, steering on the lee-shore until the break of day,
We spy'd a lofty sail on the Barbary shore to lay,
'In great distress she seem'd to be,
Her guns all overboard threw she,
Which prov'd the Lichfield for to be,
With all her British boys.

The wind blowing hard, we could give them no relief,
A stretching on the lee shore we touched at Teneriff.
So watering the ships at Santa Cruz,
Taking good wine for our ship's use,
We sold our cloaths good wine to booze,
Like brave British boys.

Our ship being water'd and plenty of good wine,
We hoisted up our top-sails and crost the tropic line.
The wind at west the leading gale,
Our gallant ship did sweetly sail;
Steady along she ne'er will fail,
With all her British boys.

'Steady a port! don't bring her by the lee !
Yonder is the flag-staff at Goree, I do see.'
We brought the city within sight,
Anchor'd in Goree bay that night,
Clear'd our ships ready to fight,
Like brave British boys.

Early next morning the Prince Edward of forty guns
Was station'd off the island to cover our two bombs,
The old Nassau she led the van,
With all her jovial fighting men,
The drums did beat ' to quarter stand,'
Like brave British boys.

We sail'd up to their batteries as close as we could lay,
Our guns from the top and poop aloud did play,
Which made the French cry ' Morbleu !
Diable ! what shall we do ?
Here comes bold Sawyer and all his crew,
They're all British boys?

Then, follow'd by the Dunkirk and Torbay,
The guns aloud did rattle and shells did play,
Which made the French their batteries shun,
And from their trenches for to run,
The flag was struck, the fight was done,
O huzza ! my British boys.

The Nassau and Dunkirk and Torbay of renown,
Three as fine ships as belong to the crown,
The only ships that fought so free,
In taking of the isle of Goree,
They are all British boys.

Boast not of Frenchmen nor yet of Maclome, [sic]
Sawyer's as big a hero as ever you did hear,
Whilst the shot around him did flee,
In engaging twice the isle of Goree,
As valiant men as ever you see,
They are all British boys.

Here's a health to .King George our sovereign majesty,
Likewise to bold Sawyer that fought the French so free,
Our officers and all our crew
Are valiant men as e'er you knew,
So here's a health to each true blue,
My brave British boys.