Saylors for my Money

Countrie men of England, who live at home with ease,
And little thinke what dangers are incident o' th' seas,
Give eare unto the saylor who unto you will shew
His case, his case: how ere the winde doth blow.

He that is a saylor must have a valiant heart,
For, when he is upon the sea, he is not like to start;
But must with noble courage all dangers undergoe :
Resolve, resolve : how Jre the wind doth blow.

Our calling is laborious, and subject to much [care];
But we must still contented be with what falls to our share.
We must not be faint-hearted, come tempest, raine or snow,
Nor shrinke : nor shrinke : how Jre the winde doth blowe.

Sometimes on Neptune's bosome our ship is tost with waves,
And every minute we expect the sea must be our graves.
Sometimes on high she mounteth, then falls againe as low :
With waves : with waves : when stormie winds do blow.

Then with unfained prayers, as Christian duty bindes,
Wee turne unto the Lord of hosts, with all our hearts and minds;
To Him we flie for succour, for He, we surely know,
Can save : can save : how ere the wind doth blow.

Then He who [brake] the rage [of] the rough and blustrous seas,
When His disciples were afraid, will straight the stormes apease ;
And give us cause to thanke, on bended knees full low:
Who saves : who saves : how ere the wind doth blow.

Our enemies approaching, when wee on sea espie,
Wee must resolve incontinent to fight, although we die ;
With noble resolution we must oppose our foe
In fight, in fight: how ere the wind doth blow.

And when, by God's assistance, our foes are put to th' foile,
To animate our courages wee all have share o' th' spoile.
Our foes into the ocean we back to back do throw,
To sinke, or swimme : how ere the wind doth blow.

Thus wee gallant sea-men, in midst of greatest dangers,
Doe alwaies prove our valour, wee never are no changers;
But what soe ere betide us, wee stoutly undergoe,
Resolv'd, resolv'd : how ere the wind doth blow.

If fortune doe befriend us, in what we take in hand,
Wee prove our selves still generous wherere we come to land;
Ther's few that shall out brave us, though neere so great in show
We spend, and lend : how ere the wind doth blow.

We travell to the Indies, from them we bring som spice;
There we buy rich merchandise at very little price;
And many wealthy prizes we conquer from the foe
In fight, in fight: how ere the wind doth blow.

Into our native country with wealth we doe returne,
And cheere our wives and children, who for our absence mourne
Then doe we bravely flourish, and where soe ere we goe
We roare : we roare : how ere the wind doth blow.

For when we have received our wages for our paynes
The vintners and the tapsters by us have golden gaines.
We call for liquor roundly, and pay before we goe :
And sing : and drink : how ere the wind doth blow.

We bravely are respected when we walke up and downe,
For if wee meete good company wee care not for a crowne ;
Ther's none more free than saylors, where ere he come or goe,
They'll roare o' th' shore : how ere the winde doth blow.

Then who would live in England and no[u]rish vice with ease,
When hee that is in povertie may riches get o' th' seas ?
Let's saile unto the Indies, where golden grass doth grow:
To sea, to sea : how ere the wind doth blow.