Great Britain -- History, Naval -- Poetry; Sea songs -- Great Britain
The weather is clear, which was late overcast
And our long expectations are answer’d at last,
With news from the navie, which I shal impart
Enough to rejoyce every English-mans heart,
That’s honest and true,
(And is not a Jew)
But would give to God and to Caesar his due.
This will be a joyfull and royal relation
To such as love God, the King and the nation:
Those Dutch demigorgons, God’s power convinces
And makes them all servants that aim’d to be princes.
On Wednesday last the twenty fift day of July,
Came in this narration which Ile tell ye truly,
FroAm brave Cap. Talbot a man of stout carriage
That then brought a part of this news into Harwich,
Both ruine and rage,
(In brave equipage)
Last Wednesday at noone both fleets did ingage
The winds were our freinds, and did fill out our sails
With very fresh northerly brave top-sail gales;
We din’d with the Hogens upon their own coast,
You might a had Dutch-men there boild or roast.
At first both the navies did fight in a line,
Three hours with much fury and force, but in fine,
The enemies fleet into three squadrons flew,
And Sir Jeremie Smith (Admiral of the Blew)
By lot was to face,
Persue, and to chase
Out the Zelanders squadron, the strongest that was.
They fought it out furiously, all the day after,
And fiercely encounter’d, like wild-fire and water,
A frigat of ours called the _Resolution_,
Was burnt by the Dutch in this depth of confusion.
The White and Red squadrons did ply that two other
So fast that they almost were choak’d with the smother
They tugg’d very hard who should stand it out longest
Our Blew was the weakest, the Zealand the strongest,
And yet they fight
’Till so late at night,
That powder and darkness depriv’d them of sight.
The two Holland squadrons both turn’d tail and fled
Pursued by the squadrons of our White and Red,
Upon Thursday morning betwixt nine and ten,
The Zealand’s were cripled and hopp’d home agen.
To aid the Blew squadron a thousand stout men
Were sent (in the frigats) by Sir William Pen,
And Talbot doth tell us ere he did retire,
On Wednesday night he saw six Dutch ships on fire;
Two hundred almost
Of our men were lost,
Such victories seldom are gain’d without cost;
The Zealanders Admiral some think is gone
Unto his last home, when his flag was shot down,
’Tis highly presum’d by the best knowing men,
They nere will be able to fight us agen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account