O wretched sight! O fatal was the day! O my dear husband, art thou fled away? Was this thy fatal exit from this world? No grave! but peace-meal was thy carcass hurl’d. O heavy message! the sad tidings spread: O my dear husband, are you from me fled? My soul sinks deep with grief for this my loss, In deep despair my parting soul is toss’d. 1ST WOMAN. Ah, neighbour, neighbour, you are not alone. Here’s hundreds of us to lament and moan Our poor unhappy husbands’ fatal fall. Sweet Jesus Christ take pity on us all, Children and widows send up doleful cries; Their lamentations pierce quite thro’ the skies: Bereft of earthly joys, with grief opprest, ’Tis God alone can ease each troubled breast. Their earthly stay and staff from them is gone, Wherefore they must depend on God alone. And our good Queen will pity of them take; Then grant them help for blessed Jesus’ sake. One man of all that number is alive, But is so weak he cannot long survive. Then let us all prepared be for death, Since none knows when we must resign our breath. By providence the captain just before, With’s lady too, did chance to go ashore. Some other officers and sailors too Are sav’d, and did that danger quite eschew. Then let us all our sinful lives amend, Since God such punishments to mortal send. Let’s bear in mind this tragedy just past, And strive to live as each day was our last. _THE SAILOR’S COMPLAINT._ Come and listen to my ditty, all ye jolly hearts of gold, Lend a brother tar your pity who was once so stout and bold; But the arrows of God Cupid, alas! have made me rue, Sure true love was ne’er so treated as I am by scornful Sue. When I landed first at Dover she appeared a goddess bright. From foreign parts but just come over I was struck with so fair a sight; On the shore pretty Susan walked near to where our frigate lay, And altho’ so near the landing, I, alas! was cast away. When first I hail’d my pretty creature, the delight of land and sea, No man ever saw a sweeter, I’d have kept her company; I’d fain have made her my true love, for better or for worse, But, alas! I could not compass her for to steer the marriage course. Once no greater joy or pleasure could have come into my mind, Than to see the bold _Defiance_ sailing right before the wind, O’er the white waves as she danced, and her colours gaily flew; But that was not half so charming as the trim of lovely Sue. On a rocky coast I’ve driven where the stormy winds do rise, Where the rolling mountain billows lift a vessel to the skies; But from land, or from the ocean, little dread I ever knew, When compared to the dangers in the frowns of scornful Sue.