Great Britain -- History, Naval -- Poetry; Sea songs -- Great Britain
Against Havannah we set sail, with a fleet of combination;
Land troops we likewise had on board, to pay off Spain’s aggression.
We moor’d our ships, and landed our troops, the Spaniards came down
raging;
But they found we were true British boys, as we their fury were
swaging.
We chac’d the Spaniards thro’ the woods, and hunted them like mawkin,
And turn’d up hundreds in their fuds, the rest ran homeward quaking.
For though they came in thousands on, our fire would make them
scatter,
But we true Britons kept our ground, while blood did run like water.
The Spaniards judg’d the Moro’s fort the Briton’s strength would
banter,
But when we blew it up i’ the air, they tuned another chanter.
Bold Harvey with three noble ships their walls by sea did batter,
While we bombarded it on land, and did their out-works clatter.
But never was heard such woful thuds as the _Cambridge_ and
_Marlborough_ [did give ’em]
The _Dragon_ fired as brisk as they, but for smoak none could
perceive them.
The _Cambridge_ got her captain shot, and a hundred more beside him,
Brave Harvey then his station quit, for five long hours he try’d
them.
But finding it bomb and cannon proof, we then did give it over,
And sprung a mine below their walls, which split the rocks in
shivers.
Some Spaniards went up with the blast, which made their fellows
wonder,
Such a hideous roar ne’er heard before, it far exceeded thunder.
Then we approach’d upon a breach, our firelocks cock’d and ready,
Where the Spaniards met us for a brush, imploring on their Lady
To aid Velasco a Spaniard bold, a valiant sea commander,
Who vow’d for to defend his fort, while Marza kept up his standard.
O, then began the bloody fray, with bayonets and broad swords
champing,
Through bones and bellies we made our way, and dying men under us
trampling;
Of seven hundred Spaniards here, scarce left alive was eighty,
Velasco by his standard fell, whose deeds were counted mighty.
Then to Havannah we did march, and trenches rais’d like mountains,
Then cut away their water pipes, which supplied them with fresh
fountains,
Our batteries then began to play, with roars aloud like thunder,
Which dash’d their walls and chimnies down, yet loath for to knock
under.
O, then with bombs and fiery balls, threatened their utter ruin,
Which rais’d such cries, as pierc’d the skies, for mercy they were
suing.
[Juan] de Prado to British tars was loath to be subjected,
But brave Albemarle told him his fate was then to be ransacked,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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