He told us we might enter if that we would pay Forty shillings a man to the rogue that did us betray; But Neper’s high offer we rejected with disdain, But we’ll fight for our King against France and against Spain. _We’ll go, etc._ But I hope in short time sweet peace will be restor’d, And the Devil will have Neper tho’ we’re in the hold. When peace is restor’d to Leith we will come, To pay Neper and his men for what they have done. _We’ll go, etc._ Come, all you jolly seamen that to Greenland do go, We wish you good success, alltho’ we go no more, For we are forced to serve the King on board of a man-o-war; But expects to return with gold and silver store. _We’ll go, etc._ _ADMIRAL KEPPEL TRIUMPHANT; OR, MONSIEURS IN THE SUDS._ Each bold British tar, Who ne’er dreads wound or scar, Now to honour and glory advance; Never let it be told That Britons so bold Shall stoop to be conquer’d by France. This American war Had ne’er gone on so far Had they not been supported by France; But Keppel so brave, Such music he’ll have, Will teach them the Old English dance. Tho’ railing there’s been ’Gainst statesmen and King And they said, we durst not declare war, But, whether or not, Such a navy we’ve got That will soon be a scourge to Monsieur. Bold Keppel, we know, Was ever their foe, And his courage no Briton need doubt; Two French frigates he’s ta’en, That were sailing the main Our West India fleet for to rout. Now Keppel, they say, Off Brest Harbour does lay: Monsieurs with their fleet can’t come out; If they do they must fight, Which was ne’er their delight. We shall beat them; of that there’s no doubt. Each true British soul, Push round can or bowl, Drink success to his Majesty’s arms And his navy at sea; Then we all must agree We fear no invading alarms. _KEPPEL AND DE CHARTRES._ A NEW SONG. (1779.) Come, all ye valiant seamen that plough the raging main, And listen to my ditty, ye jovial sons of fame; It is of the bloody battle between us and Monsieur, And if you’ll give attention the truth of it you’ll hear. On the ninth day of July, at St. Hellens where we lay, Our admiral hove a signal out for all the fleet to weigh. Down Channel we all sail’d, till a Dutchman we did meet, Who gave us the intelligence of seeing the French fleet. The twenty-third of July was the day we hove in sight Of the Duc de Chartres and forty sail so bright. Our admirals hove the signal out for all the fleet to chase, But the French prov’d cowards and run, to their disgrace.