Nothing has survived on Leake’s exploits excepting a rather poor ballad on the capture of a Spanish provision fleet in 1708 (p. 156). There is also a spirited ballad called _The Sea-fight, or the French Prize Taken_, published in 1707, which professes to describe an action between two single ships (p. 158). A contemporary poetaster, describing his voyage to Flanders, inserts some verses ‘in the praise of those heroes commanding the fleet,’ whom he thus commemorates: ‘Russell and Benbow I own to be braves, And Shovell, like Neptune bred up on the waves; Be it spoke to the praise of the bold Captain Jumper, When he met a French ship he bravely would thump her; Nor ever durst Lewis, or Duke of Burgundy E’er look in the face of brave Sir John Mundy; Denbigh and Dursley are lords of great merit, And Jennings possesseth an heroic spirit.’ On reciting these verses to the captain of a man-of-war, with an appropriate compliment to the captain himself, the poet received an effusive welcome on board. The captain admitted that he was a hero too. ‘I am of the blood of the bold Boanerges, And fear not the French when I meet them on surges; ... And if you are pleased for to leave your own nation Most proud I shall be of your sweet conversation.’ Incidentally the poet describes the ship setting sail: ‘Up came the Boatswain, with Countenance stern, With a great Pair of Whiskers, and Mouth like a Churn, He lug’d out his Whistle, and up came the Sailers, And all Hands aloft as nimble as Taylors: There was _Toe-le-ho_, and, _Boys, heave away_, Whilst another was tearing his Throat with, _Belay_; Then _Haul Cat, Haul_: A damnable Yawling; The Boatswain a Swearing, the Master a Bawling, _Helm-a-lee, ye Landlubbard Loobies; Let go the Fore-Bowlings, ye Fresh-Water Boobies; Haul Aft the Main-Sheet, ye Lump of a Dog_, Whilst another was Singing a Tune to the Log. Such Language was us’d by the Tarpauling Rabble, Sure never was such a Confusion at Bable: The Master cry’d out, _Thus, thus, Stedy, Stedy_: A Pox take his Thus, it made my Head Giddy.’ (Rands, _Pax in Crumena; or, the Trooper turn’d Poet_, 1714, pp. 6-7, _The Poet’s Voyage to Amsterdam_.) The reign of Queen Anne was marked by great disasters from fire and storm. In the great storm of November 26, 1703, twelve vessels belonging to the navy were totally lost, according to the list given by Clowes (ii. 389). A ballad on the event entitled _The Stormy Judgments or the Tempestuous Wind_ is printed in the _Bagford Ballads_ (i. 83), but it gives no details. Another entitled _The dreadful Tempest or a Divine Poem on the Amazing Hurricane which appeared with Wonderful Violence both by Sea and Land on the 27th of November 1703_ describes the loss of four men-of-war: