To the seas presently went our Lord Admirall, With knights couragyous, and captaines full good; The Earl of Essex, a prosperous Generall, With him prepared to passe the salt floode. _Dub-a-dub, etc._ At Plymouth speedily took they shipp valiantly, Braver shippes never were seen under sayle; With their fayre colours spread, and streamers o’re their head Now, bragging Spanyards, take heed of your tayle. _Dub-a-dub, etc._ Unto Cales, cunningly, came we most speedylye, Where the King’s navy did secretelye ride, Being upon their backe, piercing their butts of Sacke, Ere that the Spanyards our coming descry’d. _Tan-ta-ra, ta-ra-ra, the Englishmen comes; Bounce-a-bounce, bounce-a-bounce, off went the guns._ Great was the crying, running and ryding, Which at that season was made in that place; The Beacons were fyred, as need then required, To hyde their great treasure they had little space. _‘Alas!’ they cryed, ‘Englishmen comes,’ etc._ There you might see the shipps, how they were fired fast, And how the men drowned them selves in the sea: There you may hear them cry, wail and weep piteously, When as they saw no shift to escape thence away. _Dub-a-dub, etc._ The great _Saint Philip_, the pryde of the Spanyards, Was burnt to the bottom, and sunke in the sea; But the _Saint Andrew_, and eke the _Saint Matthew_ We took in fight manfully, and brought them away. _Dub-a-dub, etc._ The Earl of Essex, most valyant and hardy, With horse-men and foot-men march’d towards the towne The enemies which saw them, full greatly affrighted, Did fly for their safe-guard, and durst not come downe. _Dub-a-dub, etc._ ‘Now,’ quoth the noble Earl, ‘courage, my soldiers all! Fight and be valiant, the spoyl you shall have; And [be] well rewarded all, from the great to the small; But looke that the women and children you save!’ _Dub-a-dub, etc._ The Spaniards, at that sight, saw ’twas in vain to fight, Hung up their flags of truce, yielding the town; We march’d in presently, decking the walls on high With our English colours, which purchas’d renown. _Dub-a-dub, etc._ Ent’ring the houses then, and of the richest men, For gold and treasure we searched each day; In some places we did find pye baking in the oven, Meat at the fire roasting, and folkes fled away. _Dub-a-dub, etc._ Full of rich merchandize every shop we did see, Damasks, and sattins, and velvets full fair; Which soldiers measure out by the length of their swords, Of all commodities each one hath a share. _Dub-a-dub, etc._