Four Excellent New Songs (3)/The Tempest
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THE TEMPEST.
Cease rude Boreas, blust'ring railer,
List' ye landmen all to me,
Mess mates hear a brother sailor
sing the dangers of the sea
From bounding billows first in motion,
when the distant whirlwinds rise,
To the tempest troubled ocean,
when the seas contend with skies.
Hark! the boatswain hoarsely bawling,
by top-sail sheets and hallyards stand:
Down top-gallants, quick, be hawling,
down your stay-sails, hand boys, hand
Now it freshens, set the braces,
the lee top-sail sheets let go;
Luff boys, luff, don't make wry faces,
up your top-sails nimbly clew.
Now all you on downbeds sporting,
fondly lock'd 'twixt beauty's arms,
Fresh enjoyment, wanting courting,
safe's from all but love's alarms.
Around us roars the tempest louder:
think what fears our minds enthral;
Harder yet it blows harder,
now again the boatswain's call.
The topsail-yard, point to the wind, boys;
see all clear to reef each course;
Let the fore sheet go; don't mind, boys,
thro' the weather shou'd be worse.
Fore and aft the spirit-yard get,
reef the mizen, see all clear;
Hand up each preventure brace set,
man the fore-yard; cheer lads cheer.
Now the dreadful thunder's roaring!
peals on peals contending clash!
On our heads fierce rain falls pouring,
in our eyes blue lightnings flash,
On wide water all around us,
all above but one black sky!
Different deaths at once surround us,
hark! what means you dreadful cry?
The foremast's gone, cries ev'ry tongue out
o'er the lee twelve feet 'bove deck!
A lake beneath the chestree's sprung out!
call all hands to clear the wreck.
Quick the laniards cut to pieces,
come, my hearts, be stout and bold
Plumb the well, the leak increases,
four feet water's in the hold!
While o'er the ship the wild waves beating
we for wives and children mourn:
Alas! from hence there's no retreating,
alas! to them there is no return!
Still the leak is gaining on us,
both chain pumps are choak'd below
Heav'n have mercy here upon us!
Only he can save us now.
The lee beam is the land, boys,
let the guns o'er board be thrown:
To the pump come every hand, boys,
(illegible text)! her mizzen mast is gone.
The leak we've found it cannot pour fast
we've lighten'd her a foot or more;
(illegible text)up and rig a jury fore-mast,
(illegible text)'s tight, she's tight boys wear off shore.
(illegible text)once more on joys be thinking,
since kind Fortune sav'd our lives;
Come, the can, boys, let's be drinking
to our sweet hearts and our wives.
Fill it up, about ship drive it:
close to lips the brimmer join,
Where's the tempest now? who feels it?
none;—our danger's drown'd in wine.
List' ye landmen all to me,
Mess mates hear a brother sailor
sing the dangers of the sea
From bounding billows first in motion,
when the distant whirlwinds rise,
To the tempest troubled ocean,
when the seas contend with skies.
Hark! the boatswain hoarsely bawling,
by top-sail sheets and hallyards stand:
Down top-gallants, quick, be hawling,
down your stay-sails, hand boys, hand
Now it freshens, set the braces,
the lee top-sail sheets let go;
Luff boys, luff, don't make wry faces,
up your top-sails nimbly clew.
Now all you on downbeds sporting,
fondly lock'd 'twixt beauty's arms,
Fresh enjoyment, wanting courting,
safe's from all but love's alarms.
Around us roars the tempest louder:
think what fears our minds enthral;
Harder yet it blows harder,
now again the boatswain's call.
The topsail-yard, point to the wind, boys;
see all clear to reef each course;
Let the fore sheet go; don't mind, boys,
thro' the weather shou'd be worse.
Fore and aft the spirit-yard get,
reef the mizen, see all clear;
Hand up each preventure brace set,
man the fore-yard; cheer lads cheer.
Now the dreadful thunder's roaring!
peals on peals contending clash!
On our heads fierce rain falls pouring,
in our eyes blue lightnings flash,
On wide water all around us,
all above but one black sky!
Different deaths at once surround us,
hark! what means you dreadful cry?
The foremast's gone, cries ev'ry tongue out
o'er the lee twelve feet 'bove deck!
A lake beneath the chestree's sprung out!
call all hands to clear the wreck.
Quick the laniards cut to pieces,
come, my hearts, be stout and bold
Plumb the well, the leak increases,
four feet water's in the hold!
While o'er the ship the wild waves beating
we for wives and children mourn:
Alas! from hence there's no retreating,
alas! to them there is no return!
Still the leak is gaining on us,
both chain pumps are choak'd below
Heav'n have mercy here upon us!
Only he can save us now.
The lee beam is the land, boys,
let the guns o'er board be thrown:
To the pump come every hand, boys,
(illegible text)! her mizzen mast is gone.
The leak we've found it cannot pour fast
we've lighten'd her a foot or more;
(illegible text)up and rig a jury fore-mast,
(illegible text)'s tight, she's tight boys wear off shore.
(illegible text)once more on joys be thinking,
since kind Fortune sav'd our lives;
Come, the can, boys, let's be drinking
to our sweet hearts and our wives.
Fill it up, about ship drive it:
close to lips the brimmer join,
Where's the tempest now? who feels it?
none;—our danger's drown'd in wine.