The Polly privateer (1816)/The Polly Privateer

THE

POLLY PRIVATEER.

COME all you gallant Seamen,
and liſten unto me,
Whilſt I relate a bloody fight
was lately fought at ſea.
As we ſet ſail from Liverpool,
to the ſalt ſeas we did ſteer,
To try our hard fortunes
in the Polly Privateer.

The twenty-fifth December,
juſt upon Chriſtmas-day,
We ſpied a large French Ship
to windward of us lay,
Our Captain he reviewed us,
and ſaid our guns was clear;
O then he cry'd, Fight on my boys
in the Polly Privateer.

We engag'd her full five glaſſes,
whilſt our cannons loud did roar,
And many a poor ſeaman
lay bleeding in his gore!
Our noble Captain wounded,
he loſt a leg moſt dear,
But ſtill ⟨he cry'd,⟩ Fight on my boys,
in the Polly Privateer.

Our Captain lying bleeding,
unto his men did ſay,
Give her another broadſide,
we'll show them British play.
We gave to them a broadſide,
likewiſe three British cheers,
And down her colours quickly came
to the Polly Privateer.

So now this prize we've taken boys:
from Dunkirk she ſet ſail,
To rob our British merchant Ships,
upon the raging main;
Her name was the La Cæfar,
of forty guns 'tis clear,
To Liverpool she was brought my boys,
by the Pully Privateer.

The Polly she's got twenty kill'd,
the La Cæfar forty-one,
Makes many a mother cry aloud,
Alas! my darling ſon!
And alſo their poor widows
they are left in diſtreſs;
Likewiſe their dear children,
they are left fatherleſs.