The hero of Ballinacrazy/The Tempest

THE TEMPEST.

Cease rude Boreas, blust‘ring railer,
List, ye landsmen, all to me,
Messmates 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,
Where the seas contend with skies.

Hark the boatswain hoarsely bawling,
By topside sheets and haulyards stand!
Down top-gallants, quick be hauling!
Down your stay sails handboys hand!
Now it freshens, set the braces,
Quick the topsail sheets let go;
Luff, boyd, luff, don’t make wry faces;
Up your topsails nimbly clew!

Now all you on down beds sporting,
Fondly lock’d twixt beauty’s arms,
Fresh enjoyments, wanton courting,
Free from all but love’s alarms,—
Round us roars the tempest (illegible text)
Think what fear our mind (illegible text)enthrals;
Harder yet, it yet blows harder,
Now again the boatswain calls:

The topsail yards point to the wind, boys
See all clear to reef each course!
Let the (illegible text)fore-sheet go; don’t mind, boys,
Though the weather should be worse.
Fore and (illegible text)all the sprit-sail yard get,
Reef the (illegible text)mizen; see all clear;
Hands up! each preventer brace set;
Man the fore yard; cheer, lads, cheer.

Now the dreadful thunder’s roaring,
(illegible text)Peals on peals contending clash.
On our heads fierce rain-falls pouring,
In our eyes blue lightenings flash!
One wide water all around us,
All above us one black sky;
Different deaths at once around us.
Hark! what means that dreadful cry?

The foremast's gone, cries every tongue out,
O’er the lee, twelve feet ‘bove deck.
A leak beneath the (illegible text)chest-free‘s sprun out;
Call all hands to clear the wreck.
Quick the lanyards cut to pieces!
Come, my hearts, be stout and bold;
Plumb the well, the leak increases;
Four feet water in the hold!

While o’er the ship wild waves are beating
We for wives and children mourn;
Alas! from hence there’s no retreating,
Alas! to them there’s no return.
till’ the leak is gaining on us;
Both chain pumps are croak‘d below
learn have mercy here upon us!
For only that can save us now!

O’er the lee-beam is the land boys;
Let the guns o’er board be thrown;
To the pump come ev ‘ry hand, boys;
See our mizen-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;
She rights, she rights, boys! wear off shore

(illegible text)Now once more on joys we‘re thinking,
Since kind fortune spar’d our lives;
Come the cann boys, let's be drinking
To our sweethearts and our wives.
Fill it up, about ship wheel it;
Close to th’ lips a brimmer join.
Where’s the tempest now; who feels it?
None! Our danger’s drown’d in wine