ADMIRAL VERNON'S VICTORY AT PORTOBELLO (1740).
I. ADMIRAL HOSIER'S GHOST.
To the Tune of, "Come and Listen to my Ditty."
Source.—Original broadside of 1740 in the British Museum.
[This ballad, by the Opposition poet and pamphleteer Richard Glover, implies that Walpole would willingly have let Vernon and his fleet perish in 1740 as Hosier and his fleet had perished in 1726.]
I.
As, near Porto-Bello lying,
On the Gently swelling Flood,
At Midnight, with Streamers flying,
Our triumphant Navy rode,
There, while Vernon sate all Glorious
From the Spaniards late Defeat,
And his Crew with Shouts victorious
Drank Success to England's Fleet;
II.
On a sudden, shrilly sounding,
Hideous Yells and Shrieks were heard;
Then, each Heart with fear confounding,
A sad Troop of Ghosts appear'd;
All in dreary Hammocks shrouded,
Which for winding Sheets they wore;
And with Looks by Sorrow clouded,
Frowning on that hostile Shore.
III.
On them gleam'd the Moon's wan Lustre,
When the Shade of Hosier brave
His Pale Bands was seen to muster,
Rising from their wat'ry Grave;
O'er the glimmering Wave he hy'd him,
Where the Burford[16] rear'd her Sail,
With three thousand Ghosts beside him,
And in Groans did Vernon hail.
IV.
"Heed, oh heed our fatal Story!
"I am Hosier's injur'd Ghost;
"You, who now have purchas'd Glory
"At this Place, where I was lost;
"Tho' in Porto-Bello's ruin
"You now triumph, free from fears,
"When you think on our undoing,
"You will mix your Joy with Tears,
V.
"See these mournful Spectres sweeping,
"Ghastly, o'er this hated wave,
"Whose wan Cheeks are stain'd with weeping,
"These were English Captains brave;
"Mark those Numbers pale and horrid,
"Who were once my Sailors bold;
"Lo, each hangs his drooping forehead,
"While his dismal Fate is told.
VI.
"I by twenty Sail attended,
"Did this Spanish Town affright,
"Nothing then its wealth defended,
"But my Orders not to fight;
"Oh that in this rolling Ocean
"I had cast them with disdain,
"And obey'd my heart's warm motion
"To reduce the Pride of Spain.
VII.
"For resistance I could fear none.
"But with twenty Ships had done,
"What thou, brave and happy Vernon,
"Hast achiev'd with Six alone.
"Then the Bastimentos never
"Had our foul Dishonour seen,
"Nor the Sea the sad Receiver
"Of this gallant train had been.
VIII.
"Thus, like thee, proud Spain dismaying,
"And her Galleons leading home,
"Tho' condemn'd for disobeying,
"I had met a Traytor's Doom:
"To have fall'n, my Country crying
"He has play'd an English part,
"Had been better far than Dying,
"Of a griev'd and broken Heart.
IX.
"Unrepining at thy Glory,
"Thy successful Arms we hail,
"But remember our sad Story
"And let Hosier's wrongs prevail;
"After this proud Foe subduing,
"When your Patriot Friends you see,
"Think of Vengeance for my ruin,
"And for England sham'd in me."
II. GREAT BRITAIN'S GLORY; OR, THE STAY-AT-HOME FLEET.
A NEW BALLAD.
Tune of, "Packington's Pound."
Source.—First verse of original broadside in the British Museum.
Come, ye Lovers of Peace, who are said to have sold
Your Votes, that the War of Queen ANNE it might cease;
Come, ye lovers of war, who 'tis certain, of old,
Would have hang'd, if ye could, all the lovers of peace;
Come, you Whigg and you Tory,
Attend to my Story,
For you ne'er heard the like, nor your Fathers before ye;
How Britain, Great Britain! is Queen of the main,
And her Navies in Port are the terror of Spain.
[16] Admiral Vernon's ship.