Boats. Lay here before the wind; up with your Canvase,
And let her work, the wind begins to whistle;
Clap all her streamers on, and let her dance,
As if she were the Minion of the Ocean.
Let her bestride the billows till they roar,
And curle their wanton heads. Ho, below there:
Ho, ho, within.
Lay her North-east, and thrust her missen out,
The day grows fair and clear, and the wind courts us.
Oh for a lusty sail now, to give chase to.
Gun. A stubborn Bark, that wou'd but bear up to us,
And change a broadside bravely.
Boats. Where's the Duke?
Gun. I have not seen him stir to day.
Boats. Oh Gunner,
What bravery dwells in his age, and what valour!
And to his friends, what gentleness and bounty!
How long have we been inhabitants at Sea here?
Gun. Some fourteen years.
Boats. By fourteen lives I swear then,
This Element never nourisht such a Pirate;
So great, so fearless, and so fortunate,
So patient in his want, in Act so valiant.
How many sail of well mann'd ships before us,
As the Bonuto does the flying Fish,
Have we pursued and scour'd, that to outstrip us,
They have been fain to hang their very shirts on?
What Gallies have we bang'd, and sunk, and taken;
Whose only fraughts were fire, and stern defiance?
And nothing spoke but Bullet in all these.
How like old Neptune have I seen our General
Standing i'th' Poop, and tossing his Steel Trident,
Commanding both the Sea and Winds to serve him!
Gun. His Daughter too, which is the honor Boatswain,
Of all her sex; that Martial Maid.
Boats. A brave wench.
Gun. How oftentimes, a fight being new begun,
Has she leap'd down, and took my Linstock from me,
And crying, now fly righ[t], and fir'd all my chasers!
Then like the Image of the warlike Goddess,
Her Target brac'd upon her arm, her sword drawn,
And anger in her eies leapt up again,
And bravely ha[l]'d the Bark. I have wondred Boatswain,
That in a body made so delicate,
So soft for sweet embraces, so much fire,
And manly soul, not starting at a danger.