The Sea-Song.[152]
Capt. To Tunis and to Argiers, boys!
Great is our want, small be our joys.
Let's then some voyage take in hand
To get us means by sea or land.
Come, follow me, my boys, come follow me,
And if thou die, I'll die with thee.
[They join in the close.
Hast thou a wife? I have one too,
And children some, as well as thou;
Yet who can see his brats to starve
So long as he has strength to serve?
Come, follow me, my cubs, come follow me,
And if thou die, I'll die with thee.
[He fixeth his eyes as upon objects in a landskip.
Methinks, my boys, I see the store
Of precious gems and golden ore;
Arabian silks and sables pure
Would make an haggard stoop to th' lure.
Come, follow me, &c.
No worthless mind e'er honour sought;
Let's fight as if we feared nought.
If bullets fly about our ears,
Let's laugh at death, and banish fears.
Come, follow me, &c.
And if thou canst not live so stench,[153]
But thou must needs enjoy thy wench,
If thou, my boy, such pleasure crave,
A dainty doxy thou shalt have.
Come, follow me, &c.
Courage, my sparks, my knights o' th' sun;
Let Seville fame what we have done.
We'd better ten times fight a foe
Than once for all to Tyburn go.
Come, follow me, &c.
Come, let's away, mount, march away;
This calm portends a prosperous day.
When we return, it shall be said
That by our voyage we are made.
Come, follow me, &c.