| 1 |
The George Aloe and the Sweepstakes too,
With hey, with ho, for and a nony no
They were two merchant-men, a sailing for Safee.
And along the course of Barbary |
| 2 |
[The George Aloe to anchor came,
But the jolly Sweepstake kept on her way.] |
| 3 |
They had not sayled leagues two or three
Before they spyed a sail upon the sea. |
| 4 |
'O hail, O hail, you lusty gallants,
From whence is your good ship, and whither is she bound?' |
| 5 |
'O we are some merchant-men, sailing for Safee:'
'And we be French rebels, a roving on the sea. |
| 6 |
'O hail, O hail, you English dogs, [hail!]'
'The[n] come aboard, you French dogs, and strike down your sail!' |
| 7 |
'Amain, amain, you gallant Englishmen!'
'Come, you French swades, and strike down your sails!' |
| 8 |
They laid us aboard on the starboard side,
And they overthrew us into the sea so wide. |
| 9 |
When tidings to the George Aloe came
That the jolly Sweepstakes by a Frenchman was tane, |
| 10 |
'To top, to top, thou little ship-boy,
And see if this French man-of-war thou canst descry.' |
| 11 |
'A sail, a sail, under your lee,
Yea, and another under her bough.' |
| 12 |
'Weigh anchor, weigh anchor, O jolly boatswain,
We will take this Frenchman if we can.' |
| 13 |
We had not sailed leagues two or three
But we met the French man-of-war upon the sea. |
| 14 |
'All hail, all hail, you lusty gallants,
Of whence is your fair ship, and whither is she bound?' |
| 15 |
'O we are merchant-men, and bound for Safee;'
'And we are Frenchmen, roving upon the sea. |
| 16 |
'Amain, amain, you English dogs!'
'Come aboard, you French rogues, and strike your sails!' |
| 17 |
The first good shot the George Aloe shot,
It made the Frenchmen's hearts sore afraid. |
| 18 |
The second shot the George Aloe did afford,
He struck the main-mast over the board. |
| 19 |
'Have mercy, have mercy, you brave English[men].'
'O what have you done with our brethren on [shore]?.'
As they sail[ed]. |
| 20 |
'We laid them aboard on the starboard side,
And we threw them into the sea so wide.' |
| 21 |
'Such mercy as you have shewed unto them,
Even the like mercy shall you have again.' |
| 22 |
We laid them aboard on the larboard side,
And we threw them into the sea so wide. |
| 23 |
Lord, how it grieved our hearts full sore
To see the drowned Frenchmen float along the shore! |
| 24 |
Now, gallant seamen all, adieu,
With hey, with ho, for a nony no
This is the last news that I can write to you.
To England's coast from Barbary |
