 | Poems of Freneau |  |
On THE MEMORABLE VICTORY,
Obtained by the gallant Captain Paul Jones, of Le Bon Homme Richard, (or father Richard) over the Seraphis, of 44 guns, under the command of Captain Pearson:
O'er the rough main with flowing sheet
The guardian of a numerous fleet,
Seraphis from the Baltic came;
A ship of less tremendous force
Sailed by her side the self-same course,
Countess of Scarborough was her name.
The guardian of a numerous fleet,
Seraphis from the Baltic came;
A ship of less tremendous force
Sailed by her side the self-same course,
Countess of Scarborough was her name.
And now their native coasts appear,
Britannia's hills their summits rear
Above the German main:
Fond to suppose their dangers o'er,
They southward coast along the shore,
Thy waters, gentle Thames, to gain.
Britannia's hills their summits rear
Above the German main:
Fond to suppose their dangers o'er,
They southward coast along the shore,
Thy waters, gentle Thames, to gain.
Full forty guns Seraphis bore,
And Scarborough's Countess twenty-four,
Manned with Old England's boldest tars—
What flag that rides the Gallic seas
Shall dare attack such piles as these,
Designed for tumults and for wars!
And Scarborough's Countess twenty-four,
Manned with Old England's boldest tars—
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Shall dare attack such piles as these,
Designed for tumults and for wars!
Now from the top-mast's giddy heights
A seaman cried—“Four sail in sight
“Approach with favouring gales;”
Pearson, resolved to save the fleet,
Stood off to sea, these ships to meet,
And closely braced his shivering sails.
A seaman cried—“Four sail in sight
“Approach with favouring gales;”
Pearson, resolved to save the fleet,
Stood off to sea, these ships to meet,
And closely braced his shivering sails.
With him advanc'd the Countess bold,
Like a black tar in wars grown old:
And now these floating piles drew nigh;
But, muse, unfold, what chief of fame
In the other warlike squadron came,
Whose standards at his mast head fly.
Like a black tar in wars grown old:
And now these floating piles drew nigh;
But, muse, unfold, what chief of fame
In the other warlike squadron came,
Whose standards at his mast head fly.
'Twas Jones, brave JONES, to battle led
As bold a crew as ever bled
Upon the sky-surrounded main;
The standards of the western world
Were to the willing winds unfurled,
Denying Britain's tyrant reign.
As bold a crew as ever bled
Upon the sky-surrounded main;
The standards of the western world
Were to the willing winds unfurled,
Denying Britain's tyrant reign.
The Good-Man-Richard led the line;
The Alliance next: with these combine
The Gallic ship they Pallas call:
The Vengeance, armed with sword and flame,
These to attack the Britons came—
But two accomplished all.
The Alliance next: with these combine
The Gallic ship they Pallas call:
The Vengeance, armed with sword and flame,
These to attack the Britons came—
But two accomplished all.
Now Phoebus sought his pearly bed:
But who can tell the scenes of dread,
The horrors of that fatal night!
Close up these floating castles came;
The Good Man Richard bursts in flame;
Seraphis trembled at the sight.
But who can tell the scenes of dread,
The horrors of that fatal night!
Close up these floating castles came;
The Good Man Richard bursts in flame;
Seraphis trembled at the sight.
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She felt the fury of her ball:
Down, prostrate down, the Britons fall;
The decks were strewed with slain:
Jones to the foe his vessel lashed;
And, while the black artillery flashed,
Loud thunders shook the main.
Down, prostrate down, the Britons fall;
The decks were strewed with slain:
Jones to the foe his vessel lashed;
And, while the black artillery flashed,
Loud thunders shook the main.
Alas! that mortals should employ
Such murdering engines, to destroy
That frame by heaven so nicely joined;
Alas! that e'er the god decreed
That brother should by brother bleed,
And pour'd such madness in the mind.
Such murdering engines, to destroy
That frame by heaven so nicely joined;
Alas! that e'er the god decreed
That brother should by brother bleed,
And pour'd such madness in the mind.
But thou, brave Jones, no blame shalt bear;
The rights of men demand thy care:
For these you dare the greedy waves—
No tyrant, on destruction bent
Has planned thy conquests—thou art sent
To humble tyrants and their slaves.
The rights of men demand thy care:
For these you dare the greedy waves—
No tyrant, on destruction bent
Has planned thy conquests—thou art sent
To humble tyrants and their slaves.
See!—dread Seraphis flames again—
And art thou, Jones, among the slain,
And sunk to Neptune's caves below—
He lives—though crowds around him fall,
Still he, unhurt, survives them all;
Almost alone he fights the foe.
And art thou, Jones, among the slain,
And sunk to Neptune's caves below—
He lives—though crowds around him fall,
Still he, unhurt, survives them all;
Almost alone he fights the foe.
And can thy ship these strokes sustain?
Behold thy brave companions slain,
All clasped in ocean's dark embrace.
“STRIKE, OR BE SUNK!”—the Briton cries—
“SINK, IF YOU CAN!”—the chief replies,
Fierce lightnings blazing in his face.
Behold thy brave companions slain,
All clasped in ocean's dark embrace.
“STRIKE, OR BE SUNK!”—the Briton cries—
“SINK, IF YOU CAN!”—the chief replies,
Fierce lightnings blazing in his face.
Then to the side three guns he drew,
(Almost deserted by his crew)
And charged them deep with woe:
By Pearson's flash he aim'd hot balls;
His main-mast totters—down it falls—
O'erwhelming half below.
(Almost deserted by his crew)
And charged them deep with woe:
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His main-mast totters—down it falls—
O'erwhelming half below.
Pearson as yet disdained to yield,
But scarce he secret fears concealed,
And thus was heard to cry—
“With hell, not mortals, I contend;
“What art thou—human or a fiend,
“That dost my force defy?
But scarce he secret fears concealed,
And thus was heard to cry—
“With hell, not mortals, I contend;
“What art thou—human or a fiend,
“That dost my force defy?
“Return, my lads, the fight renew!”
So called bold Pearson to his crew;
But called, alas! in vain;
Some on the decks lay maimed and dead;
Some to their deep recesses fled,
And more were shrouded in the main.
So called bold Pearson to his crew;
But called, alas! in vain;
Some on the decks lay maimed and dead;
Some to their deep recesses fled,
And more were shrouded in the main.
Distressed, forsaken, and alone,
He hauled his tattered standard down,
And yielded to his gallant foe;
Bold Pallas soon the Countess took,—
Thus both their haughty colours struck,
Confessing what the brave can do.
He hauled his tattered standard down,
And yielded to his gallant foe;
Bold Pallas soon the Countess took,—
Thus both their haughty colours struck,
Confessing what the brave can do.
But, Jones, too dearly didst thou buy
These ships possest so gloriously,
Too many deaths disgraced the fray:
Thy barque that bore the conquering flame,
That the proud Briton overcame,
Even she forsook thee on thy way;
These ships possest so gloriously,
Too many deaths disgraced the fray:
Thy barque that bore the conquering flame,
That the proud Briton overcame,
Even she forsook thee on thy way;
For when the morn began to shine,
Fatal to her, the ocean brine
Poured through each spacious wound;
Quick in the deep she disappeared,
But Jones to friendly Belgia steered,
With conquest and with glory crowned.
Fatal to her, the ocean brine
Poured through each spacious wound;
Quick in the deep she disappeared,
But Jones to friendly Belgia steered,
With conquest and with glory crowned.
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Go on, great man, to scourge the foe,
And bid the haughty Britons know
They to our Thirteen Stars shall bend;
The Stars that clad in dark attire,
Long glimmered with a feeble fire,
But radiant now ascend.
And bid the haughty Britons know
They to our Thirteen Stars shall bend;
The Stars that clad in dark attire,
Long glimmered with a feeble fire,
But radiant now ascend.
Bend to the Stars that flaming rise
On western worlds, more brilliant skies.
Fair Freedom's reign restored.
So when the Magi, come from far,
Beheld the God-attending Star,
They trembled and adored.
On western worlds, more brilliant skies.
Fair Freedom's reign restored.
So when the Magi, come from far,
Beheld the God-attending Star,
They trembled and adored.
1781
| Poems of Freneau | |