The English and Scottish Popular Ballads :: :: University of Virginia Library

‘'Tis, old England, old England, I bid thee adieu,
The drums and the trumpets command me frae shore;
And you lusty fellows, both valiant and true,
Will you venture with me where loud cannons roar?’

2

‘O Billy, O Billy, talk not of the seas,
But stay at home with me on the shore;
I'll do my endeavour thy fancy to please,
And there's others to go where loud cannons roar.’

3

‘O Nelly, O Nelly, I must to the seas,
For there is no gold to be had upon shore;
There's honour, and gold, and riches likewise,
To the man that doth die where loud cannons roar.’

4

‘Remember the winds, love, remember the waves,
Remember the dangers that are upon seas;
Remember there is neither coffin nor grave
To the man that doth die where loud cannons roar.’

5

‘Remember old Benbow, and think on his blows;
Remember the dangers he felt upon seas;
He lost both his legs by one shot of his foes;
He lost his sweet life, yet his honour's the more.’

6

‘Remember proud Shawfield, that honoured knight,
Who came with his navy to the Spanish shore;
At the rock of Salem his life took a flight,
And with him there died some hundreds more.’

7

‘Our queen she has builded a navy of ships,
And they are arrayed all right gloriously;
With top and top-gallant, with captain, lieutenant,
Some fifty, some sixty, brass pieces and three.’

8

‘Well, since you'll go, may my blessing advance,
And carry you safely from Flanders to Spain;
And when you've conquered that tyrant in France,
Then my blessing return you to old England again.’

9

They had not sailed one hour upon sea,
Not one hour passing days two or three,
Till up came the bold emperour,
The bold emperour of High Germanie.

10

‘O who is this?’ the bold emperour cries,
‘Who is this that comes sailing to me?
I'm sure he's a knight, or a king of crown,
Or I'm sure I am a far better fellow than he.’

11

‘I am neither a knight, nor a king of a crown,
But here, with my navy, on board I am come;
For I am Lord Essex, the Queen's lieutenant,
Who never feard foe in all Christendom.’

12

Out and spoke the bold emperour's son,
All as they were mounting and hyeing away;
‘O father, lend me your navy of ships,
And I'll go fight with Lord Essex today.’

13

‘O son, I'll lend thee my navy of ships,
And they are all of a capable size;
But if he be as good as his old father was,
Adieu to your honour, and mine likewise.’

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14

O they have fought on at a terrible rate,
Until it drew night to the cool of the day,
And as it fell in young Essex's lot,
The bold emperour's son he's taen prisoner away.

15

‘O give me my son,’ the bold emperour cried,
‘O give me my son thou hast taken from me,
And you shall have three keys of gold,
And one of them opens High Germanie.’

16

‘What value I thy three keys of gold,
Or any proud offer thou canst give to me?
For up to old England thy son he must go,
And stand before our queen's high majesty.’

17

‘'Tis I have fifteen ships of the best,
And other fifteen distant on sea;
Since up to old England my son he must go,
Then we'll all go together for good companie.’