Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE ARETHUSA, by PRINCE HOARE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE ARETHUSA, by                    
First Line: Come, all ye jolly sailors bold
Last Line: On board of the arethusa!
Subject(s): Sea; Ocean


COME all ye jolly sailors bold,
Whose hearts are cast in honour's mould,
While English glory I unfold—
Huzzah to the Arethusa!
She is a frigate, tight and brave,
As ever stemmed the dashing wave;
Her men are staunch
To their favourite launch;
And when the foe shall meet our fire,
Sooner than strike, we'll all expire
On board of the Arethusa.

'Twas with the spring fleet she went out,
The English Channel to cruise about,
When four French sail, in show so stout,
Bore down on the Arethusa.
The famed Belle Poule straight ahead did lie,
The Arethusa seemed to fly:
Not a sheet or a tack
Or a brace did she slack,
Though the Frenchman laughed and thought it stuff:
But they knew not the handful of men, how tough
On board of the Arethusa.

On deck five hundred men did dance,
The stoutest they could find in France;
We with two hundred did advance
On board of the Arethusa.
Our captain hailed the Frenchman—Ho!
The Frenchman then cried out " Hollo!"
" Bear down, d'ye see,
To our admiral's lee!"
" No, no!"says the Frenchman, " that can't be ":
"Then I must lug you along with me,"
Says the saucy Arethusa.

The fight was off the Frenchman's land;
We forced them back upon their strand,
For we fought till not a stick would stand
Of the gallant Arethusa.
And now we've driven the foe ashore,
Never to fight with Britons more:
Let each fill a glass
To his favourite lass:
A health to our captains and officers true,
And all that belong to the jovial crew
On board of the Arethusa!





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