Volume III Part 10 (2/2)

I.

To all you ladies, now at land, We men at sea indite, But first would have you understand, How hard it is to write; The Muses now, and Neptune too, We must implore to write to you, With a fa, la, la, la, la.

II.

For tho' the Muses should prove kind, And fill our empty brain; Yet if rough Neptune rouze the wind, To wave the azure main, Our paper, pen and ink, and we, Roll up and down our s.h.i.+ps at sea, With a la fa, &c.

III.

Then if we write not, by each post, Think not, we are unkind; Nor yet conclude our s.h.i.+ps are lost, By Dutchmen or by wind: Our tears, we'll send a speedier way, The tide shall waft them twice a day.

With a fa, &c.

IV.

The king with wonder, and surprize, Will swear the seas grow bold; Because the tides will higher rise, Then e'er they did of old: But let him knew it is our tears, Bring floods of grief to Whitehall-Stairs.

With a fa, &c.

V.

Should foggy Opdam chance to know; Our sad and dismal story; The Dutch would scorn so weak a foe, And quit their fort at Goree: For what resistance can they find, From men who've left their hearts behind.

With a fa, &c.

VI.

Let wind, and weather do its worst, Be you to us but kind; Let Dutchmen vapour, Spaniards curse, No sorrow we shall find; 'Tis then no matter, how things go, Or who's our friend, or who's our foe.

With a fa, &c.

VII.

To pa.s.s our tedious hours away, We throw a merry main; Or else at serious...o...b..e play; But why should we in vain Each other's ruin thus pursue?

We were undone, when we left you.

With a fa, &c.

VIII.

But now our fears tempestuous grow, And cast our hopes away; Whilst you, regardless of our woe, Sit carelessly at play; Perhaps permit some happier man, To kiss your hand, or flirt your fan.

With a fa, &c.

IX.

When any mournful tune, you hear, That dies in every note; And if it sigh'd with each man's care, For being so remote; Think then, how often love we've made To you, when all those tunes were play'd.

With a fa, &c.

X.

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