Classic Poem

I followed, o splendid season,
the water over the world to Spain,
thinking that, taking to the sea,
I should come by all treasure.
Wandering, sieving the waters
needily, is the seaman's fate.
I bought a ship, stripped the land
for money for the venture;
victualled it fitly and fair,
victualled where butlers abounded.
I gathered men, a gloomy task,
for utterly vain sea-faring,
some vicious dark-hued Jews,
hell-bellied and abusive.
I took ship to train the men,
then came the need for cursing.
There was a roaring on board,
the master calling muster.
" Turn the capstan ," he howled an order,
" Weigh anchor, all you younkers!"
A question, " Where is Meyrick? "
Then the words, " Coil the cable quick! "
Deubott the carpenter's diligent,
" Assay the pump, you see the pit."
" Turn you to fire and be damned!"
" Trim the ship, whip to it, yare!
Make haste there, haste, you waster!
Bring in the bowline, you boor!
Bear hard up to throw off plague;
bear aloof if it rain toads!
You, Bunny, fast the bonnet,
sound fine with the line and lead.
Veer the sheet , impotent booby;
about again , if a hundred times!"
Farewell England and dry sand
and Scilly, lovely island.
Roll away with royal wings
to parley off the Burlings.

" Here's Atkins. Where is Woodcock?
Bear all night right to the Rock.
Beware of any mishap;
our course is the southern cape.
Take height in all good sense.
Thou Poyns, yonder is the Pole."

Today we hold in dark tides,
we'll veer away tomorrow.
" You, Hulling, loose the halliard!
Off you go along the yard!
Bring near the timber, tomboy!
What cheer? A can of beer, boy!
Munson, hoist up the mainsail.
Be merry, I see a sail.
Give chase , for all I've got!
Out topsail, you lout tipsy!
Give way! " In the winter storm
we mustered and mastered the wind,
starboard and larboard labouring.
" Clear abaft , keep clear of trouble!
Port hard the helm, bastard one!
Steady thus , man! Do you hear?
Keep the prize (look out wisely,
hear thou, lad) under thy lee.
Now fire a piece in order."
Instead, he shot three into her.
" Shoot again a broadside, gunner!
We'll be brave if we have her.
Fight for store and leave sorrow,
fear not, shoot the wild fire now!
Lay her aboard! " In all the din,
" Now enter , venture over!"
Whilst fighting, open discredit,
we lost our men on the vessel in smoke.
" Give back, lest all be taken!
Is there a means to save some men? "
We took an unfortunate day,
we find we mind this Monday,
loudly bewailing fortune's blow,
" O Lord, here is too hard luck!"
Foulk Harry, awkward booby,
is drowned in the battle's din;
Brown Robin Austin withal
is dead, and so is Duddal,
Wenford, Rowland and Winfield,
William and Cobham are killed.
Tom, Meyrick, Dick , each one
is hurt, and so is Horton.
Our ship in grappling so
is weak and full of leak below ,
and if a storm now takes us
we'll be in too hard a state.
" Go to, pain; let's get to port!
Barris, the beer is sour."

Thus I got a sleep of care
in payment for this venture.
I doubt if Thomas from here
will get home safe from the green sea.
Before I will pillage or part
buy a ship, I'll be a shepherd.