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Admiral Hoſier's GHOST. To the TUNE of, Come and Liſten to my Ditty.
LONDON: Printed for Mr. Webb, near St. Paul's. 1740. (Price Six-pence.)
Admiral Hoſier's GHOST.
[]I.
AS, near Porto-Bello lying,
On the gently ſwelling Flood,
At Midnight, with Streamers flying,
Our triumphant Navy rode,
There, while Vernon ſate, all glorious
From the Spaniards late Defeat,
And his Crew, with Shouts victorious
Drank Succeſs to Englands Fleet,
[4]II.
On a ſudden, ſhrilly Sounding,
Heideous Yells and Shrieks were heard;
Then, each Heart with Fears confounding,
A ſad Troop of Ghoſts appear'd;
All in dreary Hammocks ſhrouded,
Which for winding Sheets they wore;
And with Looks by Sorrow clouded,
Frowning on that hoſtile Shore.
III.
On them gleam'd the Moon's wan Luſtre,
When the Shade of Hoſier brave,
His Pale Band was ſeen to muſter,
Riſing from their wat'ry Grave:
O'er the glimmering Wave he hy'd him,
Where the Burford rear'd her Sail,
With three thouſand Ghoſts beſide him,
And in Groans did Vernon hail.
IV.
"Heed, oh heed! my fatal Story,
"I am Hoſier's injur'd Ghoſt;
"You who now have purchas'd Glory
"At this Place where I was loſt;
[5]"Tho' in Porto Bello's ruin
"You now triumph, free from Fears,
"Yet to hear of my undoing,
"You will mix your Joys with Tears.
V.
"See yon mournful Spectres ſweeping,
"Ghaſtly, o'er this hated Wave,
"Whoſe wan Checks are Stain'd with Weeping;
"Theſe were Engliſh Captains brave;
"And theſe Numbers pale and horrid,
"Were my Sailors once ſo bold,
"Lo, each hangs his drooping Forehead,
"While his diſmal Fate is told.
VI.
"I, by twenty Sail attended,
"Did this Spaniſh Town affright,
"Nothing then its Wealth defended
"But my Orders not to fight;
"Oh that, with my Wrath complying,
"I had caſt them in the Main,
"Then, no more unactive lying,
"I had low'red the Pride of Spain.
[6]VII.
"For reſiſtance I could fear none,
"But with twenty Ships had done,
"What thou, brave and happy Vernon,
"Did'ſt atchieve with Six alone▪
"Then the Baſtimento's never
"Had our foul Diſhonour ſeen,
"Nor the Sea the ſad Receiver
"Of theſe gallant Men had been.
VIII.
"Thus, like thee, proud Spain diſmaying,
"And her Galleons leading home,
"Tho' condemn'd for diſobeying,
"I had not a Traytors Doom.
"To have fall'n, my Country Crying,
"He has play'd an Engliſh Part,
"Had been better far than Dying,
"Of a griev'd and broken Heart.
IX.
"Unrepining at thy Glory,
"Thy ſucceſsful Arms we hail,
"But remember our ſad Story,
"When to Britain back you ſail!
[7]"All your Country's Foes ſubduing,
"When your Patriot Friends you ſee,
"Think on Vengeance for my ruin,
"And for England ſham'd in me.
FINIS.
- Citation Suggestion for this Object
- TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 4969 Admiral Hosier s ghost To the tune of Come and listen to my ditty. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-5A9C-0