| Citation |
NYWJ.740.021
29 Sep 1740:22 (356)
From the London Magazine for June 1740.
ADMIRAL HOSIER'S GHOST. To the tune of, Come and listen to
my Ditty.
[1]
As, near Porto Bello lying,
On the gently swelling flood,
At midnight, with streamers fllying,
Our triumphant navy rode;
There, while Vernon sate, all glorious,
From the Spaniards late defeat,
And his crew, with shouts victorious,
Drank success to England's fleet,
[2]
On a sudden, shrilly sounding,
Hideous yells and shrieks were heard;
Then, each heart with fears confounding,
A sad troop of ghosts appear'd;
All in dreery hammocks shrouded,
Which for winding sheets they wore;
And with looks by sorrow clouded,
Frowning on that hostile shore,
[3]
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.
[4]
Heed, Oh heed! my fatal story,
I am Hosier's injur'd ghost;
You who now have purchas'd glory
At this place were I was lost:
Tho' in Porto Bello's ruin
You may triumph, free from fears,
Yet to hear of my undoing,
You will mix your joys with tears.
[5]
See yon mournful spectres sweeping,
Ghastly, o'er this hated wave,
Whose wan cheeks are stain'd with weeping
These were English captains brave;
And these numbers pale and horrid,
Were my sailor's once so bold;
Lo, each hangs his drooping forehead,
While his dismal fate is told.
[6]
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.
[7]
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'd never
Had our foul dishonour seen,
Nor the sea the sad receiver
Of these gallant men had been.
[8]
Thus, like thee, proud Spain dismaying,
And her galleons leading home,
Tho', condemn'd for disobeying,
I had met a traytor's 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.
[9]
Unrepining at thy glory,
Thy successful arms we hail,
But remember our sad story,
When to Britain back you sail!
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.
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