[T]he CAESAR's Victory.
IT BEING
Account of a Ship so called, in her Voyage to the East Indies , Richly laden, was
[b]eset with five Sail of Pirates: But the Caesar so rarely behaved herself, that she came off
[w]ith Conquest, and put her Foes to flight, losing no more than One Man, and but Seven wounded, one of which was Francis Stevens a Water-man, who formerly ply'd at Puddle-
Dock, who lost his Arm. Tune of, Cannons rore. This may be printed, R.P.
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A S we was sailing on the Main,
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Well laded with great store of Gain,
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We was in danger to be ta'en,
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five Pirates ships appeared;
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Who sailed up with Courage bold,
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As if they would not be controul'd;
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But we brave noble hearts of Gold,
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their Courage never feared.
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We soon did understand their will,
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And therefore used our chiefest skill
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Resolving there our blood to spill
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rather than lose our Caesar :
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We vow'd she should not be their Prey,
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And therefore boys we show'd them play;
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It was upon the Sabbath day,
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no Pirates could appease her.
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The Master flourishing his sword,
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Did Comfort to us all afford;
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Both Seamen, Souldiers then on board,
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true Courage to awaken;
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Then with one Voice we all did cry,
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We are resolved to make them fly,
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Or in the Caesar we will dye,
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rather than to be taken.
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B Efore the Fight we this did do,
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Our Bread into the sea we threw,
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To make Room for the whole ships Crew,
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to fight and keep Foes under:
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This Truth can never be deny'd,
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We soon did quell their haughty Pride,
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By giving them a full Broadside,
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our Cannons roar'd like Thunder.
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Full five long hours there we fought,
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In the brave Caesar fierce and stout,
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At length we put them to the rout
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who aimed at our Treasure:
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we pour'd them in whole showers of Lead,
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So that they tumbled down for dead,
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And in the Ocean made their bed,
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where they may lye their leisure.
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Their Admiral did want to be
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Aboard of Caesar , this we see,
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That they might have Rich Plunder free,
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the thing which they delight in.
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But yet there was not one that dare
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To come on board of Caesar there;
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They knew their lives we would not spare
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so fierce we was for fighting.
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Good Fortune she our Courage Crown'd
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Or else a board on us they'd found
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The sum of Fourscore Thousand pound,
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besides all other Lading:
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Could they but once have seen us fall,
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Their booty then had not been small,
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Two Hundred Thousand pound in all;
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this would have spoil'd our Trading.
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I hope we gave them all their due,
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Yet sav'd our Coyn and Cargo too,
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Believe me, this is perfect true,
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it is no feigned story:
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For though our Foes were five to one,
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Yet we at last did make them run:
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And when we see our Work was done,
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to GOD we gave the Glory.
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Who did indeed our Rights maintain;
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For in this skirmish on the Main
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Of us there was but one man slain,
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and seven others wounded:
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But those that sought our overthrow,
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They lost a many more we know.
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Thus Providence did Kindness show
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when we was so surrounded.
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