The THAMES Uncas'd:
OR,
The Watermans Song upon the Thaw.
To the Tune of Hey Boys up go we.
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1.
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COme, ye merry men all
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Of Watermans-hall,
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Let's hoist out our Boats and careen;
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The Thames it does melt,
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And the Cold is scarce felt,
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Not an Isicle's now to be seen.
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Let's pull down each Skull
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That hung up in Hall,
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Like Weapon so rusty, and row:
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Let's cheerly fall to't
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If we've not forgot;
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For the Frost is over now.
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2.
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Let's set up our Masts
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That stood like Posts,
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As Props to our Tents on the Thames,
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Or Signe-posts made,
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With an Antient displai'd,
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While our Oars were the great Cross beams.
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Let's hoise up our Sail
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That was a side-Vail
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To hide Doll when with Brandy she'd glow;
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Or a Roof compos'd,
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You might else have been froz'd,
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Though the Frost be over now.
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3.
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We'll no longer stand
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With a Tapsters hand,
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With the Spigot in hand for an Oar,
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Crying out, Our Trade is cold,
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Here's four gallons in hold,
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I have drawn out but half my store.
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Prithee Lads stand to't,
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And help pump it out,
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That the Vessel once more may flow:
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Then come again
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With a thirsty Train;
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But the Frost is over now.
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4.
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Let's tune our Throats
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To our usual Notes
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Of Twitnam, Richmond, hey;
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Sir, Skuller, Sir? Oars, Sir?
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Loudly roar, Sir,
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Here's Dick, Sir, you won't pass him by?
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Instead of good Ale,
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And Brandy-wine stale,
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Let's cry out, Westward hoe.
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Shall we Moreclack make,
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Or for Brandford tack,
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For the Frost is over now?
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5.
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We'll take no Boat
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That once did float,
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And service good had done,
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And on his Keel
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Clap Sledge for heel,
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And inforce him like Traytor to run:
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So to make him appear
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Like a China Carr,
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With a tawdry painted Prow,
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And a tire or more
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Of Potguns four:
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For the Frost is over now.
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6.
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Let's call in our men,
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Lest forty to ten,
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From such a long Vacation,
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And converse oft
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With the loose and soft
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Landlopers of the Nation.
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[They restly prove,
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Or fall in love
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With Jennys cole-black Brow;
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And then no more
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On the Seas will roar:
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Though the Frost be over now.]
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7.
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For some were led
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Odde Paths to tread,
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And bear the Waters on
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Their brawny backs,
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Who with flying Jacks
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Have triumph'd thereupon;
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Or to get Chink,
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To carry Link,
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Though 'twas out of their Element O,
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And in the night
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Cry, Have a Light,
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Though the Frost is over now.
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8.
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Others there were
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On Icy Sphere,
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Wheel'd Mortals in a Round
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That us'd to tack,
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And Angles make,
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That Port it might be found:
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Or on the Main
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A Voyage gain
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By Equinoctial Bow,
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And Haven got,
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Drink off their Pot;
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But the Frost is over now.
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9.
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They us'd to stare
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On Northern Bear;
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But now on Earthly Bull
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They turn their looks
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Quite off the hooks,
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And on the Cause look dull.
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Us'd to survey
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The Dog-Star, they
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No other Whelps allow
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To bark and ball
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Within Ken o'th' Hall;
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But the Frost is over now.
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10.
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Had Thames been thaw'd,
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And Whale had tow'd
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Himself up by his Fin,
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They all had then,
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E'en as one man,
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Have hoop'd and hoop'd agen.
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Their Anchors shook,
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And spread with Hook,
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And made him stoop full low;
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T'other rural sport
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They care not for't;
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But the Frost is over now.
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11.
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The Dutch that in great
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Large shoals us'd to meet,
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And clapt their crook'd Scates on their foot,
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Now no more dare appear
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To make folken stare.
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While on the smooth Surface they float.
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They betaken each man
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To their Butter and Kan,
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And by their side have their Ufroe;
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Their Cabbadge they boil,
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And eat Herring with Oil:
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For the Frost is over now.
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12.
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The Sledges load
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Shall no more defraud
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The Boat of its Cargo large;
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From Southwark-Strand,
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We again may land
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Coals, so may the Western Barge.
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[Shalle we that have gone
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To Newcastle each one,
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Let the Carmen over us crow?
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No, no, my Boys,
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We'll renew our Joys,
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For the Frost is over now.]
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13.
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Nor shall Hackney-Coach,
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Where Whores do debauch,
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Upon our Thames now run;
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They have plow'd her Face,
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And nigh spoil'd her Grace,
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Where the Frost-nail'd Horse has gone.
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Nor shall they ball,
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To Westminster-hall
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Will your gowned Worship go?
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We wept in despite
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While the Rogues went tight;
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But the Frost is over now.
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14.
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The Town too's gone
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That they waited on,
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And the People flock'd to see:
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It fled in one night
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Quite out of our sight,
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As the Castles enchanted that be;
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While Country Squire
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Whom Journey might tire,
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With watry eyes cannot view
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The Street a long way
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That he came to survey;
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For the Frost is over now.
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15.
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Not a Horn can he buy,
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Nor an Earthen-ware-toy,
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His Wife or his Children to cheer:
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Since Isis does turn
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Her watry Urn,
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All the Pitchers are march'd off here.
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Nay, on the Thames wide
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There remains not a Slide
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On which he may whisk to and fro:
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He returns as he came,
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To his Country Dame,
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For the Frost is over now.
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16.
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We're freed now each Mate
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From the Care and Debate
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That attended us all so long,
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To determine Affairs
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Betwixt the two Stairs,
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Down which all the People throng.
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If you come once again,
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Take some other men,
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For the weight of it makes us to bow:
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E'en determine't yourselves,
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For you're quarrelsom Elves,
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And the Frost is over now.
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17.
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What a Pox made you meet
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To come here to cheat
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We Watermen of our Gain?
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Had ye kept in your Furs,
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We had voided these Stirs,
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And you of cold the pain.
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But to get your Coin
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You'd up to the Loin,
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Though your Arse should never thaw:
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Go get to your homes,
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And make whole your Bums,
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Since the Frost is over now.
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18.
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Meantime, if ought
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Of Honour you've got,
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Let the Printers have their due,
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Who printed your Names
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On the River Thames,
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While their hands with the cold look'd blue:
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[There's mine, there's thine,
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Will for Ages shine,
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Now the Thames aloft does flow;
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Then let's gang hence
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To our Boats commence,
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For the Frost is over now.
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