The Honour of Bristol:
Shewing how the Angel Gabriel of Bristol fought three Spanish Ships, who boarding her
many times, she cleared her Deck, and killed five hundred of the Men, wounding
many more, and forc'd 'em to fly into Cales; and lost but three Men, to the Honour
of the Angel Gabriel. Tune, Our Noble King in his Progress, etc.
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ATtend you and give ear awhile,
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and you shall understand,
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Of a Battle fought upon the Sea,
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by a Ship of Command:
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The Fight it was so famous,
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that all Mens Hearts doth fill,
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And makes them cry, To Sea
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with the Angel Gabriel.
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The lusty Ship of Bristol,
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sail'd out adventurously,
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Against the Foes of England,
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their Strength with them to try:
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Well victual'd, rig'd, and mann'd,
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and good Provision still,
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Which made them cry, To Sea
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with the Angel Gabriel.
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The Captain, famous Netheway,
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so was he call'd by Name;
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The Master's name John Mines,
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a Man of noted Fame:
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The Gunner Thomas Watson,
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a Man of perfect Skill,
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With other valiant Hearts,
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in the Angel Gabriel.
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They waving up and down the Seas,
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upon the Ocean Main;
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It is not long ago, quoth they,
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since England fought with Spain;
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Would we with them might meet,
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our minds for to fulfil,
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We would play a noble Bout
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with our Angel Gabriel.
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They had no sooner spoken,
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but straight appear'd in sight
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Three lusty Spanish Vessels,
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of warlike Force and Might;
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With bloody Resolution,
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they sought our Blood to spill,
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And vow'd to make a Prize
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of our Angel Gabriel.
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Then first came up their Admiral,
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themselves for to advance,
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In her she bore full forty eight
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Pieces of Ordnance;
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The next that then came near us,
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was the Vice-Admiral,
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Which shot most furiously
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at our Angel Gabriel.
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Our gallant Ship had in her
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full forty fighting Men;
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With twenty Pieces of Ordnance
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we play'd about them then;
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And with Powder, Shot, and Bullets,
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we did employ them still;
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And thus began the Fight
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with our Angel Gabriel.
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Our Captain to our Master said,
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Take Courage, Master bold;
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The Master to the Seamen said,
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Stand fast, my Hearts of Gold;
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The Gunner unto all the rest,
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Brave Hearts, be valiant still,
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Let us fight in the Defence
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of our Angel Gabriel.
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Then we gave them a Broadside,
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which shot their Mast asunder,
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And tore the Bow-spret of their Ship,
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which made the Spaniards wonder,
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And caused them to cry,
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with Voices loud and shrill,
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Help, help, or else we sink
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by the Angel Gabriel.
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Yet desperately they boarded us,
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for all our valiant Shot,
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Threescore of their best fighting Men,
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upon our Decks were got;
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And then at their first entrance,
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full thirty we did kill;
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And thus we clear'd the Decks
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of the Angel Gabriel.
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With that their three Ships boarded us
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again with might and main,
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But still our noble English Men,
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cry'd out, A fig for Spain:
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Though seven times they boarded us,
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at last we shew'd our Skill,
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And made them feel the Force
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of our Angel Gabriel.
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Seven Hours this Fight continued,
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and many Men lay dead,
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With purple Gore, and Spanish Blood,
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the Sea was colour'd red:
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Five hundred of their Men,
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we there out-right did kill,
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And many more were mam'd
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by the Angel Gabriel.
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They seeing of these bloody Spoils,
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the rest made haste away,
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For why, they saw it was no boot
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any longer for to stay;
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Then they fled into Cales,
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and there they must lye still,
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For they never more will dare to meet
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our Angel Gabriel.
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We had within our English Ship
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but only three Men slain,
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And five Men hurt, the which I hope
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will soon be well again;
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At Bristol we were landed,
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and let us praise God still,
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That thus hath blest our Men,
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and our Angel Gabriel.
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Now let me not forget to speak
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o'th' Gift giv'n by the Owner
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Of the Angel Gabriel,
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that many Years had known her;
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Two hundred Pounds in Coin and Plate,
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he gave with free good Will,
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Unto them that bravely fought
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in the Angel Gabriel.
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