Wat'ry God

The Wat' ry God great Neptune lay
In Dalliance soft and am'rous play
On Amphitrite's breast.
When uproar reared its horrid head,
The Tritons shrunk, the Neriads fled
And all their fears con est.

Loud Thunder shook the vast Domain,
The Liquid World was wrapt in Flame,
The God Amazed Spoke!
Ye Winds, go forth and make it known
Who dares to shake my Coral Throne,
And fill my Realms with Smoke.

The Winds Obsequious, at his Word
Sprung strongly up t' obey their Lord,
And saw two Fleets aweigh;
One, Victorious Hawke, was Thine,
The other, Conflans' wretched Line,
In terror and dismay.

Appalled, they view Britannia's Sons
Deal Death and Slaughter from their guns,
And strike the dreadful Blow!
Which caused ill fated Gallic Slaves
To find a Tomb in briny waves,
And sink to shades below.

With speed they fly, and tell their Chief
That France was ruined past relief,
And Hawke triumphant rode;
Hawke! cry'd the Fair, pray who is He,
Who dared usurp this power at Sea,
And thus insult a God?

The Winds reply, In distant Lands,
There reigns a King, who Hawke Commands
He scorns all foreign Force;
And when his floating Castles roll
From Sea to Sea, from Pole to Pole,
Great Hawke directs their Course.

Or when his winged Bullets fly
To punish Fraud and Perfidy,
Or scourge a Guilty Land;
Then gallant Hawke serenely great
Tho' Death and Horror round him wait,
Performs his dread Command.

Neptune with wonder heard the Story,
Of George' s sway and Britain' s Glory,
Which Time shall ne'er subdue;
Boscawen's Deeds and Saunders' Fame,
Joined with Wolfe's Immortal name,
Then cry'd Can this be true?

A Kingl He sure must be a God!
Who has such Heroes at his Nod,
To Govern Earth and Sea;
I yield my Trident and my Crown,
A Tribute due to such renown,
Great George shall rule for me.

From Songbook of the American Revolution, Rabson
Note: Lord Hawke was the hero of a naval battle with France in 1758.
RG
Apr98