From Songs of England. The Book of English Songs, edited by Charles Mackay (London: Houlston & Wright, [1857]), page 193:


THE DEATH OF NELSON.
Words by S. J. Arnold. music by John Braham, from the opera "The Americans"

RECITATIVE.

O'ER Nelson's tomb, with silent grief oppress’d
Britannia mourns her hero now at rest;
But those bright laurels ne'er shall fade with years
Whose leaves are water'd by a nation's tears.

AIR.

'Twas in Trafalgar's bay
We saw the Frenchmen lay;
Each heart was bounding then.
We scorn'd the foreign yoke,
Our ships were British oak,
And hearts of oak our men.

Our Nelson mark'd them on the wave,
Three cheers our gallant seamen gave,
Nor thought of home and beauty.
Along the line this signal ran—
“England expects that every man
This day will do his duty!"

And now the cannons roar
Along the affrighted shore;
Brave Nelson led the way:
His ship the Victory named;
Long be that Victory famed!
For victory crown'd the day.

But dearly was that conquest bought,
Too well the gallant hero fought
For England, home, and beauty.
He cried, as 'midst the fire he ran,
“England shall find that every man
This day will do his duty!"

At last the fatal wound,
Which shed dismay around,
The hero's breast received:
"Heav'n fights on our side;
The day's our own!" he cried:
"Now long enough I've lived.

In honour's cause my life was pass'd,
In honour's cause I fall at last,
For England, home, and beauty!"
Thus ending life as he began:
England confess'd that every man
That day had done his duty.