BRITANNIA musing o'er the deeds By her brave sons achieved, In battle, where the valiant bleeds, And death stalks forth unheeded, Within her cave the Goddess sat, And view'd the foaming ocean, Whose surges high began to beat, In furious commotion: When lo! a Triton, from afar, Came floating in his wat'ry car, "Haste," he cry'd, "Britannia, rise, Succour bring, or NELSON dies!" Rous'd at the name of her favourite she flew To the scene, where the hero, expos'd to her view, Alas! was no more!
Frantic with grief, her locks she tore, And thro' the fleet, engaging, The direful tale to all she bore, Amidst the battle's raging: "Revenge! Revenge!" aloud she cry'd, "To stimulate your fury, See yonder deck, how richly dy’d! Tis Nelson's blood! conjure ye, By his dear manes, his parting breath, I charge ye to avenge his death! Let British thunder go, Hurl destruction on the foe! Let not his fall, without something as great, Be recorded, to mark the lamentable fate, Of a Hero so great!"
She ceas'd, and now great Nelson's name From ship to ship resounded, While France and Spain, enwrapt in flame, Astonish'd and confounded, Feeble oppose the vengeful ire In British hearts excited; In vain to glory they aspire, His death must be requited! Unequal to the conflict's heat, Tho' greater numbers fill their fleet, See! they strike, vengeance sweep, Rushing down th' unfathom'd deep, Sinks the confed'rates of proud France and Spain, While the Genius of Albion exulting exclaims "VICTORY! VICTORY!”
- - - This song can also be found in The Bodleian Ballad Collection: Harding B 16(38c) where it is called: “Britannia's Revenge for the Loss of her Hero.”