OK Breezy - Mick put together a composite of the versions published by Roy Palmer in Ballad History of England and the Vaughan Williams collection, and turned two of the lines into a chorus (Malcolm Austin subsequently pointed out, in regard to verse 4's mention of Collingwood, that swords of polished marble are somewhat unusual, unless incorporated into monumental statues):


NELSON'S MONUMENT

Old England long expected good news from the fleet
Commanded by Lord Nelson, the French for to meet
Till the news has come over, through the country spread
That the French were defeated but Lord Nelson was dead

CHORUS:

The news has come over, through the country spread
That the French were defeated but Lord Nelson was dead

Not only brave Nelson, but thousands were slain
Fighting the French on the watery main
To protect England's glory, her honour and wealth
We fought and would not yield till we yielded to death

The merchants of Yarmouth, hearing us say so
Said "Come dearest brothers, to church let us go
And there we will build a most beautiful pile
In remembrance of Lord Nelson, the hero of the Nile"

Your plan, said Britannia, is excellent and good
A monument for Lord Nelson and a sword for Collingwood
Let it be of polished marble to perpetuate his name
And in letters of gold write, "He died for England's fame"

All seamen and soldiers so I have been told
Have ordered themselves in readiness to hold
Their rights to maintain and their cause to support
From any invasion keep each British port

Our soldiers and sailors mighty deeds they have done
Fighting in foreign many battles have won
If the Nile could but speak or Egypt declare
All the world with Lord Nelson they could not compare.