Below is the text of "Neptune's Raging Fury", copied from the broadside at the Bodley site. The Bodley index lists the author as Martin Parker, but no author appears on the broadside itself. They date their copy somewhere around 1700. Earlier in this thread, Bruce O. stated that the song was actually written by John Phillips, c.1660, according to his broadside ballad index.

An abbreviated recording of this song was made by The City Waites on their LP A gorgeous gallery of Gallant Inventions (1977), where they used the song's subtitle, "The Gallant Seaman's Sufferings". They sang only verses 2, 3, 9 and 14. I'm glad to have tripped over this thread, because I'd always hoped there were more verses.

I've left the spelling and punctuation as it was, correcting only a couple spacing errors. I also added verse numbers and coalesced line pairs, as indicated. I did not retain italics.


Neptune's Raging Fury
Or, The Gallant Seaman's Sufferings.

Being a Relation of their Perils and Dangers, and of the extraordinary Hazards they undergo in their noble Adventures. Together with their undaunted Valour and rare Constancy in all their Extremities: and the manner of their Rejoicing on Shore, at their return home. Tune: When the Stormy Winds do Blow, &c.

1. You gentlemen of England / that live at home at ease,
Full little do you think upon / the danger of the Seas;
Give ear unto the Mariners, / and they will plainly show,
The cares and the fears / when the stormy winds do blow.

2. All you that will be Sea-men, / must bear a valiant heart,
For when you come upon the Seas, / you must not think to start,
Nor once to be faint-hearted, / in hail, rain, or snow,
Nor to shrink nor to shrink / when the stormy winds do blow.

3. The bitter storms and tempests / poor Sea-men must endure,
Both day and night, with many a fright / we seldom rest secure;
Our sleep it is disturbed, / with visions strange to know,
And with dreams on the streams, / when the stormy winds do blow.

4. In claps of roaring thunder, / which darkness doth enforce,
We often find our ships to stray / beyond our wanted course;
Which causeth great distractions, / and sinks our hearts full low,
'Tis in vain to complain / when the stormy winds do blow.

5. Sometimes in Neptune's bosom / our ship is tost in waves,
And every Man expecting / the Sea to be their graves;
Then up aloft she mounteth, / and down again so low;
'Tis with waves, O with waves / when the stormy winds do blow.

6. Then down again we fall to prayer, / with all our might and thought,
When refuge all doth fail us, / 'tis that must bear us out,
To God we call for succour, / for he it is we know,
That must aid us, and save us / when the stormy winds do blow.

7. The Lawyer and the Usurer, / that fits in gowns of fur,
In closets warm can take no harm, / abroad they need not stir;
When winter fierce with cold doth pierce, / and beats with hail and snow,
We are sure to endure / when the stormy winds do blow.

8. We bring home costly merchandise, / and jewels of great price,
To serve our English Gallantry / with many a rare device;
To please the English Gallantry, / our pains we freely show,
For we toyl and moile / when the stormy winds do blow.

9. We sometime sail to the Indies, / to fetch home Spices rare,
Sometimes 'gain to France and Spain, / for Wines beyond compare;
Whilst Gallants are carousing / in Taverns on a row,
Then we sweep o'er the deep, / when the stormy winds do blow.

10. When Tempests are blown over, / and greatest fears are past,
Ay, weather fair, and temperate air, / we straight lye down to rest;
But when the billows tumble, / and waves do furious grow,
Then we rouse up, up we rouse / when the stormy winds do blow.

11. If Enemies oppose us, / when England is at Wars,
With any Foreign Nations, / we fear not wounds nor scars;
Our roaring guns shall teach 'em / our valour for to know,
Whilst they reel, in the keel, / when the stormy winds do blow.

12. We are no cowardly Shrinkers, / but true English Men bred,
We'll play our parts like valiant Hearts, / and never fly for dread;
We'll ply our business nimbly, / where are we come or go,
With our Mates to the Straights, / when the stormy winds do blow.

13. Then courage, all brave Mariners, / and never be dismayed,
Whilst we have bold adventures, / we ne'er shall want a trade;
Our Merchants will employ us / to fetch them wealth, I know;
Then be bold, work for gold, / when the stormy winds do blow.

14. When we return in safety, with wages for our pains,
The Tapster and the Vintner / will help to share our gains;
We'll call for Liquor roundly, / and pay before we go;
Then we'll roar on the shore, / when the stormy winds do blow.

Printed by and for C. Brown and T. Norris, and sold at the Looking-glass on London-bridge.


The tune reference indicates that this song has earlier roots. Is it derived from the land-based "Stormy Winds/Shepherd's Song" or vice versa, or are they of parallel derivation?