COME listen all, both great and small,Of high and low degree;That ye may know this true storyAnd live in charity.As wealth by waste and idle tasteSoon falls to penury,So small estate becometh greatBy luck and industry.Content then be in poverty,In wealth of humble mind;Like children of one familyTo one another kind.The venture of the merchantThis merchant now in foreign partsA venture fain would make;And all the folk of his householdWere free to share the stake.joined by each of his domestics.One risk’d a shilling, one a groat,And one a coin of gold;And every one his stake anonTo the ship’s captain told.Dick’s jesting offerThen half in jest, and half in shame,Dick fetch’d his kitten down:“I too,” he to the captain cried,“Will venture all my own.”to the surprise of allThe servants laugh’d: Dick would have wept,And therefore laugh’d the more;But soon they stared for wondermentWho laugh’d so loud before.taken in earnest by the Captain.For now the Captain, “Done,” he cried,“A bargain by my fay:”And call’d the ship’s-mate in a trice,To stow the cat away.The cat is taken aboard.He came so quick, no time had DickTo countervail his joke:So all aboard poor Puss was storedAmong the sea-going folk.The ship sails.Now from her mooring, all ataut,Put off at turn of tide,Adown the river’s ebbing floodThe gallant bark did glide.And, like some heavenward-soaring bird,She faced the open seas;And seem’d as sick of land to spreadHer wings before the breeze.The cat at sea.Then, as she flew, Puss fetch’d a mew,As if to say—poor me!To think that I a land-bred catShould thus be press’d to sea!But, ere a week was past and gone,He changed this plaintive tone,And, like a jolly sailor-boy,Purr’d gaily up and down.For lean and fat a ship-board catHe found hath both to spare;And legs by hosts for rubbing postsAre always lounging there.And then he oft would run aloft,And just look out to sea;Nor e’er a boy could screamahoyIn shriller note than he.The ship’s course.The fresh wind blew; the light bark flew,And clear’d the channel’s mouth;Through Biscay’s bay then cut her way,And bore towards the South.Bound for Africa.For she was bound for Afric ground,Where wretched negroes dwell;Who waste their days in idle ways,As I am loth to tell.Nathless the soil withouten toilGod’s gracious bounty yields;And gum drops free from every treeAlong the sunny fields.And we are told how dust of goldStains all the river sands:And huge beasts shed their ivory tusksAbout the desert lands.The unthriftiness of the negroes.Now what is not with trouble gotIs seldom kept with care:For foresight and economyTo idlesse strangers are.So these poor souls their goodly stores,Not needed for the day,For trifles and for tromperieThey barter all away.The ship sails past the cape of St. Vincent;Three days, three nights our gallant shipHer southward course had steer’d,When o’er her larboard at the dawnSaint Vincent’s cape appear’d.Still southward yet three days three nightsHer steady prow she bore;But when again Sol gilt the mainWas spied Marocco’s shore.anchors off the coast of Marocco.Now shouts of joy and busy noiseSalute the rising day:The coast was made, the ship was stay’d,And anchor’d in the bay.As when a stranger hawk, that longHath soar’d in middle air,Borne earthward on a tree alights,And makes his station there;The myriad tenants of the groveWould fain his purpose know;And flock around, yet hold aloofFor fear to meet a foe:The wonderment of the negroes.’Twas thus the negroes throng’d the beach,To view a ship at sea:While some drew down their light canoes;What mote the strange bark be?Or friend—or foe? They long’d to know,Yet durst not venture near:Till soon the boat was all afloat,And off to lay their fear.Their king and queenAfront were seen a king and queen,Whom all the rest obey’d:And all the good things of the landBelong’d to them, ’twas said.invited by the CaptainWhich when the captain heard, and howThey had an ample hoard,Their companie requested heTo dine with him on board.go on board.Now, wafted o’er the azure lake,The king and eke his queen,Behold them seated on the deck:The captain sat between.Puss salutes his Majesty after European fashion.But ere the dinner it was served,While yawn’d the king for meat,Just to divert the royal mind,Puss rubb’d against his feet.Now you must know the royal toeIt ticklish was to touch:But Puss rubb’d he so daintily,The king he liked it much.Then to his bride he spake aside,And e’en was speaking yet,When lo!—the platter came,—whereatThe rest he did forget.The dinner.Now both did eat their fill of meat,As suiteth royalty:No lack was there of the ship’s best fare,And grog flow’d copiously.Puss joins the carousal,And both did quaff, and both did laugh,And both sang merrily:Till Puss could stay no more away,But came to join the glee.his pleasantry.His tail he whisk’d, and leapt and frisk’d,As he was wont before:Whereat the king and eke the queenFor very mirth did roar.The royal whimThen up he gat, and sware an oath—That, for so droll a thing,In barter, of his choicest goodsA shipload he would bring.indulged at much cost.Thereat the captain—“Done,” he cried“A bargain by my fay!”And sent his whole ship’s-companyTo fetch the goods away.A merry night.Now laugh’d the king and laugh’d the Queen,And laugh’d the captain he:A bargain struck at festive boardDoth please so mightily.The goods were brought, the ship was fraught,And stow’d away full tight.The king and queen, they drank till e’en,And slept on board that night.The next morning.The captain rose at early dawnAnd call’d to th’ king anon:“This cat is thine, this cargo’s mine;And now I must begone.”The king awoke and waked the queen,Who slept so heavily,That full ten minutes pass’d away,Before that she could see.The king’s maudlin humour.Then clasping Puss within her armsShe nursed him like a child.The king his humour now was sad;Nathless the monarch smiled.The king and queen depart with puss.Then down the vessel’s side he stepp’d,And down the queen stepp’d she.And Puss was handed down perforceTo join their company.Alongside lay the king’s canoe,Well mann’d with negroes ten;Who swift row’d off the royal pair,With Puss all snug between.The ship weighs anchor,Then sung the Captain—“all hand’s up,The anchor haul amain:Unfurl the sails, and point the prowFor British lands again.”and sails homeward.Tis done: from out the tranquil bayOur goodly vessel glides;And, homeward bound, on Ocean’s backRight gallantly she rides.
COME listen all, both great and small,
Of high and low degree;
That ye may know this true story
And live in charity.
As wealth by waste and idle taste
Soon falls to penury,
So small estate becometh great
By luck and industry.
Content then be in poverty,
In wealth of humble mind;
Like children of one family
To one another kind.
The venture of the merchant
This merchant now in foreign parts
A venture fain would make;
And all the folk of his household
Were free to share the stake.
joined by each of his domestics.
One risk’d a shilling, one a groat,
And one a coin of gold;
And every one his stake anon
To the ship’s captain told.
Dick’s jesting offer
Then half in jest, and half in shame,
Dick fetch’d his kitten down:
“I too,” he to the captain cried,
“Will venture all my own.”
to the surprise of all
The servants laugh’d: Dick would have wept,
And therefore laugh’d the more;
But soon they stared for wonderment
Who laugh’d so loud before.
taken in earnest by the Captain.
For now the Captain, “Done,” he cried,
“A bargain by my fay:”
And call’d the ship’s-mate in a trice,
To stow the cat away.
The cat is taken aboard.
He came so quick, no time had Dick
To countervail his joke:
So all aboard poor Puss was stored
Among the sea-going folk.
The ship sails.
Now from her mooring, all ataut,
Put off at turn of tide,
Adown the river’s ebbing flood
The gallant bark did glide.
And, like some heavenward-soaring bird,
She faced the open seas;
And seem’d as sick of land to spread
Her wings before the breeze.
The cat at sea.
Then, as she flew, Puss fetch’d a mew,
As if to say—poor me!
To think that I a land-bred cat
Should thus be press’d to sea!
But, ere a week was past and gone,
He changed this plaintive tone,
And, like a jolly sailor-boy,
Purr’d gaily up and down.
For lean and fat a ship-board cat
He found hath both to spare;
And legs by hosts for rubbing posts
Are always lounging there.
And then he oft would run aloft,
And just look out to sea;
Nor e’er a boy could screamahoy
In shriller note than he.
The ship’s course.
The fresh wind blew; the light bark flew,
And clear’d the channel’s mouth;
Through Biscay’s bay then cut her way,
And bore towards the South.
Bound for Africa.
For she was bound for Afric ground,
Where wretched negroes dwell;
Who waste their days in idle ways,
As I am loth to tell.
Nathless the soil withouten toil
God’s gracious bounty yields;
And gum drops free from every tree
Along the sunny fields.
And we are told how dust of gold
Stains all the river sands:
And huge beasts shed their ivory tusks
About the desert lands.
The unthriftiness of the negroes.
Now what is not with trouble got
Is seldom kept with care:
For foresight and economy
To idlesse strangers are.
So these poor souls their goodly stores,
Not needed for the day,
For trifles and for tromperie
They barter all away.
The ship sails past the cape of St. Vincent;
Three days, three nights our gallant ship
Her southward course had steer’d,
When o’er her larboard at the dawn
Saint Vincent’s cape appear’d.
Still southward yet three days three nights
Her steady prow she bore;
But when again Sol gilt the main
Was spied Marocco’s shore.
anchors off the coast of Marocco.
Now shouts of joy and busy noise
Salute the rising day:
The coast was made, the ship was stay’d,
And anchor’d in the bay.
As when a stranger hawk, that long
Hath soar’d in middle air,
Borne earthward on a tree alights,
And makes his station there;
The myriad tenants of the grove
Would fain his purpose know;
And flock around, yet hold aloof
For fear to meet a foe:
The wonderment of the negroes.
’Twas thus the negroes throng’d the beach,
To view a ship at sea:
While some drew down their light canoes;
What mote the strange bark be?
Or friend—or foe? They long’d to know,
Yet durst not venture near:
Till soon the boat was all afloat,
And off to lay their fear.
Their king and queen
Afront were seen a king and queen,
Whom all the rest obey’d:
And all the good things of the land
Belong’d to them, ’twas said.
invited by the Captain
Which when the captain heard, and how
They had an ample hoard,
Their companie requested he
To dine with him on board.
go on board.
Now, wafted o’er the azure lake,
The king and eke his queen,
Behold them seated on the deck:
The captain sat between.
Puss salutes his Majesty after European fashion.
But ere the dinner it was served,
While yawn’d the king for meat,
Just to divert the royal mind,
Puss rubb’d against his feet.
Now you must know the royal toe
It ticklish was to touch:
But Puss rubb’d he so daintily,
The king he liked it much.
Then to his bride he spake aside,
And e’en was speaking yet,
When lo!—the platter came,—whereat
The rest he did forget.
The dinner.
Now both did eat their fill of meat,
As suiteth royalty:
No lack was there of the ship’s best fare,
And grog flow’d copiously.
Puss joins the carousal,
And both did quaff, and both did laugh,
And both sang merrily:
Till Puss could stay no more away,
But came to join the glee.
his pleasantry.
His tail he whisk’d, and leapt and frisk’d,
As he was wont before:
Whereat the king and eke the queen
For very mirth did roar.
The royal whim
Then up he gat, and sware an oath—
That, for so droll a thing,
In barter, of his choicest goods
A shipload he would bring.
indulged at much cost.
Thereat the captain—“Done,” he cried
“A bargain by my fay!”
And sent his whole ship’s-company
To fetch the goods away.
A merry night.
Now laugh’d the king and laugh’d the Queen,
And laugh’d the captain he:
A bargain struck at festive board
Doth please so mightily.
The goods were brought, the ship was fraught,
And stow’d away full tight.
The king and queen, they drank till e’en,
And slept on board that night.
The next morning.
The captain rose at early dawn
And call’d to th’ king anon:
“This cat is thine, this cargo’s mine;
And now I must begone.”
The king awoke and waked the queen,
Who slept so heavily,
That full ten minutes pass’d away,
Before that she could see.
The king’s maudlin humour.
Then clasping Puss within her arms
She nursed him like a child.
The king his humour now was sad;
Nathless the monarch smiled.
The king and queen depart with puss.
Then down the vessel’s side he stepp’d,
And down the queen stepp’d she.
And Puss was handed down perforce
To join their company.
Alongside lay the king’s canoe,
Well mann’d with negroes ten;
Who swift row’d off the royal pair,
With Puss all snug between.
The ship weighs anchor,
Then sung the Captain—“all hand’s up,
The anchor haul amain:
Unfurl the sails, and point the prow
For British lands again.”
and sails homeward.
Tis done: from out the tranquil bay
Our goodly vessel glides;
And, homeward bound, on Ocean’s back
Right gallantly she rides.