The Token

The breeze was fresh, the ship in stays, Each breaker hush'd the shore ahaze, When Jack, no more on duty call'd, His true love's token over-haul'd, The broken gold, the braided hair, The tender motto, writ so fair, Upon his 'bacco box he views, Nancy the poet, Love the muse— If you love I as I love you, No pair so happy as we two.

The storm, that like a shapeless wreck, Had strew'd with rigging all the deck, That tars for sharks had given a feast, And left the ship a hulk, had ceas'd, When Jack, as with his mess-mates dear, He shar'd the grog, their hearts to cheer, Took from his 'bacco-box a quid, And spelled for comfort on the lid— If you love I as I love you, &c.

The battle that with horror grim, Had madly ravish'd life and limb, Had scuppers drench'd with human gore, And widow'd many a wife, was o'er, When Jack, to his companions dear, First paid the tribute of a tear; Then, as his 'bacco-box he held, Restor'd his comfort as he spell'd— If you love I as I love you, No pair so happy as we two.

The voyage that had been long and hard, But that had yielded full reward; That brought each sailor to his friend, Happy and rich, was at an end; When Jack, his toils and perils o'er, Beheld his Nancy on the shore; He then his 'bacco-box display'd, And cry'd, and seiz'd the yielding maid— If you love I as I love you, No pair so happy as we two.