%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The BREATH of LIFE. / Being an account of a Young Man that went to Sea, thinking / it a pleasant Life; but soon found his Mistake. / Prettily expressed in Sea Terms. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1763-1763 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 05/04/2011 31440

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

T29593 WHen first I drew the Breath of Life, / 'Twas in the merry month of June, Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 722 3: 723 The BREATH of LIFE. / Being an account of a Young Man that went to Sea, thinking / it a pleasant Life; but soon found his Mistake. / Prettily expressed in Sea Terms. 1763-1763

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic The New World travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/ crass humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 5/4/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America maritime Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 5/4/2011 10:47:08 AM XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created XML Version of Ballad 5/4/2011 10:47:08 AM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/4/2011 10:47:08 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/4/2011 10:47:08 AM Transcriptionist Two Megna, Paul Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/4/2011 10:47:08 AM Transcriptionist One Foley, Christopher Transcription of ballad manuscript 2/3/2009 Bibliographer Meghan Fadel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 2/3/2009 Checker Meghan Fadel Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/22/2010 Checker Sue Hong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
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WHen first I drew the Breath of Life, Twas in the merry month of June, The fourteenth day as I was told, When Roses they were in their bloom. In seventeen hundred and five, It was the date of the year. My parents did for me provide, The best of learning I declare. When I grew up they askd me thus, What trade they should for me provide? O then I answerd them again, My minds to cross the ocean wide. My whimsical brain did fully show, The pleasures seamen enjoyd at sea; But not the sorrow, grief, nor woe, They suffer in extremity. If there be pleasure on the seas, Tis when the Wind and Weathers fair, With a bowl of punch heres to you Jack, I thank you Will, lets drown all care. Hardships we know there is full well, But we must never flinch altho Dark dismal night and lofty seas, Contrary winds, hail, rain, and blow. When we are on the raging main, With wind right aft, and a pleasant gale, O then we have our hearts desire, When we can spread abroad our sail, Our main-sail hauld up in the brail, Our fore-sail drove us brave[l]y thro.
Our top-sail and top-gallant sails, When hoisted, make a gallant shew. Now when the wind wont stand I am afraid It weareth forward I plainly see, Get the fore-tack down to the cat-head, The main-top down to the larchestree. Down studding sails, aloe and alust, And put them by boys for this time, And stow your stay-sails fore and aft, And trim your sails unto the wind, And now shell hardly lay her course, So let us get our tacks on board, Our sheets laid alt and our bawling hawl, And see all things else prepard. We must expect to head the sea, Where foaming billows aloud do roar, Like hills and dales the main looks you see Now our pleasant sail is oer. Instead of studding now tis luff, Dont fall off my boys, thus, and no near, The Grampus blows a lofty spout, The sky looks dismal I declare. Its in top-gallant sail, my boys, Hawl down your top-mast, stay-sails too, We have met with a tartar Im afraid, We will settle our three top-sails low. Now boys let us reel while we have time, Let run your top-sail haul the yard down, The rore and main-top bowling gone, Set the weather braces round,
And fill your sails my hearts of g[o]ld, Hawl your keel-tacks also; It will blow hard I do perceive, Lets clew them up while we are below. The single reef in each top-sail, And to fur them it is agreed; So bear a hand my hearts of gold, And make haste down with nimble speed. And see your jeers fore clear and aft, Your haul down tackle-hood also, And see all things ready prepard, Both up aloft and down below. Brail up your mizen snug my boys, And chearful lower away your yard; The sky looks black and dismal too, Which plainly shows it will blow hard, A good hand stand by the main sheer, And see all clear to let it fly; It looks as thick as butter milk, And will be with us by and by. So hard a weather goes the helm, Let fly the main-sheet now with speed, This furious squall will soon be oer, It breaks apace I do perceive, Come haul aft your main sheets again, Luff round my boys, lets lose no ground, The sky looks dark and dismal too, We will surely lower our fore-yard down. So forward now my heart of gold, Let go your lifts in the first place, A sturdy fellow to the jeers, And strength is required at the brace. Your down haul tackles must be mand, Clue garnets, burnt-lines, and lift-lines too Ease off your sheet, let rise your tack, And now my boys lets clue him up, Belay your lifts securely hard, Then up aloft him snug, Quoil your ropes, and then come aft, And well all hands tippe the nut brown jug And now our helm is lashd a-lee, And all things are secure aloft; You at the helm pray mind the glass, How she comes too, and likewise falls off, The storm increases more and more, Well up and make a reef in the main sail. In one consent let it be agreed, Lets seamens courage never fail, And to your station now my boys, Pray stand by seamen every one.
Ease off your sheet, let rise your tack, Set in your brace your bow-lines down, When this is done, then down we come, To see what more we have to do; We lose our mizen in the brails, We balance him and set him too: Now hes balancd in a trice, Sway up the yard, haul aft the sheet, No sooner spoke but away she flies, And leave the bolt rope in his stead, Our goodly ship lies dangerous too, In the surge of all the sea, And takes us upon the broadside, And makes oer us a passage free. You see the danger we are in, For Gods sake boys what shall we do? Its better to sail before the wind, Im sure my boys than thus lie too. In one consent lets be agreed, In readiness prepare all things: And bunt our fore-sails securely fast, And well send under our goose wings. Now steady, steady is the word, Pray mind your helm. Steady starboard, No sooner spoke but brought too; Pray stop her, its hard a port, Pray mind the motion of her head, For Gods sake keep off, dont bring her to For all our lives lie at stake, Our goodly ship and cargo too; No sooner spoke but away she flies, Alas, they strove in vain, For down she lies all on the careen, As if shed never rise again. We being now in this distress, Our mizen mast we cut away, Thinking to lighten her again. But all in vain, still down she lay. You see what dangers we are in, The best of comfort we can afford, To lighten our ships, and save our lives, We cut our main-mast by the board. The seas they roard like mountains high, Which stavd our boat in pieces small; Of all our lofty standing masts, Our fore-mast top stood and that was all: Now to conclude and make an end, I wish I had known as much before, I would have chose some other trade, And livd contented on the shore.
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