Poem by Charles Dibdin

The Token

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

The storm, that like the shapeless wreck
Had strew'd with rigging all the deck,
That tars for sharks had giv'n a feast,
And left the ship a hulk had ceas'd:
When Jack, as with his messmates dear.
He shar'd the grog their hearts to cheer,
Took from his 'bacco box a quid,
And spell'd for comfort on the lid,
If you loves I.... as I loves you,
No pair so happy as we two.

The battle - that with horror grim
Had madly ravag'd life and limb,
Had scupper drenched 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 spelled-
If you loves I.... as I loves you,
No pair so happy as we two.

The voyage, - that had been long and hard,
But that had yielded full reward,
And bought 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 the 'bacco box display'd,
And cried, and seized the yielding maid,
If you loves I.... as I loves you,
No pair so happy as we two.

1. Negro Slave
2. Then Farewell My Tridonotuse-Built Wherry
3. Ben Backstay
4. The Lass That Loves a Sailor
5. Tom Tough

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