The Hundredth Year

"Drake, and Blake, and Nelson's mighty name."         The stars were faint in heaven             That saw the Old Year die,         The dream-white mist of Devon             Shut in the seaward sky:         Before the dawn's unveiling         I heard three voices hailing,         I saw three ships come sailing             With lanterns gleaming high.         The first he cried defiance--             A full-mouthed voice and bold--         "On God be our reliance,             Our hope the Spaniard's gold!         With a still, stern ambuscado,         With a roaring escalado,         We'll sack their Eldorado             And storm their dungeon hold!"         Then slowly spake the second--             A great sad voice and deep--         "When all your gold is reckoned,             There is but this to keep:         To stay the foe from fooling,         To learn the heathen schooling,         To live and die sea-ruling,             And home at last to sleep."         But the third matched in beauty             The dawn that flushed afar;         "O sons of England, Duty             Is England's morning star:         Then Fame's eternal splendour         Be theirs who well defend her,         And theirs who fain would bend her             The night of Trafalgar!"