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INTRODUCTION kvii
rocks of the Scilly Islands upon the night of October 22, 1707. The Association, 96, which was Shovell's flagship ; the Eagle, 70; the Romney, 50 ; and the Firebrand fireship, were totally lost ; two others, the Phoenix and the St. George, struck also, but came off without breaking up (Clowes, ii. 411). The best account of the incident is to be found in a pamphlet by Mr. J. H. Cooke, entitled The Shipwreck of Sir Cloudesley Shovell, read at a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries, February 1, 1885, and printed at Gloucester in the same year. No contemporary ballad on Shovell's fate has survived, but the British Museum contains A New Elegy on the Lamented Death of Sir Cloudesley Shovell, from which the following lines are derived :
' The bulging Ship upon the Shore stuck fast, And scarce two Minutes but she struck her last : Was quite o'rewhelm'd with the next rolling Wave. Aid and Endeavours were in vain to save Whom Fate had destin'd to a Watery Grave.
There Shovel unamaz'd, by nature Brave,
Spreading his Arms embrac'd a briny Wave,
And where he had reign'd with Honour, made his grave.
A Man, till now, that e'er was fortunate Precisely Good and regularly Great: |
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The Nations Trust, and Sailor's joy he prov'd And still where e're [he] came he was belov'd ; None ever fought her Cause with more success, None e're did more—or ever boasted less ; His early valour did proclaim his Worth And help'd to set the growing Hero forth; At Bantree, Beachy and at Malaga The French too well his dauntless Conduct saw; There you might see the Brittish glory shine, And Shovel break th' Impenetrable Line.'
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