Fan

A paper fan with ivory struts, printed with a hand coloured depiction of Vernon's victory at Portobello, 21 November 1739. A verse above: 'Come my lads with Souls befitting / Let us never be dismay’d: / Lets revenge the wrongs of Britain / and support her injur’d trade / the true spirit of the Nation / In our honest Hearts we bring / True tho’ in an humble station / To our country and our king // Spain no longer shall assume boys / The free ocean as her own / for the time at last is come Boys / We’ve their topsails lower’d down / ho’ in Policies contesting / Round and round they veer about / All their Shifts and Manifesting / we will with our broadsides rout // Hark the British Cannon thunders / See my lads six ships appear; / Every Briton acting wonders, / Strikes the Southern World with fear. / Porto Bello fam’d in story / Now at last submits to fate; Vernons Courage gains us Glory / And his mercy proves us great. // May all English Lads like you Boys / Prove on shore true Hearts of Gold / To their King and Country true Boys / And be neither bought nor sold / Let the landsman without party / Act like Brethren of the flood / To one cause alone by heart / And be that for Britain’s good // Then thro’ all the mighty ocean / The English Cross shall Honour find /Far as wave can feel a motion / Far as flag shall move with wind / Then insulting Monarchs shewing / More regard shall humbler be: / This old truth of Britons knowing / As they’re brave they will be free’