The THAMES Uncased: OR, The Waterman's Song upon the Thaw,  
To the Tune of Hey Boys up go we.  

1.  
COme, ye merry men all  
Of Watermans-hall,  
Let's hoist out our Boats and careen;  
The Thames it does melt,  
And the Cold is scarce felt,  
Not an Isicle's now to be seen.  
Let's pull down each Skull  
That hung up in Hall,  
Like Weapon so rusty, and row:  
Let's cheerly fall to't,  
If we've not forgot;  
For the Frost is over now.   

2.  
Let's set up our Masts  
That stood like Posts,  
As Props to our Tents on the Thames,  
Or Signposts made,  
With an Ancient displayed,  
While our Oars were the great Cross-beams.  
Let's hoist up our Sail  
That was a side-Vail  
To hide Doll when with Brandy she'd glow;  
Or a Roof composed,  
You might else have been freeze,  
Though the Frost be over now.   

3.  
We'll no longer stand  
With a Tapster's hand,  
With the Spigot in hand for an Oar,  
Crying out, Our Trade is cold,  
Here's four gallons in hold,  
I have drawn out but half my store.  
Prithee Lads stand to't,  
And help pump it out,  
That the Vessel once more may flow:  
Then come again  
With a thirsty Train;  
But the Frost is over now.   

4.  
Let's tune our Throats  
To our usual Notes  
Of Twitnam, Richmond, hay;  
Sir, Scholar, Sir? Oars, Sir?  
Loudly roar, Sir,  
Here's Dick, Sir, you won't pass him by?  
Instead of good Ale,  
And Brandywine stale,  
Let's cry out, Westward ho.  
Shall we Moreclack make,  
Or for Brandford tack,  
For the Frost is over now?   

5.  
We'll take no Boat  
That once did float,  
And service good had done,  
And on his Keel  
Clap Sledge for heel,  
And enforce him like Traitor to run:  
So to make him appear  
Like a China Carr,  
With a tawdry painted Prow,  
And a tire or more  
Of Potguns four:  
For the Frost is over now.   

6.  
Let's call in our men,  
Lest forty to ten,  
From such a long Vacation,  
And converse oft  
With the loose and soft  
Landlopers of the Nation.  
They resty prove,  
Or fall in love  
With Jenny's coal-black Brow;  
And then no more  
On the Seas will roar:  
Though the Frost be over now.   

7.  
For some were led  
Odd Paths to tread,  
And bear the Waters on  
Their brawny backs,  
Who with flying Jacks  
Have triumphed thereupon;  
Or to get Chink,  
To carry Link,  
Though 'twas out of their Element O;  
And in the night  
Cry, Have a Light,  
Though the Frost is over now.   

8.  
Others there were  
On Icy Sphere,  
Wheeled Mortals in a Round  
That used to tack,  
And Angles make,  
That Port it might be found:  
Or on the Main  
A Voyage gain  
By Equinoctial Bow,  
And Haven got,  
Drink off their Pot;  
But the Frost is over now.   

9  
They used to stare  
On Northern Bear;  
But now on Earthly Bull  
They turn their looks  
Quite off the hooks,  
And on the Cause look dull.  
Used to survey  
The Dog-Star, they  
No other Whelps allow  
To bark and ball  
Within Ken o'th' Hall;  
But the Frost is over now.   

10.  
Had Thames been thawed,  
And Whale had towed  
Himself up by his Fin,  
They all had then,  
Even as one man,  
Have hooped and hooped again.  
Their Anchors shook,  
And spread with Hook,  
And made him stoop full low;  
Tother rural sport  
They care not for't;  
But the Frost is over now.   

11.  
The Dutch that in great  
Large shoals used to meet,  
And clapped their crooked Scates on their foot,  
Now no more dare appear  
To make folken stare.  
While on the smooth Surface they float.  
They betaken each man  
To their Butter and Can,  
And by their side have their Ufroe;  
Their Cabbadge they boil,  
And eat Herring with Oil:  
For the Frost is over now.   

12.  
The Sledges load  
Shall no more defraud  
The Boat of its Cargo large;  
From Southwark-Strand,  
We again may land  
Coals, so may the Western Barge.  
Shall we that have gone  
To Newcastle each one,  
Let the Carmen over us crow?  
No, no, my Boys,  
We'll renew our Joys,  
For the Frost is over now.   

13.  
Nor shall Hackney-Coach,  
Where Whores do debauch,  
Upon our Thames now run;  
They have ploughed her Face,  
And nigh spoiled her Grace,  
Where the Frost-nailed Horse has gone.  
Nor shall they ball,  
To Westminster-hall  
Will your gowned Worship go?  
We wept in despite  
While the Rogues went tied;  
But the Frost is over now.   

14.  
The Town too's gone  
That they waited on,  
And the People flocked to see:  
It fled in one night  
Quite out of our sight,  
As the Castles enchanted that be;  
While Country Squire  
Whom Journey might tyre,  
With watery eyes cannot view  
The Street a long way  
That he came to survey;  
For the Frost is over now.   

15.  
Not a Horn can he buy,  
Nor an Earthen-ware-toy,  
His Wife or his Children to cheer:  
Since Isis does turn  
Her watery Urn,  
All the Pitchers are marched off here.  
Nay, on the Thames wide  
There remains not a Slide  
On which he may whisk to and fro:  
He returns as he came,  
To his Country Dame,  
For the Frost is over now.   

16.  
We're freed now each Mate  
From the Care and Debate  
That attended us all so long,  
To determine Affairs  
Betwixt the two Stairs,  
Down which all the People throng.  
If you come once again,  
Take some other men,  
For the weight of it makes us to bow:  
Even determineed yourselves,  
For you're quarrelsome Elves,  
And the Frost is over now.   

17.  
What a Pox made you meet  
To come here to cheat  
We Watermen of our Gain?  
Had ye kept in your Furs,  
We had voided these Stirs,  
And you of cold the pain.  
But to get your Coin  
You'd up to the Loin,  
Though your Arse should never thaw:  
Go get to your homes,  
And make whole your Bums,  
Since the Frost is over now.   

18.  
Mean time, if ought  
Of Honour you've got,  
Let the Printers have their due,  
Who printed your Names  
On the River Thames,  
While their hands with the cold looked blue:  
There's mine, there's thine,  
Will for Ages shine,  
Now the Thames aloft does flow;  
Then let's gang hence  
To our Boats commence,  
For the Frost is over now.    

LONDON: Printed for the Author, and sold by J. Norris at the Kings-Arms without Temple-bar. 1684.