some:

'When all the country swam with blood of Saxons shed.'

Teignmouth was last troubled by an enemy in 1690, when Admiral de
Tourville, having defeated the united English and Dutch fleets off
Beachy Head, sailed down the Channel and anchored one night in Tor Bay.
The Devonshire militia flew to arms. 'In twenty-four hours all
Devonshire was up. Every road in the county from sea to sea was covered
by multitudes of fighting men, all with their faces set towards Torbay.'
De Tourville, upon this discouraging reception, gave up any ideas he may
have had of disembarking, and merely sent some galleys to Teignmouth,
who first turned their cannon on the town and afterwards landed and
burned it.

The general excitement that this attack created found voice in a ballad
called 'The Devonshire Boys' Courage, 1690.' It is utter doggerel, but
expresses the contemporary views of the people, and was sung to a tune
called 'Liggan Water,' a title that, according to Mr William Chappell,
refers to an Irish stream. I give only a few verses:

[Illustration: music]

'Brave _Devonshire_ Boys made haste away
When news did come from _Tinmouth-bay_,
The French were landed in that town
And Treacherously had burnt it down.

'When to the Town they did draw near,
The _French_ did straightways disappear;
Because that they had then beat down
And basely burnt poor _Tinmouth-town_.

'On _Haldon-Hill_ they did design
To draw their men up in a line;
But _Devonshire_ Boys did make them run;
When once they did discharge a Gun.

'Brave Blew coat Boys did watch them so,
They to no other place dare go;
For if they had returned again,
I'm sure the _Frenchmen_ had been slain.

* * * * *

'Let _Monsieur_ then do what he can,
We'll still Reign Masters o'er the Main;
Old England's Right upon the Sea
In spight of _France_ maintain'd shall be.

'No Seaman fears to lose his Blood,
To justifie a Cause so good;
To fight the _French_, who have begun
With burning down poor _Tinmouth-town_.

'The _Cornish_ Lads will lend a hand,
And _Devonshire_ Boys will with them Band,
To pull the pride of Monsieur down,
Who basely burn'd poor Tinmouth-town.'

CHAPTER VI

Torbay

'Torbay, unknown to the Aonian Quire,
Nothing oblig'd to any Poet's lyre ...
The Muses had no Matter from thy