The Lion's Den

Down in St. James's there lived a lady
And she was a beauty, fine and gay
She was determined to live a lady
No man on earth could marry she
Unless it be a man of honour
A man of honour and high degree
And there there come two loving brothers
This fair young lady for to see
And the first of them had a captain's commission
Belonging to our colonel's corps
And the other he was a poor lieutenant
On board of the Tiger, man-of-war
She ordered the coachman for to get ready
All to the tower for to drive she
And there she'd spend one single hour
The lions and the tigers for to see
Lions and tigers made such a roaring
All in the den she threw a fan
Saying "Which of you to gain a lady
Will go return my fan again?"
And then up spoke the faint-hearted captain
"Lady, your offer I can't approve
For in that den, that great den of danger
I never will venture my life for love"
But then up spoke the poor lieutenant
His voice did ring so loud and clear
"For in that den, that great den of danger
My life I will venture for you, my dear"
So in that den he straightly entered
Lions and tigers looked fierce and grim
But he never sneed any hint of danger
But he looked so fierce at them again
And when they saw that his blood was royal
Down at his feet they all did lie
And there he stood, and the fan he gathered
And so he brought it safe away