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SONGS AND BALLADS |
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THE FAMOUS SEA-FIGHT BETWEEN CAPTAIN WARD AND THE RAINBOW
To the Tune of Captain Ward, etc.
Strike up, you lusty gallants, with musick and sound of drum :
For we have descry'd a rover upon the sea is come;
His name is Captain Ward, right well it doth appear
There has not been such a rover found out this thousand year;
For he hath sent unto our King, the sixth of January, Desiring that he might come in, with all his company; 1 And if your King will let me come, till I my tale have told, I will bestow for my ransome full thirty tun of gold.'
' O nay ! O nay !' then said our King, ' O nay, this may not be, To yield to such a rover my self will not agree ; He hath deceiv'd the French-man, likewise the King of Spain, And how can he be true to me, that hath been false to twain ? '
With that our King provided a ship of worthy fame ; Rainbow she is called, if you would know her name. Now the gallant Rainbow she rowes upon the sea, Five hundred gallant seamen to bear her company.
The Dutch-man and the Spaniard she made them for to fiye, Also the bonny French-man, as she met him on the sea. When as this gallant Rainbow, did come where Ward did lye, Where is the captain of this ship ?' this gallant Rainbow did cry.
O that am I,' says Captain Ward, ' there's no man bids me lye ; And if thou art the King's fair ship thou art welcome unto me.' ' I'le tell thee what,' says Rainbow, ' our King is in great grief That thou should'st lye upon the sea and play the arrant thief,
' And will not let our merchants' ships pass, as they did before"; Such tydings to our King is come, which grieves his heart full
sore.' With that this gallant Rainbow she shot, out of her pride, Full fifty gallant brass pieces, charged on every side. |
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