Allan Tine o' Harrow (1826)/Jack in his Element

by unknown author

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JACK IN HIS ELEMENT.

Bold Jack the Sailor, here I come,
pray how do you like my nib,
My trowsers wide and trampers rum,
my nab and flowing nib;
I sail the seas from end to end,
and lead a roving life,
At every mess we find a friend,
at every port a wife.

I have heard them talk of constancy,
of grief and such like fun,
I have constant been to ten cry'd I,
but never griev'd for one.
The flowing sails we tars unbend,
to lead a roving life,
At every mess we find a friend,
at every port a wife.

I have a spanking wife at portsmouth gates,
a Pigmy at Goree;
An Orange Tawny up the Straits,
a black at St Lucie;
Thus whatsoever course we bend,
we lead a jovial life
At every mess we find a friend
at every port a wife.

Will Gaffe by Death was ta’en aback,
I came to bring the news.
Poll whimper’d sore, but what did Jack?
why stood in William’s shoes.
She cut, I chas‘d and in the end,
she lov’d me as her life,
So she has got a loving friend,
and I a loving wife.

Come all you Sailors that do go,
the unfortunate seas to run,
You must work, love and fight your foes,
and drink your generous bub:
Storms that our masts in splinters tear,
can make our joyous life,
In every want we find a friend,
and every port a wife.