Captain Ward and the Rain-Bow (1780)/Captain Ward and the Rain-Bow
Captain Ward and the Rain Bow.
COME all ye lofty ſailors,
that lives by tuck of drum,
I'll tell you of a robber
now on the ſeas is come;
His name is called Captain Ward,
as you the truth ſhall hear,
For there has not been ſuch a robber,
this hundred and fifty year.
Firſt he beguild the wild Turk,
and then the king of Spain,
Pray, how can he prove true to us,
when he prov'd flalſe to them?
He wrote a letter to the king,
on the fifteen of July,
To ſee if he would accept of him,
and all his company;
To ſee if he would accept of him,
and all his jolly ſailors bold,
And for a ranſom he would give
two thouſand pounds in gold.
O no, O no, then ſaid the king,
for no ſuch thing ſhall be;
For he has been a robber,
and a robber on the ſea.
On then ſaid Captain Ward, brave boys,
let's put to ſea again,
And ſee what prizes we'll find out,
on the coaſts of France and Spain:
Then we eſpy'd a lofty ſhip,
a ſailing from the weſt,
She was loaded with ſilks and ſatins,
and cambricks of the beſt.
Then we bore up to her ſtraightway,
they thinking on no ſuch thing,
O we robb'd them of their merchandize,
then bade them tell their king.
Now when the king had heard of this,
his heart was griev'd full fore,
To think his ſhips could not get paſt,
as they had done before.
Then he cauſed build a worthy fhip,
and a worthy ſhip of fame,
O the Rain-bow ſhe was called,
and the Rain-bow was her name.
O he rigged her and freighted her,
and ſent her to the ſea,
With a hundred and ſixty mariners,
to bear her company
They ſailed eaſt, they ſailed weſt,
but nothing cold eſpy,
Till they (illegible text)come o the very ſame port,
where Captain Ward did ly.
O who is the owner of this ſhip?
the Rain-bow then did cry:
O hear I am ſays Captain Ward,
let no man me deny.
What brought you here you robber?
you ugly wanton thief,
What makes you ly in danger,
and keep your king in grief?
You lie, you lie, ſays Captain Ward,
ſo well's I hear you lie,
I never robbed an Engliſhman,
an Engliſhman but three.
As for the worthy Scotſmen,
I love them as my own,
My chief delight is for to pull
the French and Spainards down:
Then ſay'ſt thou ſo bold robber,
we'll ſoon humble thy pride,
And then charged their great guns,
and gave Ward a full broad-ſide.
Fire on, fire on, ſays Captain Ward,
I value you not a pin,
If you be braſs in the outſide,
I am as good ſteel within.
They fought from eight in the morning,
till eight o'clock at night,
Till once the gallant Rain-bow,
began to take the flight:
Go home, go home, ſays Captain Ward,
and tell your king from me,
⟨If⟩ he reigns king upon dry land.
I will reign king on ſea.