Come all you gallant seamen bold, all you that march to drum,
Let's go and look for Captain Ward, far out on the sea he roams.
For he is the biggest robber that ever you did hear;
And there's not been such a robber found in above this hundred year.
Now a ship it was sailing from the east and going to the west,
Loaded with silks and satins and velvets of the best.
But in meeting there with Captain Ward, it was a sad meeting:
For he robbed them of their wealth and their store and bid them tell their king.
So it's then our king he builded a ship of noted fame,
She's call'd the Royal Rainbow if you would know her name.
And she was as well provided for as any ship can be,
With thirteen hundred men on board to bear her company.
And at eight o'clock in the morning when they did begin to fight;
And so did they continue there till nine o'clock at night.
"Fight on, fight on!" cried Captain Ward, "For this sport pleases me;
But though you fight a month or more, your master still I'll be!"
So it's then the Royal Rainbow she fired but she fired all in vain,
Till six and sixty of her men all on the decks lie slain.
"Go home, go home!" cried Captain Ward, "Tell your king from me:
Though he reigns king on all dry land I'll reign king on the sea!"
Let's go and look for Captain Ward, far out on the sea he roams.
For he is the biggest robber that ever you did hear;
And there's not been such a robber found in above this hundred year.
Now a ship it was sailing from the east and going to the west,
Loaded with silks and satins and velvets of the best.
But in meeting there with Captain Ward, it was a sad meeting:
For he robbed them of their wealth and their store and bid them tell their king.
So it's then our king he builded a ship of noted fame,
She's call'd the Royal Rainbow if you would know her name.
And she was as well provided for as any ship can be,
With thirteen hundred men on board to bear her company.
And at eight o'clock in the morning when they did begin to fight;
And so did they continue there till nine o'clock at night.
"Fight on, fight on!" cried Captain Ward, "For this sport pleases me;
But though you fight a month or more, your master still I'll be!"
So it's then the Royal Rainbow she fired but she fired all in vain,
Till six and sixty of her men all on the decks lie slain.
"Go home, go home!" cried Captain Ward, "Tell your king from me:
Though he reigns king on all dry land I'll reign king on the sea!"