The Bold Princess Royal

 

The Bold Princess Royal

1. On the fourteenth of February
We sailed from the land,
In the bold Princess Royal
Bound for Newfoundland,
We had forty brave seamen
For our ship’s company,
And boldly from the eastward
To the westward sailed we.

2. We had not been sailing
Past days two or three,
When a man from our foremast
A sail he did see,
She hove down upon us
To see what we were,
And under her foremast
Black colours she wore.

3. Now when this bold pirate
She hove alongside,
With a large speaking trumpet,
‘Whence come you?’ they cried.
Our captain being aft, boys,
He answered him so;
We come from fair London
And we’re bound for Cairo:’

4. Come haul down your topsails,
Your sternsails also,
For I have a letter
To send home by you’
‘I’ll not haul down my topsail
Nor heave my sails to,
But shall be in some harbour,
Not alongside of you?’

5. They fired shot after us
But could not prevail,
When the bold Princess Royal
Soon shewed them her tail,
They drove us to windward,
But couldn’t make us stay,
We hoisted our mainsail
And then bore away.

6. Thank God,’ cries our captain,
‘The pirate is gone.
Come down to your grog boys,
Come down everyone,
Come down to your grog boys
And be of good cheer,
For while we have sea-room,
Brave boys, never fear.’