Motley Words

Intro: 

Our next tune is an alehouse song, written about the English Admiral, John Benbow, who died Kingston, Jamaica, in 1702 after a career fighting the French and the Spanish. Famous for an incident where his captains really did refuse to fight, he sounds like a bit of a lad. The diarist John Evelyn said of him: I have let my house to Captain Benbow, and have the mortification of seeing everyday much of my former labours and expenses there impairing for want of a more polite tenant.

Come all you seamen bold, and draw near, and draw near
Come all you seamen bold, and draw near
It’s of an Admiral’s fame, O brave Benbow was his name
How he fought all on the main you shall hear, you shall hear

Brave Benbow he set sail for to fight, for to fight
Brave Benbow he set sail for to fight
Brave Benbow he set sail in a fine and pleasant gale
But his captains they turned tail in a fright, in a fright

Says Kirby unto Wade, We will run, we will run
Says Kirby unto Wade, We will run
For I value no disgrace nor the losing of my place
But the enemy I’ll not face, nor his guns, nor his guns

The Ruby and Benbow fought the French, fought the French
The Ruby and Benbow fought the French
They fought them up and down till the blood come trickling down
Till the blood come trickling down where they lay, where they lay

Brave Benbow lost his legs by chain-shot, by chain-shot
Brave Benbow lost his legs by chain-shot
Brave Benbow lost his legs and all on his stumps he begs
Fight on, my English lads, ’tis our lot, ’tis our lot

Come surgeon dress my wounds, cries Benbow, cries Benbow
Come surgeon dress my wound, cries Benbow
Let the cradle now in haste on the quarter deck be placed
That the enemy I might face till I die, till I die

When in death he closed his eyes they all cried, they all cried
When in death he closed his eyes they all cried
What a terrible sight to see our brave hero of the day
And they carried him to Kingston Church where he lay where he lay

Gigs