Motley Words

On the 24th of February,
The weather being clear.
We spied seven sails of Turkish men-of-war,
Belonging to Algier.

With a ri fol leather ol,
ri fol leather ol,
ri fol leather ol day
Rol a diddle i,
rol a diddle i,
With a ri fol leather ol day

Pull down your colours you English dogs,
Pull’em down do not refuse,
Pull down your colours you English dogs,
or your precious lives you’ll lose.

Our Captain being a valiant man,
And a well spoken man was he,
never shall be said that we died like dogs
So we we’ll fight them manfully

The first that came to our ship’s side
It was the Pink so clear.
Commanded by the big Bagshaw,
And belonging to Algier.

The next that came to our ship’s side,
It was the Rose and Crown.
But we fired into her a good broadside
And we quickly sent her down.

Well two we took and two we sunk,
The rest they ran away,
And one we brought to England’s shore,
Just to show we won the day

If anyone should then enquire ,
to know the Captains name
Captain Mansfield was our commander
and from Brightlingsea he came