Digital Tradition Mirror

Bold Manning

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Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Bold Manning

Bold Manning was to sea one day
And a dreary day it was, too
As dreary day as ever you see
All wet with fog and dew
They spied a large and lofty ship
About three miles ahead
"Come h'ist up our maintops'l, boys,
And after her we'll speed

He called unto his bosun,
Whose name was William Craig:
"Oh Craig oh Craig come up on deck
And h'ist up our black flag!"
His bosun was a valiant man,
His heart was stout and bold.
But when he saw his father's ship,
He felt his blood run cold.

Now, Manning's ship you all do know
That ship of noted fame,
With five hundred seamen and fifty brass guns
As brave and crafty fellows
As ever ploughed the, main.
 ...

 ...
They ploughed the main all that night
Until they reached the Fame
And bore right down upon her
And sheered up alongside.
With his loud-speaking trumpet:
"Whence come you," he cried

"Where are you from?" cried Manning
"I pray you tell me true,
For if to me you tell a lie,
It'll be the worse for you."
"We are the Fame, to New York sailed
For Liverpool we're bound.
Our captain's name is William Craig
A native of that town."

"Oh, no! Oh, no! " cried Manning
"These things can never be true
So heave your main yard to the mast
And let your ship lay to
And if you think my orders
Are not fit to obey
With grape shot and canister
I'll sink you where you lay!"

These poor, affrighted seamen,
Not knowing what to do,
They hove their main yard to the mast
And let their ship lay to.
These bold and crafty pirates,
With broadsword in hand,
They went on board of the merchant ship
And slaughtered every man.

Some they shot and others they stabbed
And all of them they drowned
And most of these poor fellows
Lay bathing in their blood.
They hunted the ship all over
And ransacked everything,
Until they came to a female
In the after mess cabin.

She, not hearing of the murders
Or knowing what was done,
Played upon her own guitar.
True sweetily she sung:
"Home, home, sweet, sweet home;
'Tis for an absent lover that caused me to roam"

Some did stomp and some did swear
They would make her their bride.
"Stand back, stand back!" said Manning
"I'll enter [An end to?] all your strife
He boldly rushed upon her,
Without fear or dread.
He boldly rushed upon this female
And severed off her head.

These bold and crafty pirates,
Not caring what they done,
They went on board of the pirate ship
And boldly crack of dawn [crack-ed on?]
With a kag of rum on the capstan,
So boldly they did sing,
To the mid watch of that night
You might hear their echoes ring

"We pirates lead a merry, merry life
And a merry, merry life lead we!
And when a strange sail heaves in sight
We'll haul her under our lee.
When the jolly, jolly grog is flowing
Light falls [Ri fol] the dol i day!

DT #752
Laws D15
From Shanty Men and Shanty Boys, Doerflinger
SOF
oct96

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!