Tony Rose - The Royal Oak lyrics

As we were a-sailing all on the salt sea, We hadn't sailed months past but two or three. Not before we saw ten sail of Turk, All men-o'-war full as big as we. "Pull down your colours, you English dogs! Pull down your colours, do not refuse. Oh, pull down your colours, you English dogs, Or else your precious life you'll lose!" Our captain being a valiant man, And a well-bespoken young man was he: "Oh, it never shall be said that we died like dogs, But we will fight them most manfully!" "Go up, you lofty cabin boys, And mount the mainmast tops'l high, For to spread abroad to King George's fleet. But we'll run the risk or else we'll die!" The fight begun about six in the morn And unto the setting of the sun. And at the rising of the very next morn, Of them ten ships we could not see but one. For three we sank and three we burned, And three we caused to run away, And the one we took into Portsmouth harbour For to let them know we had won the day. Well, if anyone then should enquire Or want to know our captain's name, Ol' Captain Wellfounder is our chief commander, And the Royal Oak is our ship by name.