The Pirate of the Isle, as found in The Naval Song Book, 1907?

Oh I command a sturdy band of pirates bold and free.
No laws I own, my ship's my throne, my kingdom is the Sea.
My flag is red at the topmast head, on all my foes I smile,
I no quarter show where'er I go, and soon I take the prize in tow;
My men are tried, My bark's my bride; My men are tried, My bark's my bride;
I'm the Pirate of the Isle! I'm the Pirate of the Isle!

I love to sail in a pleasant gale On the deep and boundless sea,
With a prize in view, and bring her to And haul her under our lee;
Then give three cheers and homeward steer, When fortune on us smile.
No-one ever crossed the famed Le Ross, But to my flag they struck of course.
My men etc

Those French bonbons and Spanish dons With ardent zeal they burn
Came out to sea to capture me, but never back returned;
And England too doth me pursue, At all her threats I smile;
Eight ships I've ta'en, their men I've slain, I've burnt and sunk them on the main!
My men etc.

But now's in sight a ship of might, A British seventy-four;
She hails Le Ross and stops his course, And broadsides from her pour.
The pirate soon returns the boon, And proudly he does smile,
But a fatal ball has caused his fall, And now his men for quarter call,
In the briny deep he's laid to sleep; In the briny deep he's laid to sleep;
Oh the Pirate, oh, the Pirate, Oh, the Pirate of the Isle.


""I'm the Pirate of the Isles," a most thrilling tale of the genuine Pirate of the Isle of Pines, the terror of the Spanish Main"

Unknown author – early C19th. Acknowledgement given in Naval Songbook to Rev Goodenough, possibly just for the arrangement.


In "THE MUSIC OF THE WATERS" 1888, LAURA ALEXANDRINE SMITH refers confidently to ""I'm the Pirate of the Isles," a most thrilling tale of the genuine Pirate of the Isle of Pines, the terror of the Spanish Main." Personally, I don't think it's meant to be historical, but, given 'Le Ross,' I'd agree with Artful Codger that it hints at one (or all) of the Barbarossa brothers, the Pirates of the Isle of Lesbos.

Sung here to the Naval Song Book tune:
http://youtu.be/jgZvwpxkckc