My attempt to get the text of THE BOLD PIRATE as sung by Dick Snell, on As We Were a-Sailing, Argo ZDA 137, 1970. It needs a general check, and there are critical points where I've put a question mark. Thank you. Roberto

THE BOLD PIRATE

`Twas on the twelfth of March, me boys, from Bristol we set sail
The wind it was West-North-West, it blew a pleasant gale
We sailed all that livelong day till night was coming on
And there we found a bold pirate sailing two feet to our one

He hailed us in English and he asked us whence we came
We told him from Bristol Town, and on our course was bound -
Lower down you fore and main topsail and let your ship lie to
And if you fire one shot at all it's to the yardam (?) with you

Then up spake our commander bold – Well, I hope that shall never be
When we have twenty-eight brass guns to bear us company
When we have got three hundred men, most British seamen bold
Which values more their honor than misers do their gold

Then the bold pirate he boarded us with three hundred of his men
But at a word from our commander bold, we soon did slaughter them
They stroke down our blue silk (?) ensign, thinking our warlike ship to take
But we gave them such a feel, me boys, has made their hearts to ache

Then the bold pirate he boarded us with the remainder of his men
But at a word from our commander bold, we soon did slaughter them
Out of five hundred seamen bold we reduced them all to two
And lo (?), for mercy they did cry, but to none of them 't was due

Then the bold pirate he bore (?) from us and he tried to run away
But a broadside from our gallant ship it caus-ed him to stay
We lowered down our boats, me boys, and boarded him immediately
And there we found the bold pirate with the two legs from his thighs(?)

Saying – You won the prize, me Bristol boys, and forward (?)you fought bold
Go down there below, you'll find five hundred chests of gold
We took her in tow, me boys, what a glorious sight to see
Till we come to the sign of Bristol town, longside the Bristol quay

Well, every man his fortune made and we came safe on shore
We'll join together and we'll thank one another and will go to sea no more