Thanks for this interesting thread, Joe. I'm pretty sure you would know Eliza Carthey's version of 'The Bold Privateer', with quite different lyrics to those you've posted here?

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Good idea. Here are Eliza Carthy's lyrics, again from http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/.
-Joe Offer-

Bold Privateer

[Trad. arr. Eliza Carthy]

Sung and played by Eliza Carthy on her record Anglicana. She is accompanied by Tim van Eyken on guitar.

Eliza Carthy said in the album's sleeve notes:

My Dad said he has been meaning to give me this song for about five years. I eventually held him in a savage stranglehold until he gave it up. It comes from a collection by John Broadwood, relative of Lucy. All the songs in the collection come from Surrey and Sussex, and Broadwood swears that they were obtained from genuine country people and peasants.

Lyrics

Our boat, she's on a drift
And our ship, she's on the waves
Farewell my dearest jewel
For no longer can I stay

|: Our ship, she lies awaiting
So fare you well, my dear
For I must go on board
Of this bold privateer :|

There's no-one there can tell you
What great hazards you will run
So many have been slain
Since the wars first begun

|: Such bloody engagements
And dangers that draw near
With loss of their sweet lives
In this bold privateer :|

Grieve not, my dearest jewel
When I'm out of your sweet sight
For I must go on board
And so boldly I will fight

|: We'll beat down the pride
Of the lofty monaseer*
And soon we'll let them know
She's a bold privateer :|

Then since you are a-going
May heaven kinder be
May kind heaven protect you
By land or by sea

|: May kind heaven protect you
Wherever you may steer
And send you safe home back
From this bold privateer :|

The prizes we have taken
Are from France and from Spain
And my true love at home
Will have part of them the same

|: And when the wars are over
I'll turn unto my dear
And then I'll bid adieu
To this bold privateer :|

Oh, when the wars are over
I'll turn unto my dear
And then I'll bid adieu
To this bold privateer

Notes

*“Monaseer” is late eighteenth / early ninteenth-century slang for a Frenchman, from “monsieur”. The Dutch were similarly known as “Monheers” (or “butterboxes”!) The English have a habit of genially mangling the pronunciation of their enemies' names - the Indian Prince Sirauj-ad Daula was known to the troops as “Sir Roger Dowler” for example.
[Kim Birley]

Acknowledgements

Transcribed by Reinhard Zierke with help from Kira White and Kim Birley. Thank you!