This chantey is quoted in:

Mordaunt, Elinor. A Ship of Solace. New York: Sturgis & Walton, 1911, page 235f.

Wikipedia classifies Elinor Mordaunt as "an English author, writer and traveler." (It's not clear to me how an author differs from a writer, but that's what it says.) The book seems to be a travel memoir.

1. From Boston Harbour we set sail,
And the wind it was blowing the devil of a gale.

CHORUS: Royals free — royals free,
Studding sails aloft, boys; royals free.

2. With a ring-tail set all abaft the mizzen peak,
To see Britannia a-ploughing up the deep.

3. And now the wind begins for to blow.
It's in with your ring-tail quickly, oh.

4. Clew up the to'gallant sails and take 'em in again;
Bear a hand, jolly tar, at the mizzen fore and main.

5. Now we poor sailors are a-trampin' on the deck,
With the nasty cold rain all a-blowin' down our necks.

6. Not a dram of grog can the old man afford;
But it's "Damn your eyes!" at every other word.

7. Now that old fellow he's both dead and gone,
But he's left to us his one and only son.

8. And if he don't prove both kind and frank,
So help me, Jimmy, we'll make him walk the plank.