Hi,

Beside the words the good soldier added above, http://digital.nls.uk/broadsides/broadside.cfm/id/20865 shows this text (except maybe for some added typo's; please check):


The Black Cook
or
The Doctor Outwitted

I will tell you a trick, that was played the other night,
Tis concerning a Doctor that dwells in this town,
By a sailor so bold, he was nicely outwitted,
And fifty white shillings he had to pay down.

Some Jolly Jack tars, its they had got groggy,
Their cash it was spent, and their credit was done,
Down through Glasgow, to the Broomielaw they did ramble
Being bent for to raise either money or fun.

The cook of the vessel being one of the party,
He was a smart lad, though his colour was black,
For wit and contrivence he never yet wanted,
He found out a way to rise cash in a crack.

He says my shipmates, I hear people saying,
A corpse could be sold very readily here,
So take me alive, roll me up in my hammock,
And sell me to get either whiskey or beer.

The sailors agreed and accepted his offer,
And off to a shop where a Doctor did dwell,
In the ear of the Doctor, they slowly did whisper,
Kind sir we have got a corpse for to sell.

A corps said the Doctor, like me in amaze,
Tell me now where you have got it I say,
If you bring it safe here, I will buy it quiet ready,
And fifty white shillings to you I will pay.

They rolled up the black, with his hammock about him,
He was a fine fellow, both sturdy and strong,
And into his pocket by way of protection,
They stuck a knife with a blade, that was half a yard long.

Ten o'clock it was struck, and the town it was silent.
The sailors set out with the black on their back,
And into the Doctor they slowly did venture,
Where in a back room they laid down the black.

The doctor he paid the bold seamen their money,
They told him it was their cook, he had died out at sea,
And rather than have his dead body be buried,
We've sold it to you and its out of the way.

The Doctor he went for a knife to dissect him,
And quickly came down with the tools in his hand,
When he entered the room where he left the corps lying,
The black with his gully there ready did stand.

when he entered the room, where he left the corps lying.
He thought that the cook was a very rich prize,
With a voice loud as thunder the black did assail him,
And said d__n my eyes Doctor I'll dissect you alive

O the Doctor was glad to run in a hurry,
And unto his wife the news he did bring,
Saying dear, oh dear, where will you hide me,
For surely the devil is in the back room.

The coast being clear its off the black did start
And along the Broomielaw so quickly he went,
Until he did join with the rest of his party,
And the fifty white shillings they have merely spent.


White shillings being silver shillings, and Broomielaw being Glasgow's port area. This version has less duplicate lines then the version we already have, but it doesn't clear them all as in the line before "rich prize" we see one duplication replaced by another. I doubt this is the original, but combining the two should allow for improving the lyrics.

Bye,
                                                               Mysha