Eloise Hubbard Linscott, "Folk Songs of Old New England"(N.Y.: Macmillan, 1939). Sung by Captain Charlton L. Smith of Marblehead, Mass. Learned in 1890s:

Roving Reuben Renzo,
Renzo, boys, Renzo,
Roving Reuben Renzo,
Renzo, boys, Renzo.

Renzo was no sailor.
He might have been a tailor.

Renzo took a notion,
That he would plough the ocean.

So he sold his plough and harrow,
And likewise sold his barrow.

And Renzo had a pony
And sold him to a loidy.       [No way "pony" rhymes with "lady" -JL

He went to London City,
Where the barmaids are so pretty.

He joined a limejuice whaler,
And tried to be a whaler.

The mate he was a bad man,
He took him to the gangway.

He gave him five and twenty,
And that was a plenty!

But the skipper he was a fine old man,
He took him to his cabin.

And taught him navigation,
And now he ploughs the ocean.


(No drinks or romance here. A tailor is unlikely to own a plough or harrow, his transition from ploughing furrows to ploughing the ocean is a nice touch.)