THE SKIPPERS OF SAINT IVES
A Cornish Song
(Words by F.E. Weatherly. Music by Joseph L. Roeckel)
Levy Collection Box 144 Item 006

'Twas on a Mon-day morn-ing As I came thro' Saint Ives
There were four and twen-ty skip-pers
And four and twen-ty wives
And each wife she would be talk-ing
Each wife she would be heard
It seems to me, said Jack, said he
We can't get in a word!

Clack-et-y clack said Will to Jack,
Clack-et-y clack said he.
Folks say out there live mer-maids fair
Say boys, shall we go out to see?

So these four and twen-ty skip-pers
Stole off most qui-et-ly
And court-ed those fair mer-maid-ens
at the bot-tom of the sea
And when they had court-ed gai-ly
for a thous-and years or so
They re-mem-bered their wives
In old Saint Ives and thought it was time to go

Clack-et-y clack said Will to Jack,
Clack-et-y clack said he.
D'ye think they're at their same old chat?
Say boys, shall we go home to see?

So these four and twen-ty skip-pers
they rose from out the main
And come to Saint Ives on a Mon-day
to find their wives a-gain
A-las 'tis a thou-sand years, boys
I fear they're gone, said Will
But he peep'd a-round a cor-ner
and there they were
talk-ing still!

Clack-et-y clack said Will to Jack,
They nev-er will stop, said he.
A chat-'ring wife's the plague o' one's life
Come boys let's go back to sea!

NWC file sent to Joe