Warlike Seamen

Warlike Seamen (The Irish Captain)
Bob and Ron Copper

Come all you warlike seamen that to the seas belong,
I'll tell you of a fight, my boys, on board the Nottingham.
It was of an Irish Captain, his name was Somerville,
With courage bold did he control, he played his part so well.

'Twas on the eighth of June, my boys, when at Spithead we lay,
On board there came an order our anchor for to weigh.
Bound for the coast of Ireland, our orders did run so,
For us to cruise and not refuse against a daring foe.

We had not sailed many lengths at sea before a ship we spied,
She being some lofty Frenchman come a-bearing down so wide.
We hailed her off France, my boys, they asked from where we came.
Our answer was, "From Liverpool and London is our name."

"Oh, pray are you some man of war or pray what may you be?"
"Oh", then replied our Captain, "and that you soon shall see."
"Come strike your English colours or else you shall bring to,
Since you're so stout you shall give out or else we will sink you."

The first broadside we gave to them which made them for to wonder,
Their main-mast and their rigging came a-rattling down like thunder,
We drove them from their quarter they could no longer stay,
Our guns did roar, we made so sure, we showed them British play.

So now we've took that ship, my boys, God speed us fair wind
That we might sail to Plymouth Town if the heavens prove so kind.
We'll drink a health unto our Captain and all such warlike souls,
To him we'll drink and never flinch out of a flowing bowl.

Next to The Bold Princess Royal this is one of the most popular 'engagement' sea ballads among English country singers, but the names of the ship and its captain show variations. In a Somerset version collected by Cecil Sharp the action takes place off the coast of Ireland but the ship is 'The Lion Man-o-war'. The Frenchman was deceptively carrying the colours of 'The Royal Delamore' and this is sometimes given as the song title. Versions recorded by Peter Kennedy from Harry Cox in Norfolk and Jack French in Suffolk have it as 'The Dolphin', and this seems the most common song title, but in this case instead of 'British Play', they showed them 'Liverpool Play' (the latter sometimes being used as a title). Baring Gould in 'Songs of the West' had 'The Marigold' with its captain, Sir Thomas Merrifield of Bristow (Bristol).