Royal Oak Lyrics & Chords By Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick

As we was sailing all on the salt sea,
We hadn't sailed months past two or three.
Long before we saw ten sail of Turk,
All men-o'-war full as big as we.

"Pull down your colours, you English dogs!
Pull down your colours, do not refuse.
Oh, pull down your colours, you English dogs,
Or else your precious life you'll lose!"

And our captain being a valiant man,
And a well-bespoken young man was he:
"Oh, it never shall be said that we died like dogs,
But we will fight them manfully!"

"Go up, you lofty cabin boys,
And mount the mainmast topsail high,
For to spread abroad to our noble fleet
We'll run the risk or else we'll die!"

The fight begun 'bout six in the morning
And unto the setting of the sun.
Oh, and at the rising of the very next morning,
Out of ten ships could not see but one.

Oh, three we sank and three we burned,
Three we caused to run away,
And one we brought into Portsmouth harbour
For to let them know we had won the day.

And if anyone then should enquire
Or want to know our captain's name,
Captain Wellfounder is our chief commander,
But the Royal Oak is our ship by name.