Spanish Ladies
Farewell and adieu to you, Spanish Ladies
Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain;
For we’ve received orders for to sail for old England
But we hope in a short time to see you again
We will rant and we’ll roar like true British sailors
We’ll rant and we’ll roar all on the salt seas
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty-five leagues
Then we hove our ship to with the wind from sou’west, boys
We hove our ship to, for to make soundings clear;
We got soundings in ninety-five fathom, and boldy
Up the channel of old England our course we steer.
Now the first land we made it is called the Deadman,
Than, Ramshead off Plymouth, Start, Portland and Wight;
We passed by Beechy, by Fairleigh and Dungeness,
And hove our ship to, off South Foreland Light.
Then a signal was made for the grand fleet to anchor,
All in the Downs, that night for to meet
Then standby your stoppers, let go your shank-painters
Haul all your clew garnets, stick out tacks and sheets.
Now let every man drink off his full bumper
Let every man toss off his full bowls;
We’ll drink and be jolly; and drown melancholy,
So here’s good health to all true-hearted sou