<h2><SPAN name="page35"></SPAN><span class="pagenum"></span>A ROVER CHANTY</h2>
<p class="poetry">A trader sailed from Stepney town—<br/>
Wake her up! Shake her up! Try her with the
mainsail!<br/>
A trader sailed from Stepney town<br/>
With a keg full of gold and a velvet gown:<br/>
Ho, the bully rover Jack,<br/>
Waiting with his yard aback<br/>
Out upon the Lowland sea!</p>
<p class="poetry">The trader he had a daughter fair—<br/>
Wake her up! Shake her up! Try her with the
foresail<br/>
The trader he had a daughter fair,<br/>
She had gold in her ears, and gold in her hair:<br/>
<SPAN name="page36"></SPAN><span class="pagenum">p.
36</span>All for bully rover Jack,<br/>
Waiting with his yard aback,<br/>
Out upon the Lowland sea!</p>
<p class="poetry">‘Alas the day, oh daughter
mine!’—<br/>
Shake her up! Wake her up! Try her with the
topsail!<br/>
‘Alas the day, oh daughter mine!<br/>
Yon red, red flag is a fearsome sign!’<br/>
Ho, the bully rover Jack,<br/>
Reaching on the weather tack,<br/>
Out upon the Lowland sea!</p>
<p class="poetry">‘A fearsome flag!’ the maiden
cried—<br/>
Wake her up! Shake her up! Try her with the
jibsail!<br/>
‘A fearsome flag!’ the maiden cried,<br/>
But comelier men I never have spied!’<br/>
Ho, the bully rover Jack,<br/>
Reaching on the weather tack,<br/>
Out upon the Lowland sea!</p>
<p class="poetry">There’s a wooden path that the rovers
know—<br/>
Wake her up! Shake her up! Try her with the
headsails!<br/>
There’s a wooden path that the rovers know,<br/>
Where none come back, though many must go:<br/>
<SPAN name="page37"></SPAN><span class="pagenum">p.
37</span>Ho, the bully rover Jack,<br/>
Lying with his yard aback,<br/>
Out upon the Lowland sea!</p>
<p class="poetry">Where is the trader of Stepney town?—<br/>
Wake her up! Shake her up! Every stick a-bending!<br/>
Where is the trader of Stepney town?<br/>
There’s gold on the capstan, and blood on the gown:<br/>
<SPAN name="page38"></SPAN><span class="pagenum">p.
38</span>Ho for bully rover Jack,<br/>
Waiting with his yard aback,<br/>
Out upon the Lowland sea!</p>
<p class="poetry">Where is the maiden who knelt at his
side?—<br/>
Wake her up! Shake her up! Every stitch a-drawing!<br/>
Where is the maiden who knelt at his side?<br/>
We gowned her in scarlet, and chose her our bride:<br/>
Ho, the bully rover Jack,<br/>
Reaching on the weather tack,<br/>
Right across the Lowland sea!</p>
<p class="poetry">So it’s up and its over to Stornoway
Bay,<br/>
Pack it on! Crack it on! Try her with the
stunsails!<br/>
It’s off on a bowline to Stornoway Bay,<br/>
Where the liquor is good and the lasses are gay:<br/>
<SPAN name="page39"></SPAN><span class="pagenum">p.
39</span>Waiting for their bully Jack,<br/>
Watching for him sailing back,<br/>
Right across the Lowland sea.</p>
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