The Famous Sea-Fight between Captain Ward and the rainbow.  
To the Tune of Captain Ward.  
 
 

STrike up you lusty Gallants,  
with music and sound of Drum.  
For we have descried a Rower.  
upon the Sea is come.   

His name is Captain Ward,  
right well it doth appear:  
There has not been such a Rower  
found out this thousand years.   

For he has sent unto our King,  
the sixth of January,  
Desiring that he might come in  
with all his company.   

And if your King will let me come,  
till I my tale have told,  
I will bestow for my ransom,  
full thirty Tun of Gold.   

O nay, O nay, then says our King,  
O nay this may not be,  
To yield to such a Rower,  
Myself will not agree.   

He has deceived the Frenchman,  
likewise the King of Spain:  
And how can he be true to me  
that hath been false to twain.   

With that our King provided,  
a Ship of worthy fame,  
Rainbow she is so called,  
if you would know her name.   

Now the gallant Rainbow,  
she rows up on the Sea,  
Five hundred gallant Seamen  
do bear her company.   

The Dutch man, and the Spaniard,  
she made them for to fly,  
Also the bony Frenchman,  
as she mote them on the Sea.   
 
 

WHen as this Gallant Rainbow,  
did come where Ward did lie,  
Where is the Captain of this Ship,  
this gallant Rainbow did cry.   

O that am I says Captain Ward,  
there's no man bids me lie,  
And if thou art the King's fair Ship,  
thou art welcome unto me.   

I'll tell thee what says Rainbow,  
our King is in great grief,  
That thou shouldst lie upon the Sea  
and play the Arrant thief.   

And will not let our Merchant Ships  
Pass as they did before,  
Such tidings to our King is come  
which grieves his heart full sore.   

With that this gallant Rainbow,  
she shot out of her pride.  
Full fifty gallant brass pieces  
charged on every side.   

Although these gallant shooters,  
prevailed not a pin,  
Though they were brass on the outside  
yet Ward was steel within.   

shoot on shoot on, says Captain Ward,  
your sport well pleaseth me,  
And he that first give over,  
shall yield unto the Sea.   

I never wronged an English ship,  
but the Turk and King of Spain,  
For and the jovial Dutchman,  
as I met on the main.   

If I had known your Ki●g,  
but one two years before,  
I would have s●●ed brave Essex life,  
whose death did grieve me sore.   

Go tell the King of England,  
go tell him thus from me,  
If he reign King of all the Land,  
I will reign King at Sea.   

With that the Royal Rainbow shot,  
and shot, and shot in vain,  
And left the Rovers company,  
and returned home again.   

Our Royal King of England,  
your Ship's returned again,  
For Wards ship is so strong,  
she never will be ta'en.   

O everlasting says our King,  
I have lost jewels three,  
Which would agone to the Seas,  
and brought proud Ward to me.   

The first was Lord Clifford,  
Earl of Cumberland.  
The second was the Lord Mountjoy,  
as you shall understand.   

The third was brave Essex,  
from field would never flee,  
Who would have gone unto the Sea,  
and brought proud Ward to me.    

London, Printed for Fr. Coals at the sign of the Lamb in the Old-bailey.