Captain Ward and the Rainbow or Ward the Pirate is Child ballad 287. It recounts a tale of the pirate Captain Ward, who may be a historical figure.

Synopsis

The king sends a ship, the Rainbow, after Captain Ward. Ward defeats it and sends taunts back to the king.

In many variants, he claims to have never harmed an English ship.

English Lyrics

Come all you gallant seamen bold,

All you that march to drum,

Let's go and look for Captain Ward,

Far on the sea he roams;

He is the biggest robber

That ever you did hear,

There's not been such a robber found

For above this hundred year.

A ship was sailing from the east

And going to the west,

Loaded with silks and satins

And velvets of the best,

But meeting there with Captain Ward,

It proved a bad meeting;

He robbèd them of all their wealth

And bid them tell their king.


O then the king provided a ship of noble fame,

She's call'd the "Royal Rainbow,"

If you would know her name;

She was as well provided for

As any ship could be,

Full thirteen hundred men on board

To bear her company.

'Twas eight o' clock in the morning

When they began to fight,

And so they did continue there

Till nine o' clock at night.

"Fight on, fight on," says Captain Ward,

"This sport well pleases me,

For if you fight this month or more,

Your master I will be."

O then the gallant "Rainbow"

She fired, she fired in vain,

Till six and thirty of her men

All on the deck were slain.

"Go home, go home," says Captain Ward,

"And tell your king from me,

If he reigns king on all the land,



Ward will reign king on sea!"

External links

• Captain Ward and the Rainbow
• Ward the Pirate with commentary