The Twenty Fourth of February

On the twenty fourth of February
The weather being clear,
We spied sev'n sail of Turkish men o' war,
Be longing to Algier.

cho: With my right fol-lea-ther-ol, right fol-lea-ther-ol,
Right fol-lea-ther-ol day,
Roddle diddle di
Roddle diddle day
A right fol-leather-ol day.

Pull down your colours, you English dogs
Pull 'em down do not refuse,
Pull down your colours, you English dogs
Or your precious lives you'll lose.

Our captain being a valiant man
And well-bespoken he;
"It never shall be said that we died like dogs,
So we'll fight 'em manfully."

The first that came to our ship's side
It was the Pink so clear
Commanded by the big Bashaw
And belonging to Algier.

And the next that came to our ship's side
It was the Rose and Crown,
But we fired into her a good broadside
And we quickly sent her down.

Now two we took and two we sunk
And the rest they run away,
And one we brought to old England's shore
Just to show we'd won the day.

If anyone should then enquire
To know our captain's name,
Captain Mansfield was our chief commander
From Bristol town he came.

note: The battle described occurred on December 29, 1669. The
names of the Turkish ships seem odd, but memory fades in 300
or so years.
From Sea Songs and Shanties, Whall
RG
oct96