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Bold Manning 
Bold Manning 
Bold Manning was to sea one day And a dreary day it was, too As dreary day as ever you see All wet with fog and dew They spied a large and lofty ship About three miles ahead "Come h'ist up our maintops'l, boys, And after her we'll speed 
He called unto his bosun, Whose name was William Craig: "Oh Craig oh Craig come up on deck And h'ist up our black flag!" His bosun was a valiant man, His heart was stout and bold. But when he saw his father's ship, He felt his blood run cold. 
Now, Manning's ship you all do know That ship of noted fame, 
With five hundred seamen and fifty brass guns As brave and crafty fellows As ever ploughed the, main.
 ...
 ... They ploughed the main all that night Until they reached the Fame And bore right down upon her And sheered up alongside. With his loud-speaking trumpet: "Whence come you," he cried 
"Where are you from?" cried Manning "I pray you tell me true, For if to me you tell a lie, It'll be the worse for you." "We are the Fame, to New York sailed For Liverpool we're bound. Our captain's name is William Craig A native of that town." 
"Oh, no! Oh, no! " cried Manning "These things can never be true So heave your main yard to the mast And let your ship lay to And if you think my orders Are not fit to obey With grape shot and canister I'll sink you where you lay!" 
These poor, affrighted seamen, Not knowing what to do, They hove their main yard to the mast And let their ship lay to. These bold and crafty pirates, With broadsword in hand, They went on board of the merchant ship And slaughtered every man. 
Some they shot and others they stabbed And all of them they drowned And most of these poor fellows Lay bathing in their blood. They hunted the ship all over And ransacked everything, Until they came to a female In the after mess cabin. 
She, not hearing of the murders Or knowing what was done, Played upon her own guitar. True sweetily she sung: "Home, home, sweet, sweet home; 'Tis for an absent lover that caused me to roam" 
Some did stomp and some did swear They would make her their bride. "Stand back, stand back!" said Manning "I'll enter [An end to?] all your strife He boldly rushed upon her, Without fear or dread. He boldly rushed upon this female And severed off her head. 
These bold and crafty pirates, Not caring what they done, They went on board of the pirate ship And boldly crack of dawn [crack-ed on?] With a kag of rum on the capstan, 
So boldly they did sing, To the mid watch of that night You might hear their echoes ring 
"We pirates lead a merry, merry life And a merry, merry life lead we! And when a strange sail heaves in sight We'll haul her under our lee. When the jolly, jolly grog is flowing Light falls [Ri fol] the dol i day! 
DT #752 Laws D15 From Shanty Men and Shanty Boys, Doerflinger SOF oct96