Spanish Ladies

Farewell and adieu to you, Spanish ladies,
Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain;
For we have received orders for to sail to old England,
And we may ne'er see you fair ladies again.

We'll rant and we'll roar, like true British sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt seas;
Until we strike soundings in the Channel of old England,
From Ushant to Scilly 'tis thirty-five leagues.

We hove our ship to, with the wind from sou'west, boys,
We hove our ship to, deep soundings to take;
'Twas 45 fathoms with a white sandy bottom
So we squared our main yard and up channel did steer.

The first land we sighted was called the Dodman
Next Rame Head off Plymouth, Start, Portland, and Wight;
We sailed by Beachy by Fairlight and Dover
And then we bore up for the South Foreland light.

Then the signal was made for the grand fleet to anchor
And all in the Downs that night for to lie;
Let go your shank painter, let go your cat stopper
Haul up your clewgarnets, let tack and sheets fly.

Now let ev'ry man drink off his full bumper,
And let ev'ry man drink off his full glass;
We'll drink and be jolly and drown melancholy,
And here's to the health of each true-hearted lass.

(music and lyrics: trad. English, 18th century)