Cpt Fabris
Landlubber
Just came accross this little ditty on the Portcities.org.uk website whilst looking at prostitution in 18th Century London (I'm more familiar with the 15th century though).
There's an audio version on the website:
<a href="http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConNarrative.111/chapterId/2339/Prostitution-in-maritime-London.html" target="_blank">Portcities.org.uk - prostitution</a>
But the singer's a little hoarse and off-key and doesn't sound overly convincing in his diction but the tune is listenable.
There's some amusing nautical metaphors used that illustrate the rich slang (and curses) in use at the time.
<b>Ratcliffe Highway</b>
"As I wuz a roll-in' down the High-way one morn,
I spied a flash pack-et from ol' Wapping town
As soon as I seed her I slacked me main brace,
An' I hoist-ed me stun-sl's an' to her gave chase,
Oh, me rig-gin's slack, Aye me ratt-lin's are fray'd,
I've ratt-led me rig-gin' down Rat-cliffe High-way!
Her flag wuz three colours, her masthead wuz low,
She wuz round at the counter an’ bluff at the bow;
From larboard to starboard an’ so rolled she,
She wuz sailin’ at large, she wuz runnin’ free.
I fired me bow-chaser, the signal she new
She backed her main tops'l an' for me hove to'
I lowered down me jolly-boat an' roved alongside,
An' I found madam's gangway wuz open an' wide.
I hailed her in English, she answered me clear,
“I’m from the Black Arrow bound to the Shakespeare”;
So I wore ship wid a what d’yer know,
An’ I passed her me hawser an’ took her in tow.
I entered her little cabin, an' swore, "Damn your eyes!"
She wuz nothin' but a fireship rigged up in disguise;
She had a foul bottom, from sternpost to fore;
'Tween the wind and water she ran me ashore.
She set fire to me riggin', as well as me hull,
An' away to the lazareet I had to scull.
Wid me helm hard-a-starboard as I rolled along,
Me shipmates cried, "Hey, Jack, yer mainyard is sprung!"
Now I’m safe in harbour, me moorings all fast,
I lay here quite snug, boys, till all danger is past;
With me mainyard all served, boys, an’ parcelled an’ tarred,
Wasn't that a stiff breeze, boys, that sprung me mainyard?"
There's another version here:
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/trails/2625/song3.html" target="_blank">Ratcliffe Highway</a>
The last verse of this one is more amusing.
There's an audio version on the website:
<a href="http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConNarrative.111/chapterId/2339/Prostitution-in-maritime-London.html" target="_blank">Portcities.org.uk - prostitution</a>
But the singer's a little hoarse and off-key and doesn't sound overly convincing in his diction but the tune is listenable.
There's some amusing nautical metaphors used that illustrate the rich slang (and curses) in use at the time.
<b>Ratcliffe Highway</b>
"As I wuz a roll-in' down the High-way one morn,
I spied a flash pack-et from ol' Wapping town
As soon as I seed her I slacked me main brace,
An' I hoist-ed me stun-sl's an' to her gave chase,
Oh, me rig-gin's slack, Aye me ratt-lin's are fray'd,
I've ratt-led me rig-gin' down Rat-cliffe High-way!
Her flag wuz three colours, her masthead wuz low,
She wuz round at the counter an’ bluff at the bow;
From larboard to starboard an’ so rolled she,
She wuz sailin’ at large, she wuz runnin’ free.
I fired me bow-chaser, the signal she new
She backed her main tops'l an' for me hove to'
I lowered down me jolly-boat an' roved alongside,
An' I found madam's gangway wuz open an' wide.
I hailed her in English, she answered me clear,
“I’m from the Black Arrow bound to the Shakespeare”;
So I wore ship wid a what d’yer know,
An’ I passed her me hawser an’ took her in tow.
I entered her little cabin, an' swore, "Damn your eyes!"
She wuz nothin' but a fireship rigged up in disguise;
She had a foul bottom, from sternpost to fore;
'Tween the wind and water she ran me ashore.
She set fire to me riggin', as well as me hull,
An' away to the lazareet I had to scull.
Wid me helm hard-a-starboard as I rolled along,
Me shipmates cried, "Hey, Jack, yer mainyard is sprung!"
Now I’m safe in harbour, me moorings all fast,
I lay here quite snug, boys, till all danger is past;
With me mainyard all served, boys, an’ parcelled an’ tarred,
Wasn't that a stiff breeze, boys, that sprung me mainyard?"
There's another version here:
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/trails/2625/song3.html" target="_blank">Ratcliffe Highway</a>
The last verse of this one is more amusing.
