Captain Ward- Tillett (NC) 1924; Chappell 1939
[Tink Tillet's version appears in Chappell- Folk Songs of the Roanoke and the Abermerle, 1939. C.K. "Tink" Tillett was collected by Chappell (probably first), The Brown Collection and circa 1940, Frank Warner.
Warner wrote: From the Outer Banks of North Carolina were C. K. Tillett and his family (wife, Eleazar Tillett, their son Cliff, and nephew Hub Tillett) of Wanchese. Mr. Tillett's nickname was "Tink." These people live north of Cape Hatteras, on Roanoke Island.
Tink's version is similar to or based on the Forget-Me Not Songster version which has corresponding verse:
15. "What brought you here, you cowardly dog
You ugly wanton thief.
What makes you lie at anchor,
And keep our king in grief?"
16. "You lie, you lie," says captain Ward,
"As ever I heard you lie;
I never robbed an Englishman,
An Englishman but three.'
17. As for the worthy Scotchmen,
I love them as my own,
My chief delight is for to pull
The French and Spaniards down.
21. They fought from eight o'clock in the morn,
Till eight o'clock at night,
At length the gallant Rainbow,
Began to take her flight.
22. Go home, go home, says captain Ward,
And tell your king from me;
If he reigns king upon dry land,
I will reign king at sea.
The Songster text is 27 verses so Tink's version is a fragment at best. However it's still a rare find in North American tradition.
R. Matteson 2014
Captain Ward and the Rainbow- Sung by C. K. Tillett. Recorded at Wanchese, Roanoke Island, in 1924; collected Chappell.
. . . .
You wanton, lying, stinking thief,
Why do you lie at anchor
And keep your king in grief?
You lie, you lie, says Captain Ward,
If ever I heard you lie;
I never robbed an Englishman,
An Englishman but three.
And as for the Scotchmen,
I love them as my own;
My chief delight is to pull
Turks and" Spaniards down.
Came broadside at ten in the morning
And fought till ten at night;
Then the gallant Rainbow
Was forced to take her flight.
Go home, go home, says CaPtain Ward,
And tell your royal king for me,
If he reigns king upon dry land
I'll reign king at sea.