JOHN DORY
1.
As it fell on a holy-day,
And upon a holy-tide-a,
John Dory bought him an ambling nag
To Paris for to ride-a.
2.
And when John Dory to Paris was come,
A little before the gate-a,
John Dory was fitted, the porter was witted
To let him in thereat-a.
3.
The first man that John Dory did meet
Was good king John of France-a;
John Dory could well of his courtesie,
But fell down in a trance-a.
4.
‘A pardon, a pardon, my liege and my king,
For my merry men and for me-a,
And all the churles in merry England,
I’ll bring them all bound to thee-a.’
5.
And Nicholl was then a Cornish man
A little beside Bohide-a,
And he manned forth a good black bark
With fifty good oars on a side-a.
6.
‘Run up, my boy, unto the main-top,
And look what thou canst spy-a.’
‘Who ho, who ho! a goodly ship I do see;
I trow it be John Dory-a.’
7.
They hoist their sails, both top and top,
The mizzen and all was tried-a,
And every man stood to his lot,
What ever should betide-a.
8.
The roaring cannons then were plied,
And dub-a-dub went the drum-a;
The braying trumpets loud they cried
To courage both all and some-a.
9.
The grappling-hooks were brought at length,
The brown bill and the sword-a;
John Dory at length, for all his strength,
Was clapped fast under board-a.