John Ward, an Englishman of Kent, is said to have commenced ‘rover’ about 1604, by inducing the crew of a king’s ship in which he had some place to turn pirates under his command. His race, though eventful, was, naturally enough, not long. He seems not to be heard of after 1609, in which year Ward and his colleague, Dansekar, are spoken of as the “two late famous pirates.” See Mr Ebsworth’s preface to the ballad, VI, 423 ff., founded on Andrew Barker’s book about Ward and Dansekar, published in the year last named.
Two other ballad-histories, ‘The Seamen’s Song of Captain Ward’ and ‘The Seamen’s Song of Dansekar’ (i. e. Dansekar and Ward), entered in the Stationers’ Registers July 3, 1609, are given by Mr Ebsworth, VI, 784, 423.
1
Strike up, you lusty gallants, with musick and sound of drum,
For we have descryed a rover, upon the sea is come;
His name is Captain Ward, right well it doth appear,
There has not been such a rover found out this thousand year.
2
For he hath sent unto our king, the sixth of January,
Desiring that he might come in, with all his company: