“The Anti-Gallican”

Description

"The Anti-Gallican's safe arrived, On board of her with speed we'll hie." They will "sail the ocean o'er"; "No ships from us shall run away," even though "The Spaniards... We'll take their ships and make them slaves." The men hasten to their duty

Supplemental text

Anti-Gallican, The
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

From Stokoe/Reay, Songs and Ballads of Northern England, pp. 158-159.

The Anti-Gallican's safe arrived,
On board of her with speed we'll hie,
She'll soon be fit to sail away,
To the Anti-Gallican haste away.
    Haste away, haste away,
    To the Anti-Gallican haste away.

For gold, we'll sail the ocean o'er,
From Briton's isle to the French shore;
No ships from us shall run away --
To the Anti-Gallican haste away.
    Haste away, etc.

Those Spaniards, too, those cunning knaves,
We'll take their ships and make them slaves;
Till war's declared we'll never stay,
To the Anti-Gallican haste away.
    Haste away, etc.

(Stanzas 1-3 of 7)

Notes

According to Stokoe, the _Anti-Gallican_ was fitted out as a privateer, sailing from Newcastle in 1779 but returning without a prize.

Although apparently written about a ship, I find references on the web to a pub (probably several) with the same name. Given that the chorus is "To the Anti-Gallican haste away," could said pubs have encouraged the continued singing of the song? - RBW

References

1. Stokoe/Reay, pp. 158-159, "The Anti-Gallican" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. ST StoR158 (Partial)
3. Roud #3169
4. BI, StoR158