In London town there lived a sailor, some three hundred years ago, He had a loving wife but left her, to sail the ocean and return no more She’d born him a son, but when he left, never to return again She lay with other men and soon she found her belly blessed again She left the town to hide her secret, soon gave birth to a daughter fair Known by the name of Mary Read and it’s her life story you will hear
Dressed as handsome cabin boy all upon a Man of War She bade goodbye to London town and sailed away to Flanders far A soldier she became and fought as bravely as did any man Until the day she fell in love with Corporal Max Studevend Six golden years they had together, oh alas but short they were He died too young and roving Mary once again did cut her hair
She sailed away aboard a vessel bound for the West Indies when Some english pirates took the ship, their captain’s name was John Rackham Anne Bonny she was Rackham’s love, an Irish girl in men’s array She fell in love with Mary Read, disguised until this very day Anne and Mary became friends but the captain in his jealousy Wanted to cut Mary’s throat so they shared the secret between three.
In the fall of 1720 Captain Barnet ambushed Rackham’s crew The pirates lay drunk under deck, no one did fight apart from two Anne and Mary showed no fear, “come up and fight like men” they cried But their companions did not help so in the end they lost the fight In Port Royal on Jamaica was the trial of John Rackhams men How surprised the high court was when they found women amongst them
Mary and Anne were quick with child They plead their bellies and saved their lives
Mary said that hanging should the fate of any pirate be Lest cowards wouldn’t dare to rob the ships upon the seven seas Anne Bonny met John Rackham for the last time at the Gallows Tree On the 16th of November “Sorry John to see you here” said she “But had you fought like a brave man, this wouldn’t be your dying day They wouldn’t hang you like a dog and wouldn’t take your life away”
John Rackham died, Anne Bonny lived though no one knows where she did dwell Mary died from fever in Port Royal in her prison cell