[From Manx Soc vol XXI]

MARRINYS YN TIGER, LIORISH YUAN VOORE.

MARRINYS YN TIGER, LIORISH YUAN VOORE.

JOHN MOORE of Camlork, in Braddan, author of the following ballad, was one of the crew of a privateer called " The Tiger," which he sung so frequently, that he was himself called " Moore, the Tiger." This appellation has come down with his descendants to the present day. Mr. Moore was also the author of several Manx carvals, a specimen of which will be found in the present collection. This ballad humourously describes the history of an old vessel which the gentry of the island purchased and manned, for the purpose of assisting England in her war with France and America. On her first voyage " The Tiger" fell in with a Dutchman, and brought her into Douglas ; but not being then at war with that country, complaint was made at the Court of St. James, and those concerned in this outrage were lodged in prison until satisfaction had been given to the Dutch.

THE VOYAGE OF THE TIGER.

Translated from the Manx by Mr. John Quirk, Carn-ny-Greie, Kirk-Patrick.

I.

REN deiney-seyrey Vannin,
Ayns yrgid, stayd as moyrn,
Nyn bingyn cheau dy cheilley,
As chionnee ad shenn lhong.

II.

Va ynnyd oc ayns Doolish,
As boaylyn er y cheer,
Raad cheau ad pingyn cooidjagh,
Dy chionnagh’ privateer.

III.

Ny pingyn hie dys Sostyn,
Va ymmyd daue ayns shen,
Dy chionnaghey ‘n chenn Tiger,
‘Sdy choyrt ee dys y cheayn.

IV.

Hie cam magh trooid yn Ellan,
Son guïllïn jeh ynsagh-cheayïn
Ny guïllïn roie dy ghoohish,
Tra cheayll ad lheid y sheean.

V.

Ayns sheshaghtyn v’ad chymsagh,
Cheet voish dagh ayrn jeh’n cheer.
Dys thie Nick Voore ayns Doolish,
Cha hiauyr as grenadier.

VI.

She Qualtragh vees nyn gaptan,
As marish nee mayd goll.
As feiyr vooar hie fud Doolish,
Lesh lheimmyraght as kiaull.

VII.

Caggee mayd noi ny Frangee
As noi America.
Ta guïllïn-vie ayns Mannin,
Nagh jean voish noid chyndaa.

VIII.

Liorish nyn jebbyn aalin,
Ny guïllïn hayrn ad lhieu,
Ny errinee va gyllagh,
Kys yion mayd jeant yn traaue.

IX.

Va shoh daue ard oyr aggle
Quoi eiyragh er y cheeagh,
Dy goaun veagh guillïn Vannin,
Son coltar chur fo chreagh.

X.

Va Iliam vooar y Condray
As dooinney vooar yn Chronk,
Va’d gylhdgh son ny guillïn
Va wheesh d’inneenyn oc.

XI.

O shuish, inneenyn Vannin
Ta dobberan ayns doo,
Gra nagh vel guillïn faagit,
Agh paitchyn nagh vel feeu.

XII.

Dy vel ad ooilley failt oc,
Er boayrd yn Phrivateer
As scoan my ta wheesh faagit
As roshys fer er kiare.

XIII.

As tra nagh vel wheesh faagit
As roshys fer y wlieesh,
Te foddey share ye follym,
Cha nee fer eddyr jees.

XIV.

Giu as cloie er ny caartyn
Chum roinyn ole as laa,
Gra blebeeyn ny guillïn
Nagh jed noi America.

XV.

Myr eginit hie mee maroo,
As hass mee seose dys gunn,
As kinjagh va mee dobberan,
Dy row my ghraih rey rhym.

XVI.

Ny cheayrtyn va mee smooinaghtyn Nagh vaikin ee dy braa
As ceau my laghyn seaghnagh
Ny lhie ayns baïe Rumsaa.

XVII.

Three laa va shin er hiaulley
Lesh dooin faagail Rumsaa,
Tra veeit shin rish y sterrym,
Hug er yn eill ain craa.

XVIII.

Va deiney tooillit teaymey .
As guillïn coayl nyn mree,
As Harry Voore va gyllagh,
My ghuillïn cum shui cree.

XIX.

Yn keayn va gatt as freaney,
Ve rastagh erskyn towse,
Yn chronnag am va caillit
Cha dod shin freayl nyn goorse.

XX.

Lurg da ye tammylt sheidey,
Yn sterrym reesht ghow fea,
As rosh shin shenn oie Ollick,
Gys aker ayns Mount Bay.

XXI.

Ec kione three laa reesht aarloo,
Eisht hie shin son y cheayn,
As veeit shin lhong voish Holland,
As ghow shin ee dooin hene.

XXII.

Eisht haink shin thie dy Ghoolish
Lesh gunneraght as kiaull,
As deiney seyrey Vannin
Dy moyrnagh haink nyn guaill,

XXIII.

Ga blaik lhieu fakin spooilley,
Va’d moyrnagh gyn resoon,
Loayrt baggyrtagh nyn oi ain
Dy choyrt shin ayns pryssoon.

XXIV.

Leah hoig shin dys nyn drimshey
Lurg dooin ve’r roshtyn thie
Yn lhong va shin er hayr tyn
Dy row ee goit noi ‘n leigh.

XXV.

Dooyrt ad dy row’n chooish din
Trieït feanish yn Chionnooyrt,
As cha vel brin ayns Mannin
Ne brinnys diu y choyrt.

XXVI..

Nish gow shin reue dys Sostyn
As meeit mayd shin ayns shen
As shooll mayd riu er thalloo,
Ny shiauïll mayd riu er keayn.

XXVII..

Agh ta mish nish ayns Mannin,
As vouesyn ta mee seyr
Cha vod ad mee y lhiettal
Veih Sheshaght my ghraih gheyr.

XXVIII.

Shoh’n erree ghow’n chenn Tiger,
Va’n oyr jeh wheesh dy chiaull,
V’ee creckit jeh son toghyr,
Da’n lhong va shin er ghoaill.

XXIX.

Ga va shin sheshaght ghennal
As trean ayns corp as cree,
Drogh choyrle as drogh leeideillee
Ver naardey cooish erbee.

XXX.

Ta’n foill ta geiyrt da’n Vanninagh
Oyr treihys fer-ny ghah,
Te’h creeney lurg laa’n Vargee,
Agh sbeg vondeish te da.

XXXI.

O shinish my gheiney cheerey
Ta geaishtagh rish m’arrane,
My choyrles te diu ve creeney,
Choud’s ta’n traa ermayrn,

XXXI.

Yeh’n chooish ta ooilley lhie er,
Dy ghoaill kiarail ayns traa
Roish bee loa’n vargee harrish,
Nyn drimshey son dy braa.

I.

ONCE as the gents of Mona
Resolv’d our foes to whip,
They threw their pence together,
And bought a crazy ship.

II.

They had a spot at Douglas,
And stations here and there,
Where money was collected
To buy a privateer.

III.

These pence were sent to England,
Where money is of use,
And so the aged " Tiger"
Was fitted for a cruise.

IV.

A cry went o’er the island
For well train’d men and boys;
So boys in troops collected,
On hearing such a noise.

V.

They gathered from all quarters,
And places far and near,
To Nick Moore’s house in Douglas,
Tall as a grenadier.

VI.

Qualtrough will be our captain,
The leader of our choice,
And Douglas town seem’d moving
With mirth and joyful cries.

VII.

We’ll fight both French and Yankeys,
We’ll conquer or will die
The loyal sons of Mona
Will not their colours fly.

VIII.

Their terms prov’d so enticing,
The young could not withstand;
Our farmers cried with anguish
" How shall we plough our land ?"

IX.

This was a source of sorrow
Which many a man might rue,
How few were left in Mona,
To hold the painful plough.

X.

Pity for big Will Condray
And the great Man of the Hill,
They had so many daughters,
‘Twas sad to hear their wail

XI.

Ye maidens of old Mona
Who’re mourning for our blades,
Who cry, " No men are left us,
But weak and worthless lads."

XII.

" For they are all enlisted,
To hear the " Tiger’s " roar,
The few who are remaining
Won’t reach us one for four."

XIII.

" We all look for a lover,
We must have one or none,
Far better without any,
Than two to marry one."

XIV.

At playing cards and drinking,
We labour’d day and night,
And cried that none but cowards
Would hesitate to fight.

XV.

I was constrained to join them,
And stationed to a gun;
And oft I cried, lamenting,
My love and I are done.

XVI.

I often thought with sorrow
I’d never see her more,
And thus I spent my woeful days
So near the Ramsey shore.

XVII.

Three days away from Ramsey
Upon the briny deep,
A fearful storm o’ertook us,
Which caused our flesh to creep.

XVIII.

Our men were worn by pumping,
And boys were like to droop,
Big Harry cried, " My Laddies,
Pray keep your spirits up."

XIX.

The storm which burst upon us
With its tremendous force,
Soon swept away our rigging,
We could not keep our course.

XX.

But when the storm abated,
We sped upon our way,
Old Christmas eve we anchored
In safety at Mount Bay.

XXI.

‘In three days’ time being ready,
We sail’d ‘neath pleasant skies,
And meeting with a Dutchman,
We took her for our prize.

XXII.

We then came home to Douglas,
With loud salutes and noise
With pomp the gents of Mona
Soon met us with our prize

XXIII.

They much admir’d the Dutchman,
‘Tis sad to tell the tale,
Most haughtily they threatened
To send us all to jail.

XXIV.

We soon found to our sorrow,
And great was our surprise,
The vessel we had captur’d
Was not a lawful prize.

XXV.

They told us that the Governor
Our desperate case had tried,
And not a judge in Mona
Would put it on our side.

XXVI.

Then go your ways to England,
We’ll meet you there and then;
And go by land or water,
The end will be the same.

XXVII.

Now I’m at home in Mona,
And from their yoke I’m free
And they can never sever
My loving one from me.

XXVIII.

But what came of the " Tiger,"
The source of all our noise;
They sold her off as dowry,
Or portion with the prize.

XXIX.

Tho’ we were men of valour,
And worthy of a chance,
Misconduct and bad leaders
Will ruin Spain or France.

XXX.

The fault which cleaves to Manxmen
Still ruins many a man,
Wise when the fair day’s over,
But what avails it then.

XXXI.

All you my friends and brethren
Who listen to my rhyme,
I earnestly entreat you,
Henceforth be wise in time.

XXXII.

Yea, let the one thing needful
Be made our constant care,
Lest we be found lamenting
The day after the fair.


 

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