The Saga of Mad Captain Creed

The Saga of Mad Captain Creed

I'll tell the tale of Capt. Creed

Who lived his life upon the Sea.

Though some of it you won't believe

The truth, my friend. You shall receive

The details of his life and death,

From humble birth to his last breath,

Recounting all his deeds of fame

And those again that brought him shame.

 

He started down his fateful path

When but a boy he went to Bath

And booked a berth aboard a barge

And cleaned the bilge to pay the charge.

A passage earned by sweat and tears

It got him down to Bristol's piers

Where there he found a merchant moored

To take him far from England's shore.

 

At sea the boy became a man

A tried and true and steady hand.

He learned the ropes and rigged the spars

And soon was like the other tars.

He trimmed the sails, and manned the guns

And learned to live on grog and rum.

His captain saw some hidden trait

Promoting him from Hand to Mate.

 

He sailed that ship til she went down

With half the crew and captain drowned

But soon he'd found a better berth

Aboard a sloop outbound from Perth.

He showed his mettle once again

This Captain, too, soon called him "friend"

But when that boat broke on the rocks

He found himself back on the dock.

 

When then the King made war on Spain

And privateers all plied the Main

He bought a ship with borrowed gold

With cannon mounted in the hold.

He hired hands to hang the sheets

And armed them all from toe to teeth.

He christened her "The Silver Steed"

And called himself Mad Capt. Creed.

 

He set a course that varied none

And sharpened swords and greased the guns

He ran us up and down the trace

And pushed us to increase our pace

And when he'd sight a Spanish ship

It seemed that then the wind would whip

Til canvas stretched and strained the masts

To speed "The Steed" so sleek and fast.

 

He'd roar right in with guns ablaze

Amidst the smoky bluish haze

His courage was his best asset

And fear possessed those he beset

The thunder roared and lightning flashed

While bloodied sabers clanged and clashed

Although his hold was plunder filled

Yet still he yearned more blood to spill.

 

He'd sail to port for ship supplies

And get reports from English spies.

His crew would buy their rum and whores

But Capt. Creed nar' walked ashore.

He paced a path into the deck

While every inch of ship was checked

Until he sensed the changing tide

Then on the waves "The Steed" would ride.

 

One day way down near Cuba's bay

He spied a craft and sailed it's way.

And so "The Steed", though half it's size,

Had caught him there his biggest prize.

He sacked the cabins, killed the crew,

We wondered then what next he'd do.

He burned the boat down to her spine.

The first act of his long decline.

 

We witnessed then a change in him

His beard went gray, his face went grim

Although with un-diminished force

His voice grew gruff and rasped and hoarse

Of ships he took, there's none survived

He took their goods, then took their lives

No beg or plea for quarter shown

Cold blood had turned his heart to stone.

 

The hand of Fate that gripped the wheel

Had changed the man from flesh to steel.

He lent himself to lust free reign

And every time his sword was stained

He'd laugh aloud and curse their souls

His eyes two dark and burning coals.

The Captain of the Silver Steed

Had fallen prey to Pride and Greed.

 

If Spanish ships there were a lack

Took those that flew the Union Jack

Or any ship that sailed the sea

And crossed the bow of Capt. Creed.

With cutting cries and slashing swords

We'd swarm the ship, a bloody horde.

And where our flag had once been flown

His pennant now wore skull and bone.

 

And then there came the dire day

That all men face who live that way.

The Steed had tried but couldn't shake

A fleet of ships that crossed her wake.

They harried her from dusk til dawn

Til hope of flight had fled and gone

There in the rays of day's first light

She turned about, prepared to fight.

 

Where there we made our final stand

T'was hand to hand and man to man

Til broadside blast brought our mast down

And threatened then our ship to drown.

The Captain fought and feigned to yield

And when he fell we though him killed

With wounds to flesh from swords and knives

And yet our captain still survived.

 

Then clapped in irons hand and feet

A pris'ner of the British fleet

They bore him down to Nassau shore

(A place he'd raided twice before)

And there he stood before the rail

While witnesses retold their tales

They sealed his fate and named his doom

A pirates death and nameless tomb.

 

When on the morn of his last day

They say he waved the Priest away

And walked with pride to Nassau Square

And up upon the gallows there.

And with the final words he spoke

He cursed the King and then the Pope

The hangman then performed the deed.

And hung the pirate known as Creed.

 

His head fed crows on Market Street

And dogs they ate his hands and feet,

His torso wrapped and weighed with chain

Was cast into the Bounding Main.

And many are the tales of fright

Of spectral ships on starry nights

And sailors all have sworn to see

Mad Capt. Creed aboard The Steed.

 

THE END

 

Rob Anderson (4/23/2010)