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Roxburghe
1) IN Gosport of late there a damsel did dwell,
For wit and for beauty did many excel;
A young man did court her to be his dear,
And he by his trade was a ship-carpenter.
2) He said, "Oh! dear Molly, if you will agree,
And will consent to marry me;
My love you will ease me of sorrow and care,
If you will but wed a ship-carpenter."
3) With blushes more charming than roses in June.
She answer'd Sweet William, "To wed I'm too young.
Young men are so fickle I see very plain,
If a maid is not coy they will her disdain."
4) "They flatter and swear their charms they adore,
When gain'd their consent, they care for no more;
The handsomest creature that ever was born,
When man has enjoy'd, he will hold in scorn."
5) "My charming Molly what makes you say so?
Thy beauty's the haven to which I would go.
So into that country I chance for to steer
There will cast anchor, and stay with my dear."
6) "I ne'er shall be cloy'd with the charms of my love,
My love is as true as the turtle-dove;
And all [that] I crave is to wed with my dear,
And when thou art mine no danger I fear."
7) "The life of a virgin, sweet William, I prize,
For marriage brings sorrows and troubles likewise;
I am loath to venture, and therefore forbear!
For I will not wed a ship-carpenter."
8) "For in the time of war to the sea you must go,
And leave wife and children in sorrow and woe?
The seas they are perilous, therefore forbear,
For I will not wed with a ship-carpenter."
9) But yet all in vain, she his suit did deny,
Though he still did Press her to make her comply;
At length with his cunning he did her betray,
And to lewd desire he led her away.
10) But when with-child this young woman were,
The tydings she instantly sent to her dear;
And by the good Heaven he swore to be true.
Saying, "I will wed no other but you."
11) They passed on, till at length we hears,
The king wants sailors! to the sea he repairs,
Which grieved the damsel unto the heart.
To think she so soon with her lover must part.
12) She said, "My dear William e're thou go'st to sea,
Remember the vows that thou madest to me;
But if you forsake me I never shall rest,
Oh! why dost thou leave me with sorrow opprest?"
13) Then with kind embraces to her he did say,
"I'll wed thee, dear Molly, e're I go away;
And if to-morrow to me thou dost come,
A licence I'll buy, and it shall be done."
14) So with kind embraces he parted that night,
She wen[t] to meet him in the morning light;
He said, "Dear charmer thou must go with me,
Before we are wedded, a friend to see."
15) He led her through valleys and groves so deep,
At length this maiden began for to weep;
Saying, "William, I fancy thou leadst me astray,
On purpose my innocent life to betray."
16) He said, "That is true, and none you can save,
For I all this night have been digging a grave."
Poor innocent soul! when she heard him say so,
Her eyes like a fountain began for to flow.
17) "O perjur'd creature! the worst of all men!
Heavens reward thee when I'm dead and gone:
O pity the infant, and spare my life,
Let me go distress'd if I'm not thy wife."
18) Her hands white as lillies in sorrow she wrung,
Beseeching for mercy, saying, "What have I done
To you my dear William, what makes you severe?
For to murder one that loves you so dear."
19) [He] said, "Here's no time disputing to stand,"
And instantly taking the knife in his hand;
He pierced her body till the blood it did flow,
Then into the grave her body did throw.
20) He cover'd her body, then home he did run,
Leaving none but birds her death to mourn;
On board the Bedford he enter'd straitway,
Which lay at Portsmouth out bound for the sea.
21) For carpenters mate he was enter'd we hear,
Fitted for his voyage away he did steer;
But as in his cabbin one night he did lie,
The voice of his sweetheart he heard to cry.
22) "O perjur'd villain, awake now and hear,
The voice of your love, that lov'd you so dear;
This ship out of Portsmouth never shall go,
Till I am revenged for this overthrow."
23) She afterward vanished with shrieks and cries,
Flashes of lightning did dart from her eyes;
Which put the ships crew into great fear,
None saw the ghost, but the voice they did hear.
24) Charles Stuart, a man of courage so bold,
One night was going into the Hold:
A beautiful creature to him did appear,
And she in her armes had a daughter most fair.
25) The charms of this so glorious a face,
Being merry in drink, he goes to embrace:
But to his surprize it vanish'd away,
So he went to the captain without more delay.
26) And told him the story, which when he did hear,
The captain said, "Some of my men I do fear
Have done some murder, and if it be so,
Our ship in great danger to the sea must go."
27) One at a time then his merry men all,
Into his cabbin he did strait call,
And said, "My lads the news I do hear
Doth much surprize me with sorrow and fear."
28) "This ghost which appear'd in the dead of the night
Which all my seaman so sadly did fright;
I fear has been wrong'd by some of my crew,
And therefore the person I fain would know."
29) Then William affrighted did tremble with fear
And began by the powers above to swear;
He nothing at all of the matter did know,
But as from the captain he went to go.
30) Unto his surprize his true love did see,
With that he immediately fell on his knee:
And said, "Here's my true love! where shall I run?
O save me, or else I am surely undone."
31) Now he the murder confessed out of hand,
And said, "Before me my Molly doth stand,
Sweet injur'd ghost thy pardon I crave,
And soon I will seek thee in the silent grave."
32) No one but this wretch did see this sad sight,
Then raving distracted he dy'd in the night:
As soon as her parents these tydings did hear
They sought for the body of their daughter dear.
33) Near a place call'd Southampton in a valley deep
The body was found, while many did weep
At the fall of the damsel and her daughter dear,
In Gosport church they bury'd her there.
34) "I hope that this may be a warning to all,
Young men how innocent maids they enthral:
Young men be constant and true to your love,
Then a blessing indeed will attend you above."
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Deming / Forget-me-not Songster
1) In Gosport of late a young damsel did dwell,
For wit and for beauty, few did her excel;
A young man did court her for to be his dear
And he by his trade was a ship carpenter.
2) He said dearest Molly, if you will agree,
And give your consent dear for to marry me,
Your love it can cure me of sorrow and care,
Consent then to wed with a ship carpenter.
3) With blushes as charming as roses in June,
She answered dear William to wed I am too young;
For young men are fickle, I see very plain,
If a maiden is kind, her, they quickly disdain.
4) My charming sweet Molly, how can you say so
Thy beauty's the haven to which I would go,
If there I find channel, when I chance for to steer,
I then will cast anchor, and stay with my dear.
5) I ne'er will be cloy'd with the charms of my loin
My heart is as true as the sweet turtle-dove;
And what I now crave is to wed with my dear
For when we are married no danger I'll fear
6) The state of a virgin, now William I prize,
For marriage brings trouble and sorrow like wise,
I'm afraid for to venture, therefore forbear,
I will never marry with a ship carpenter.
7) But yet was in vain that she strove to deny,
For he by his cunning, soon made her comply,
And by base deception, he did her betray,
In sin's hellish paths he led her astray.
8) But when this young damsel with child she did prove
She quick sent the tidings to her faithless love
Who swore by the heavens that ho would prove true,
And said I will marry no damsel but you.
9) Things pass'd on a while, at length we do hear,
His ship must be sailing, for sea he must steer;
Which griev'd this poor damsel and wounded her heart,
To think with her love she so sudden must part.
10) Cried she, dearest William, ere you go to sea
Remember the vows you have made unto me;
If at home you don't tarry, I never can rest,
Oh! how can you leave me with sorrow oppres'd.
11) With tender expressions to her he did say,
I'll marry my Mary ere I go to sea;
And if that to-morrow my love will ride down
The ring I can buy, our fond union to crown.
12) With tender embraces, they parted that night,
And promised to meet the next morning at light
William said — Mary, you must go with me,
Before we are married, our friends for to see.
13) He led her through groves and valleys so deep
At length this young damsel began for to weep
Crying William, I fear you will lead me astray
On purpose my innocent life to betray.
14) He said you've guess'd right all earth can't you save
For the whole of last night I've been digging your grave,
When poor ruined Mary did hear him say so,
The tears from her eyes like a fountain did flow
15) A grave with a spade lying near she did see,
Which caused her to sigh and weep bitterly;
Oh! perjured William, the worst of mankind,
Is this the bride's bed I expected to find.
16) Oh, pity my infant and spare my poor life,
Let me live full of shame if I can't be your wife,
Oh! take not my life, lest my soul you betray,
And you to perdition be hurried away.
17) Her hands white as lilies, in sorrow she wrung,
Imploring for mercy, crying what have I done;
To you dearest William, so comely and fair,
Will you murder your true-love that loved you so dear?
18) He said, this is no time disputing to stand,
Then instantly taking a knife in his hand--
He pierced her fair breast, whence the blood it did flow,
And into the grave her fair body did throw.
19) He cover'd the body, and quick hastened home-
Leaving none but the small birds her fate to bemoan:
On board ship he entered without more delay,
And set sail for Plymouth, to plow the salt sea.
20) A young man named Stewart of courage most bold
One night happened late to go into the hold;
Where a beautiful damsel to him did appear,
And she in her arms held an infant most dear.
21) Being merry with liquor, he went to embrace,
Transported with joy at beholding her face;
When to his amazement, she vanished away,
Which he told to the captain without more delay.
22) The captain soon summon'd the jovial ship's crew,
And said, my brave fellows, I fear some of you
Have murder'd some damsel ere you came away
Whose injur'd ghost now haunts you on the sea.
23) Whoever you be, if the truth you deny,
When found out, you'll be hung on the yard be high:
But he who confesses, his life we'll not take,
But leave him on the first island we make.
24) Then William immediately fell on his knees,
The blood in his veins quick with horrow did freeze;
He cried, cruel murder, oh ! what have I done
God help me, I fear my poor soul is undone.
25) Poor injured ghost ! your full pardon I crave,
For soon I must follow you down to the grave,
None else but this poor wretch beheld this sad sight,
And raving distracted he died the same night.
26) Now then her sad parents these tidings did hear.
They search'd for the body of their dau'ter dear;
Near the town of Southampton, in a valley deep,
The body was found, which caus'd many to weep.
27) In Gosport'a green church-yard, her ashes now lies,
And we hope her soul is with God in the skies :
Then let this sad tale be a warning to all,
Who dare a young innocent maid to enthral.
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Polly’s Love/ The Cruel Ship Carpenter
1) In fair Worcester city, and in Worcestershire,
A handsome young damsel she liv’d there;
A handsome young man courted her to be his dear
And he was by trade a ship carpenter.
2) Now the king wanted seamen to go on the sea,
That caus’d this young damsel to sigh and to say,
O William, O William, don’t you go to sea,
Remember the vow that you made to me.
3) It was early next morning before it was day,
He went to his Polly, these words he did say,
O Polly, O Polly, you must go with me,
Before we are married my friends for to see.
4) He led her through groves and vallies so deep,
And caus’d the young damsel to sigh and to weep:
O William, O William you have led me astray,
On purpose my innocent life to betray.
5) It’s true, it’s true, these words he did say,
For all the night long I’ve been digging your grave.
The grave being open, the spade standing by,
Which caused this young damsel to sigh and to cry.
6) O William, O William, O pardon my life,
I never will covet to be your wife,
I will travel the country to set you quite free,
O pardon, O pardon my baby and me
7) No pardon I’ll give thee, there’s no time to stand,
So with that he had a knife in his hand,
He stabb’d her heart till the blood it did flow,
Then into the grave her fair body did throw.
8) He covered her up so safe and secure,
Thinking no one could find her he was sure;
Then he went on board to sail the world round,
Before that the murder could ever be found.
9) It was early one morning before it was day,
The captain came up, these words he did say,
There’s a murderer on board, and he must be known*,
Our ship is in mourning, she cannot sail on.
*variants:
There’s a murder on board, and it was lately done,
There’s a murderer on board, and it lately has done,
10) Then up stepp’d one, indeed its not me.
Then up stepp’d another, the same he did say,
Then up starts young William to stamp and to swear,
Indeed it’s not me I vow and declare.
11) As he was turning from the captain with speed,
He met his Polly which made his heart to bleed
She stript him, and tore him, she tore him in three,
Because he had murdered her baby and she.
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