Gosport Tragedy- Fleet Broadside (MA) c.1776
[From a broadside printed by brothers John and Thomas Jr. Fleet between 1776-1805 which was "Sold at the Bible and Heart in Cornhill, Boston." Ashley at the American Antiquarian Society commented to my inquiry:
The broadside that you reference has an estimated date of 1776-1805, as the Bible and Heart in Boston was the sign of T & J Fleet from 1776-1797 and John & Thomas Fleet from 1797-1805. This information is taken from the AAS catalog record at http://catalog.mwa.org/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=509056. The imprint reads: "Sold at the Bible and Heart in Cornhill, Boston."
There are some very minor differences between this broadside and the 1720-1750 broadside published by Roxburghe. The quotes are from the Roxburghe edition. I assume the Boston broadside was reprinted from the London (Roxburghe) one. At least one other London broadside is dated c. 1770.
R. Matteson 2016]
Gosport Tragedy
Or The
Perjured Ship-Carpenter
Tune: Peggy's Gone over Sea
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.
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."
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."
"They flatter and swear their[1] charms they adore,
When gain'd their[1] consent, they care for no more;
The handsomest creature that ever was born,
When man has enjoy'd, he will hold in scorn."
"My charming Molly what makes you say so?
Thy beauty's the haven [2] to which I would go.
So into that country I chance for to steer
I there will cast anchor, and stay with my dear."
"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."
"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."
"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."
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.
But when with child this young woman were,
The tidings she instantly sent to her dear;
And by the good heaven he swore to be true,
Saying, "I will wed no other but you."
They passed on [their time], till at length we[he] 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.
She said, "My dear William e'er 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?"
Then with kind embraces to her he did say,
"I'll wed thee, dear Molly, e'er I go away;
And if to-morrow to me thou dost come,
A licence I'll buy, and it shall be done."
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."
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."
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.
"O perjur'd creature! the worst of all men,
Heaven 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."
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?"
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.
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 outward bound for the sea.
For carpenter's mate he was enter'd we hear,
Fitted for his voyage away he did steer;
But as in his cabin one night he did lie,
The voice of his sweetheart he heard to cry.
"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."
She afterward vanished with shrieks and cries,
Flashes of lightning did part[3] from her eyes;
Which put the ships crew into great fear,
None saw the ghost, but the voice they did hear.
Charles Stuart, a man of courage so bold,
One night was going into the hold,
A beautiful creature to him did appear,
And she had in her arms a daughter most fair.
The charms of this so glorious a face,
Being merry in drink, he goes to embrace:
But to his surprise it vanish'd away,
So he went to the captain without more delay,
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."
One at a time then his merry men all,
Into his cabin he straitway did call;
And said, "My lads the news I do hear
Doth much surprise me with sorrow and fear."
"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."
Then William affrighted did tremble with fear
And began by the powers above to swear;
He nothing at all of the matter did know,
And unto the captain he went to go.
Unto his surprize his truelove he sees,
With that he immediately fell on his knees:
And said, "Here's my true love! where shall I run?
O save me, or else I am surely undone."
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."
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 tidings did hear
They sought for the body of their daughter dear.
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.
"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."
FINIS
Sold at the Bible and Heart in Cornhill, Boston
1. Roxburghe has her in brackets; [her]
2 One edition has "heaven" here and Roberts (In the Pine) also alluded to "heaven" here.
3. Roxburghe has "dart"