I Will Set My Good Ship- Annie Shirer (Aber) 1908 Grieg P and V
[My date, she sent her MSS in to Greig/Duncan during 1908-1909. Full version of "I Will Put My Ship in Order" from The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection - Volume 4; edited by Patrick N. Shuldham-Shaw, Emily B. Lyle - 1981. Collected in North Scotland in early 1900s by Gavin Greig (1856–1914), and the minister James Bruce Duncan 1848-1917).
Grieg Duncan V is also from Shirer and provides an additional line and verse.
R. Matteson 2016]
P. "I Will Set My Good Ship In Order" - Sung by Annie Shirer (1873-1915) of Kininmonth, a member of the Rhymour Club of Edinburgh. Collected by Gavin Greig who called her the "Kininmonth Lassie."
1. It's I will set my good ship in order,
And I will set her to the sea,
And I'll sail o'er to yonder border,
To see if my love minds on me.
2. He sail-ed east, he sail-ed west,
He sail-ed far, far seeking land,
Until he came to his true love's window,
He rapp-ed loudly and would be in.
3. Who's that, who's that at my bow window,
Rapping loudly and would be in?
Cries I, cries I, it's your true love, Johnnie,
Ye'll arise, love, and let him in.
4. Oh, have you any true lovers out,
Or have you any true lovers in?
For here am I, your true love, Johnny,
Ye'll arise, love, and let him in.
5. It's as few lovers hae I without,
And as few lovers hae I within,
Except it be my true love Johnny,
And I am sure that ye're not him.
6. It's ye'll arise love, go ask your father,
And see if he'll let you my bride be,
If he denies you, come back and tell me,
It will be the last time I will come and see.
7. My father's in his bedroom writing,
Busy with his merchandise;
In his left pocket he holds a letter,
And it speaks much of your dispraise.
8. Of my dispraise, love, it cannot be,
For never have I slighted thee;
Did e'er I slight thee or yet deny thee?
And now this night ye hae slighted me.
9. It's ye'll arise love, go ask your mother,
And see if she'll let you my bride be,
If she denies thee, come back and tell me,
It will be the last time I'll come and see.
10. My mother's in her chamber sleeping,
Were I to knock, she would never hear,
So go your way and court another
And whisper softly in her ear.
11. She arose, put on her clothes,
For to let her true love in,
But until[1] she got the door unbolted
The ship was sailing across the sea[2].
12. Come back, come back, my true love Johnny,
Come back, and speak ae word wi' me,
Oh how could I come back, speak wi' ye,
When my ship is sailing across the sea?[3]
13. The fish shall fly, love, and the seas gang dry,
And the rocks will all melt wi' the sun, love,
And labouring men may give up their labour,
And all lie low ere I return. [4]
14. She bent her back, and drew her body,
And threw herself into the sea,
Ye may come back when ye like, love,
But ye'll never come back to enjoy me.
1. ere
2. main (to rhyme)
3. From V: My ship is sailin', we're a jolly crew.
4. An additional verse from V after 13:
I wish the hills may all be paper
And all the seas turn into ink
And all the ships that's in the ocean
May lose their keel and soon may sink.