Pretty Polly- S. L. Bunner (WV) 1957 E. Smith
[From: West Virginia Folklore - Vol. 7, no. 4, pages 57-59 (Summer 1957). This is an excellent and unique traditional version of the old Gosport Tragedy which is similar to Roxburghe/Fleet broadside versions. The Fleet broadside was printed in Boston circa 1776. The end of the ballad stanza 8 onward is from "The Sailor and the Ghost" an 1805 British broadside (Harding B10(68), Bodleian Collection) found in U. S., Canada, and UK. Other names include "The Sailor's Tragedy," "The Sea Ghost," "The Dreadful Ghost," and "The Ghost So Grim." Here is the ending from The Universal Songster, or Museum of Mirth vol. 2, George Routledge and Sons, London, New York.
The Sailor and the Ghost of His Deserted Dearie (excerpt)
10. Down on the deck this young man goes,
And to his captain his mind disclosed;
There is a spirit coming hence,
I pray you, stand in my defense.
11. Upon the deck the captain goes,
And there he spied a fatal ghost;
Ghost, -"Captain," said she, "you must and can
With speed help me to such a man."
12. Capt. - "In St. Helen's this young man died,
And in St. Helen's his body lies."
Ghost, -"Captain," said she, "do not say so,
He is dwelling down in your ship below.
13. "And if you stand up in his defense,
A mighty storm I will send hence;
Will cause your men and you to weep;
And leave you, sleeping, in the deep."
14. Down from the deck this captain goes,
And brought this young man to his foes.
She fixed her eyes on him so grim,
Which made him tremble, ev'ry limb.
15. "It was well known I was a maid,
When first by you I was betrayed;
I am a spirit, come for thou,
You balked me once, But I'll have you now."
16. Then, to preserve both ship and men,
Into the boat they forced him then;
The boat sunk down in a flame of fire,
Which made the sailors all admire.
Special thanks to Kevin Fredette and Jo Brown of the WVU library. Kevin sent me an entire copy of the Pretty Polly text housed at the West Virginia History Center ("West Virginia Collection") from which I got the ending.
R. Matteson 2016]
Pretty Polly (The Cruel Ship's Carpenter) --Contributed by Everett Smith, of Catawba, as sung by S. L. Bunner of Catawba. I have the tune of this, as sung to me by Everett Smith.)
1. It's away down in low land,
Where little Polly did dwell;
For wit and for beauty
There's none could excell.
There's a young man who courted her
All for to be his dear,
And was by trade
Was a ship's carpenter.
2. "Come, pretty Polly,
Come go along with me;
Before we get married,
A friend we will be*." (see?)
He led her through groves
And through valleys so deep,
Till last* this fair damsel (at last?)
Began for to weep.
"Hard-hearted young William,
You have led em astray,
one purpose, my in love* (on purpose my love)
And my life to betray."
3. She saw her grave dug,
And a spade standing by,
Saying, "Is this my bride's bed,
Wherein must I lie?
Hard-hearted young William,
You're worst of all men;
May the heavens award* you (reward?)
When I'm dead and gone.
4. "It's come, pretty Polly,
There's no time to stand;
While immediately taking
A knife in his hand,
He pierced her fair body
Till the heart-blood did flow
And into her grave,
Her fair body did throw.
5. In covering her over,
He turned back again;
Left none but the small birds
Her death to mourn.
Way down that redboat[1],
He's gone speedily,
And away in Portsmouth
He bound out for the sea.
6. Old Charley Stewart,
Carried so bold,
This beautiful damsel,
He chanced to behold,
This beautiful damsel
Unto him did appear,
And into her arms was
A baby so dear.
7. With screams of loud screeches[2],
Cried out . . .(in loud cries?)
Till flashes of lightning
Fell down from the skies;
Set the whole ship in
A tremble of fear;
But none saw the ghost, but[3]
A voice they did hear.
8. "Oh, Captain, Captain,[4]
Stand my defence,
For yonder comes
The spirit hence.
It'll cause you and all your
Seamen all for to weep,
When you are slumbering
In the deep."
9. "Oh, Captain, Captain,
Can you tell me,
Where such a young
Man may be?"
In St. Island
this young man died
And in St. Island
This young man lies."
10. "Oh, Captain, Captain,
How can you say so,
While he is in
Your ship below?
If you don't go
And bring him hence,
A dreadful storm
I will commence.
11. Down deck the sea
Captain goes,
For to face
The young man* foes. (man's foes?)
She cast her eyes
On him so grim,
Which made him tremble
In every limb.
12. She caught him by the
Cuff of the coat,
And pulled him into
Her little boat.
She sank her boat in
A flame of fire,
Which caused the seamen
To admire.
My Footnotes:
1. Roxburghe broadside: On board the Bedford (Way down [on] the Bedford)
2. Roxburghe broadside: She afterward vanished with shrieks and cries,
Flashes of lightning did dart from her eyes;
3. It makes no sense to have "but" on this line.
4. From this stanza on the ballad becomes "The Sailor and the Ghost."