The House Carpenter- Bowman (OH) pre1939 Eddy D
[From: Eddy's Ballads and Songs from Ohio. All of Eddy's versions are based on Child B and the broadsides from the 1800s.
R. Matteson 2013]
The House Carpenter- From Mrs. Louise Bowman of Canton, OH; pre1939 Eddy D
1. "Well met, well met, my own true love,
Well met, well met," cried he.
"I'm just returning from the salt, salty sea,
Twas all for the love of thee."
(Repeat the last line.)
2. "I might have married a king's daughter fair,
And she have married me,
But I did not accept of her crown of gold,
And 'twas all for the love of thee.
3. "If you could have married a king's daughter fair,
I think you are to blame,
For I have married a house carpenter,
And I think him a fine young man."
4. "If you will leave your house carpenter,
And go along with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of the sweet Will-ee"'
5. "But if I leave my house carpenter
And go along with thee,
What have you there to support me on,
And to keep me from slavery?"
6. "I have six ships upon the sea,
A-sailing for the land,
And a hundred and ten brave sailor lads
To go at thy command."
7. She dressed herself in rich array,
Most beauteous to behold,
And as she trod the streets around,
She shone like glittering gold.
8. She took her babe up in her arms,
And gave it kisses three,
Saying, "You must stay, my sweet little babe,
For I'm going away to sea."
9. She had been at sea no more than two weeks,
I'm sure it wasn't three,
When this fair lady began to weep,
And she wept most bitterly.
10. "Oh, is it for my gold You weep,
Or is it for my store,
Or is it for the house carpenter
That you ne'er shall see no more?"
11. "It is not for your gold I weep,
Nor is it for your store,
It's for the sweet little babe I left
When I came from yonder shore."
12. "Cheer up, cheer up, my own true love,
Cheer up, cheer up," cried he,
"For I'll take you where the grass grows green
On the banks of ltaly."
13. She hadn't been to sea more than three weeks,
I'm sure it wasn't four,
Till this gallant ship it sprang a leak,
And it sank to rise no more.
14. "A curse, a curse to fair sailor lads,
A curse, a curse," she cried,
"For you have robbed me of my house carpenter,
And taken away my life."