Gosport tragedy/The Gosport Tragedy

The Goſport Tragedy.

IN Goſport of late a young damſel did dwell,
For wit and for beauty did many excel:
A young man did court he for to be his dear,
And he by his trade was a ſhip carpenter
He said my dear Molly if you will agree,
And now will conſent love to marry with me,
Your love it will eaſe me of ſorrow and care
If you will but marry a ſhip carpenter
With bluſhes more charming than roſes in June,
Sheanſwer'd ſweet Willam to wed I'm too young,
For young men are fickle I ſee very plain,
If a maid ſhe is kind they'll her quickly diſdain,
They'll flatter and tell how her charms they adore
If they'll gain her conſent they'll care for no more;
The moſt heautiful woman that ever was born,
If a man, has enjoy'd her her beauty he'll ſcorn.
My charming ſweet Molly why do you say ſo,
Thy beauty is the heaven to when I will go
And if in that channel I chance for to ſteer,
I there will caſt anchor and ſtay with my dear.
I ne'er will be cloy'd with the charms of my love,
My love is a true as the ſweet turtle dove.
And all that I crave is to marry my dear,
And when you're my own no danger I'll fear.
The life of a virgin ſweet William I prize,
For marriage brings ſorrow and trouble likewiſe:
I'm loath for to to venture and therefore forebear,
For I will not marry a ſhip carpenter.
For in the time of wars to the ſeas you muſt go,
And leave wife and children in sorrow and wo,
I'm loath for to venture, and therefore forbear,
For I will not marry a ſhip carpenter,
But yet all in vain ſhe his ſuit did deny,
For ſtill unto love he's forc'd her to comply,
At length with his cunning her heart did betray,
Unto lewd deſires he led her aſtray.
But when with child this young damſel did prove,
The tidings immediately ſhe ſent to her love,
And by the good heavens he ſwore to be true,
Saying I will marry none other but you.
This paſt on a while at length we do hear,
The king wanted ſailors, to ſea he muſt ſteer,
Which griev'd be yourg damſel indeed to the heart
To think with ſweet Willy ſo ſoon for to part.
She said to dear Wiliy e'er you go to ſea,
Remember the vows you made unto me,
And if that you leave me I never ſhall reſt,
And why will you leave me with ſorrow oppreſt?
The kindeſt expreſſions he to her did ſay,
I'll marry my Molly 'ere I go away;
And if tomorrow to me you will come,
The prieſt ſhall be brought love and all ſhall be done.
With kindeſt embraces they parted that night,
She went for to meet him the next morning light
He ſaid, My dear charmer you muſt go with me,
Before we are married a friend for to ſee.
He led her through groves and valleys ſo deep,
At length the fair damſel began for to weep.
Saying William I fancy you lead me aſtray,
On purpoſe my innocent life to betray,
He ſaid, that is true and none can you ſave,
For I all this neight have been digging your grave,
Poor harmleſs creature when ſhe heard him ſay ſo,
Her eyes like a fountain began for to flow
A grave and a ſpade ſtanding by ſhe did ſee,
And ſaid muſt this be a bride bed for me?
O pejur'd creature, thou worſt of all men!
Heaven will reward you when I'm dead and gone:
O pity my infant and ſpare my, ſweet life,
Let me go diſtreſſed ſince I'm not to be your wife,
O take not my life leſt my ſoul you betray,
Mnſt I in my youth thus be hurried away
Her hand white as lillies in ſorrow ſhe wrung,
Intreating for mercy ſaying What have I done,
To you my dear Will, what makes you ſo ſevere,
To murder your true love that you lov'd ſo dear.
He ſaid, there's no time diſputing to ſtand,
He inſtantly then took his knife in his hand,
He pierced her breaſt while the blood it did flow,
And into the grave her fair body did throw.
He covered the body and home he did come,
Leaving none but the birds her death to bemoan,
On board of the Bedford he enter'd ſraightway,
Which lay at Portſmouth and bound for the ſea.
For Carpenter s Mate he was enter d we hear.
Fit for the voyage away then to ſteer;
But as in the cabin one night he lay,
The voice of his true love he heard for to ſay,
O perjur'd William! awake now and hear,
The words of your true love that loved you ſo dear,
The ſhip out of Portſmouth it never ſhall go,
Till I be reveng'd of my ſad overthrow.
This ſpoken ſhe vaniſh'd with ſhrieks and with cries,
The flashes of lightning did dart in her eyes,
Which put the ſhips crew in a terrible fear,
Tho' none ſaw the ghoſt the voice they did hear,
Charles Stewart a man of courage ſo bold,
One night as he was going down to the hold,
A beautiful damſel to him did appear,
And ſhe in her arms had a baby ſo dear.
Being merry in drink he went to embrace
The charms of this ſo lovely a face
But to his surpriſe ſhe vaniſh'd away,
He went to the captain without more delay
He told the whole ſtory which when he did hear
He ſaid, Now ſome of my men I do fear,
Has done ſome murder and if it be ſo
Our ſhip s in great danger if to ſea ſhe does go
Then on a time his merry men all
Into the great cabin to him he did call,
And ſaid my dear ſailors this news I do hear
Does really ſurpriſe me with ſorrow and fear,
The ghoſt which appear'd in dead of the night,
And all my brave ſailors does ſorely alright,
I fear has been wrong'd by ſome of the crew,
And therefore the perſon I fain now would know.
Then William aſtoniſh'd, did tremble with fear
And began by the Powers above for to ſwear,
He nothing at all of the matter did know,
But as from the captain he went for to go.
Unto his ſurpriſe he his true love did ſəə,
With that he immediately fell on his knee
Saying here's my true love, where ſhall I run,
O ſave me or elſe my poor ſoul is undone
The murdea he did confeſs out of hand,
Saying, here before me my Molly does ſtand,
Poor injured ghoſt! thy pardon I crave.
And ſoon ſhall follow thee down to the grave
There was none but the wretch did behold the ſad ſight
Then roving diſtracted he died in the night:
But when that her parents theſe things did hear,
They ſought for the body of there daughter dear
At a pace called Southampton in a valley ſo deep
The body was found while many did weep,
At the fall of baby and demſel ſo fair,
And in Goſport churchyard they bury'd her there.
I hope this will be a warning to all
Young men who innocent maids do enthral,
Young men be conſtant and be true to your vows
And bleſſings will attyend ou be ſure all your lives.