The Sailor's Tragedy (1825)/The Sailor's Tragedy
For other versions of this work, see The Sailor's Tragedy.
THE SAILOR'S TRAGEDY.
I am a sailor and home I write,
And in the seas took great delight,
The female sex I did beguile,
At length two were by me with child.
And in the seas took great delight,
The female sex I did beguile,
At length two were by me with child.
I promised to be true to both
And bound myself under an oath
To marry them if I had life,
And one of them I made my wife.
And bound myself under an oath
To marry them if I had life,
And one of them I made my wife.
The other being left alone,
Crying, you false deluding man,
To me you've done a wicked thing,
Which public shame will on me bring.
Crying, you false deluding man,
To me you've done a wicked thing,
Which public shame will on me bring.
Then to the silent shade she went,
Her present shame for to prevent,
And soon she finished up the strife,
And cut her tender thread of life.
Her present shame for to prevent,
And soon she finished up the strife,
And cut her tender thread of life.
She hung herself upon a tree
Two men a hunting did her see;
Her flesh by beasts was basely tore,
Which made the young men weep full sore.
Two men a hunting did her see;
Her flesh by beasts was basely tore,
Which made the young men weep full sore.
Straight they went and cut her down,
And in her breast a note was found;
This note was written out at large,
Bury me not, I do you charge.
And in her breast a note was found;
This note was written out at large,
Bury me not, I do you charge.
But on the ground here let me lie,
For every one that passes by,
That they by me a warning take,
And see what follows e'er too late.
For every one that passes by,
That they by me a warning take,
And see what follows e'er too late.
As he is false I do protest,
That he on earth shall find no rest,
And it is said, she plagued him so,
That to the seas he's forced to go.
That he on earth shall find no rest,
And it is said, she plagued him so,
That to the seas he's forced to go.
As he was on the main-mast high,
A little boat he did espy,
In it there was a ghost so grim,
That made him tremble ev'ry limb.
A little boat he did espy,
In it there was a ghost so grim,
That made him tremble ev'ry limb.
Down to the deck the young man goes,
To the Captain his mind for to disclose:
Here is a Spirit coming hence,
O Captain stand in my defence.
To the Captain his mind for to disclose:
Here is a Spirit coming hence,
O Captain stand in my defence.
Upon the deck the Captain goes,
Where soon he spy’d the fatal Ghost;
Captain, said she you must and can,
With speed help me to such a man.
Where soon he spy’d the fatal Ghost;
Captain, said she you must and can,
With speed help me to such a man.
In St. Helens this young man died,
And in St. Helens in his body laid:
Captain, said she, do not say so,
For he is in your ship below.
And in St. Helens in his body laid:
Captain, said she, do not say so,
For he is in your ship below.
And if you stand in his defence,
A mighty storm I will send hence,
Will cause you and your men to weep,
And leave you sleeping in the deep.
A mighty storm I will send hence,
Will cause you and your men to weep,
And leave you sleeping in the deep.
From the deck did the Captain go,
And brought this young man to his foe:
On him she fix'd her eyes so grim,
Which made him tremble every limb.
And brought this young man to his foe:
On him she fix'd her eyes so grim,
Which made him tremble every limb.
It was well known I was a maid,
When first by you I was betray’d,
I am a spirit come for you,
You beguil'd me once but I have you now.
When first by you I was betray’d,
I am a spirit come for you,
You beguil'd me once but I have you now.
For to preserve both ship and men,
Into the boat they forced him:
The boat sunk in in a flash of fire,
Which made the sailors all admire.
Into the boat they forced him:
The boat sunk in in a flash of fire,
Which made the sailors all admire.
All you that know what to love belong,
Now you have heard my mournful song,
Be true to one whatever you mind,
And don’t delude poor woman kind.
Now you have heard my mournful song,
Be true to one whatever you mind,
And don’t delude poor woman kind.