Three Songs (Edinburgh)/Captain Glen's Unhappy Voyage, etc./Captain Glen's unhappy Voyage

For other versions of this work, see Captain Glen's Unhappy Voyage to New Barbary.

Captain Glen's unhappy voyage to New Barbary.

THERE was a ship and a ship of fame,
Launch'd off the stocks bound to the main,
With an hundred and fifty birsk young men,
Were pick'd and chosen every one.
 William Glen was our Captain's name,
He was a brisk and a tall young man,
As bold a sailor as e'er went to sea,
And he was bound for New Barbary.
 The first of April we did set sail,
Blest with a sweet and pleasant gale,
For we we were bound to New Barbary,
With all our whole ship's company.
 We had not sailed a day but two,
Till our whole ship's jovial crew,
They all fell sick but sixty-three,
As we went to New Barbary.
 One night the captain he did dream;
There came a voice and said to him,
Prepare you and your company,
To-morrow night you'll lodge with me.
 This wak'd the captain in a fright,
Being the third watch of the night.
Then for his boatswain he did call,
And toldto him his secrets all.
 When I in England did remain,
The holy Sabbath I did profane,
In drunkenness I took delight,
Which doth my trembling soul affright.
 There is one thing more I shall rehearse,
Which I shall mention in this verse,
A 'Squire I slew in Staffordshire:
All for the sake of a lady fair.
 Now 'tis his ghost I am afraid,
That hath to me such terror bred,
Although the king has pardoned me,
He is daily in my company.
 O worthy captain since it's so,
No mortal of it e'er shall know:
So keep your secret in your breast,
And pray to God to give you rest.
 They had not failed a league but three,
Till raging grew the roaring sea
There rose a tempest in the skies,
Which fill'd our hearts with great surprise.
 Our mainmast sprung by the break of day
Which made our rigging all give way,
This did our seamen sore affright,
The terrors of that fatal night.
 Up then spoke the foremast man,
As he did by the fore-mast stand,
He, cried Lord have mercy on my soul,
So to the bottom he did fall.
 The sea did wash both fore and aft,
Till scarce one soul on board was left,
Our yards were split and our rgging tore,
The like was never seen before.
 The boatswain then he did declare,
The captain was a murderer,
Which did enrage the whole ship's crew,
Our captain over board we threw.
 Our treacherous captain being gone,
Immediately there was a calm,
The winds did cease and the raging sea,
As we went to New Barbary.
 Now when we came to the Spanish shore,
Our goodly ship for to repair,
The people were amaz'd to see,
Our difmal case and misery.
 But when our ship we did repair,
To fair England our course did steer,
And when we came to London town,
Our dismal case was then made known,
 Now many wives their husbands lost,
Which they lamented to to their cost,
And caused them to weep and cry,
These tidings from New Barbary.
 An hundred and fifty brisk young men,
Did to our goodly ship belong,
Of all our whole ship's company,
Our number was but seventy-three,
 Now seamen all where'er you be,
I pray a warning take by me.
As you love your lives still have a care,
That you never sail with a murder.
 'Tis never more I do intend,
For to cross over the raging main,
But I'll live in peace in my own country,
And so I end my Tragedy.