8
When thirty months old, came the man for his child,
Who released the Factor from the desert isle.
When the Factor saw him his eyes they did flow,
Then he gave his lady and her parents to know,
He was forc'd to make that promise only,
In the desert isle, lest he with hunger should die.
With a grim look the man did appear,
Which made the court tremble, and fill'd them with fear
Crying, What shall we do? sure he's not a man,
He will have our first-born do all that we can.
He said, It was promis'd, and I'll have my due,
There's one babe for me, and another for you;
I will have your first-born, come give him to me;
At which all the family wept bitterly.
The babe's mother cried, I'm griev'd to the heart,
To think that I with such a dear infant must part,
To one that should carry him, Lord knows where,
And perhaps in pieces my darling will tear.
With that she embrac'd him, and down the tears fell,
And then, having kissed him, she bade him farewell,
Saying, It is for the sake of my husband that I
Do part with my first-born, though for him I die.
So then this grim ghost to her husband did say,
I'm the dead corpse you ransom'd in Turkey one day.
You may keep your babe, so God bless you all,
Then away it vanished out of the hall.
