Sailors tragedy (1)/The sailors tragedy

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THE SAILORS 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.

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.

The other being left alone
⁠Saying, you false deluding man
To me you've done a wicked thing,
⁠Which public shame will on me bring.

Than 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.

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,

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

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.

As he is false I do protest
⁠That he on earth shall find no rest,
And it is said she plagu'd him so,
⁠That to the seas he’s forc'd 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 every 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.

Upon the deck he 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.

In St. Helens this young man died.
⁠And in St. Helens is 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.

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.

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.

For to preserve both ship and mer,
⁠Into the boat they forced him ;
The boat sank in a dash 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 dont delude poor woman-kind.