The Ship's Carpenter- Duncan (NS) 1937 Creighton D
[From: Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia; Creighton and Senior, 1950. Notes from an article on their collaboration follow- they title it Pretty Polly in their notes. Creighton D which is based on the full Gosport ballad. It too has the Forget-Me-Not Songster stanza:
7. "He who don't confess his life we'll destroy
And he shall be hung on the yardarm so high,
But he who confesses his life we'll not take
But we'll land him on the first island we make."
R. Matteson 2016]
From: The Creighton-Senior Collaboration, 1932-51
"Gigantic Effort" (1937)
Moreover, in Dartmouth Mrs. R. W. Duncan, although shy at first, provided six songs: "Pretty Polly", "The Saucy Sailor", "The Harbour of Dundee", "Caroline of Edinburgh Town", "I'm a Stranger in This Counteree" and the ballad "He's Young But He's Daily Growing."
The Ship's Carpenter [D] - Sung by Mrs. R. W. Duncan, Dartmouth, NS. Melody collected by Nina Finn.
1. Says William to Mary Will you come along with me
Before we get married our friends for to see,
He led her through groves and through valleys so deep
At last this young damsel began for to weep.
2. She says, "My dear William you have led me astray,
Because my poor innocent life to betray,
O pity my infant and spare my poor life,
Let me live full of shame if I can't be your wife."
3. Her grave with a spade lying near did she see
Which caused her to weep and to cry bitterlee,
Then instantly taking a knife in his hand
He pierced her fair breast whence the blood it did flow
And in the deep river her body did throw.
4. He buried the body and then returned home
Leaving none but the small birds her fate to bemoan,
On board ship he entered without more delay
And he set sail for Plymouth to plough the salt sea.
5. That night as the man having courage most bold
One night being late to go down in the hold,
When a beautiful damsel to him did appear,
And into her arms held an infant most dear.
6. When to his amazement she vanished away
Which he told to the captain without more delay,
The captain soon summoned the jovial ship's crew,
"I'm afraid my brave fellows, I'm afraid one of you
Have murdered some damsel e'er you came away
Whose now injured ghost haunts you now on the sea."
7. "He who don't confess his life we'll destroy
And he shall be hung on the yardarm so high,
But he who confesses his life we'll not take
But we'll land him on the first island we make."
8. Now Willie immediately fell on his knees
And the blood in his veins with horror did freeze
And behold that poor fellow beheld a sad state
And raving distracted he died that same night.
9. When her poor parents they came for to hear
They then searched [for] the body of their daughter fair,
Near the town of Southampton in a valley so deep
They found her poor body that caused many to weep.
10. In St. Sullie's churchyard her ashes now lies,
I hope her poor soul is with God in the skies,
Come all you poor maidens, here's a warning to all
That dare a poor innocent maid to enthrall.