Hi Steve-
here's all I have

I found this while doing research for my upcoming book documenting seafaring songs sung in Maine pre-1950. It showed up in the papers of Phillips Barry at Harvard, but he has possession of material collected by Fanny Hardy Eckstorm (Minstrelsy of Maine 1927) with whom he wrote "British Ballads from Maine" 1929. Not sure what is an "orderly book", nor where said book may now reside.

Mrs. Seth Thornton, Southwest Harbor, ME 1928 from an orderly book belonging to John Boyd, Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia in 1759. Mrs. Thornton says she remembers hearing bits of it around Southwest Harbor in her childhood.


A Galant Ship from England came
Lancht of the Stocks Bound to the main
Hit Kell was oak hir sids was bocks
This Galant Ship Lancht of the stocks

Lancht of the Stocks bound to the Main
full fifty Guns on hir deck Lay upon
Besids five hundred Valant men
Ware picket and chosen every one

We Waid our ankers to the bow
and throw the otion we did Plow
five sail of french Men we did chance
As we were Plowing through the Deep

it being late when we did meet
Night Coming on and oure Lives was sweet
We put it by till Brack of Day
And then we began our bludy fray

the first brod Side we received from tham
Proved Dradful Sore unto oure men
We had no less than fifty one
Killed and wounded by their Guns

the first that Spock was oure botswan bold
fit one fit one my brave harts of Gold
fit on fit on my brave boys sais he
whilst we are a sailing on the Sees

Oure Cptain being a Corraggis man
Upon the Quarter Deck did stand
He spoke unto oure Cabin boy
Go up above and Se what you can spy
And then Com Down a medately.


Phillips Barry compares this with "Captain Glen" from the Forget-me-not-songster.
There is a note that says "The manuscript list of "First lines of street ballots by J. Cattling April 23, 1748 in the Harvard Univ. Library contains…

A 605: A Gallant Ship from England Came

This is also the first line to the Battle of Stonington circa 1812