G'day,
From the Penguin Book Of English Folk Songs, Ed Pellow's rendition of the tune of The New York Trader (Child #57) can be found here.

THE NEW YORK TRADER

To a New York trader I did belong,
She was built for sea, both stout and strong,
Well rigged 'well manned, well fit for sea;
She was bound for New York in Ameriky.

Our cruel captain, as we did find,
Left half of our provisions behind.
Our cruel captain, as we understand,
Meant to starve us all before we made the land.

At length our hunger grew very great.
We had but little on board to eat,
And we were in necessity,
All by our captain's cruelty.

Our captain in his cabin lay.
A voice came to him and thus did say.
'Prepare yourself and ship's company,
For tomorrow night you shall lay with me.'

Our captain woke in a terrible fright,
It being the first watch of the night,
Aloud for his bo'sun he did call,
And to him related the secret all.

'Bo'sun,' said he, 'it grieves my heart
To think I have acted a villain's part,
To take what was not my lawful due,
To starve the passengers and the ship's crew.

'There is one thing more I have to tell -
When I in Waterford town did dwell,
I killed my master, a merchant there,
All for the sake of his lady fair.

'I killed my wife and children three,
All through that cursed jealousy,
And on my servant I laid the blame,
And hanged he was all for the same.'

'Captain,' said he, 'if that be so,
Pray let none of your ship's crew know,
But keep your secret within your breast,
And pray to God to give you rest.'

Early next morning a storm did rise,
Which our seamen did much surprise;
The sea was over us, both fore and aft,
Till scarce a man on deck was left.

Then the bo'sun he did declare
That our captain was a murderer.
It so enraged the whole ship's crew
They overboard their captain threw.

When this was done a calm was there,
Our good little ship homeward did steer,
The wind abated and calmed the sea,
And we sailed safe to Ameriky.

And when we came to anchor there,
Our good little ship for to repair,
The people wondered much to see
What a poor distressed shipwrecked crew were we.

Sung by Ted Goffin, Catfield, Norfolk (E.J.M. 1921)

Click here for another version. Also search the DT for #57.

Previous song: Mother, Mother, Make My Bed.
Next song: O Shepherd, O Shepherd.

Penguin Index provided by Joe Offer

Cheers,
Alan ^^