I'm away from my references right now, but I think Ewan MacColl published a song in Singing Island of a man selling his wife to a sea captain, to ship to America.

There lived a man unto this town
An honest man and a weaver
He had a wife and a scolding wife
And could not live beside her

And he's gone down to a sea captain
Saying, Buy you any women?
I have a fine Italian wench
Just fitting for a sailor

...is what I remember (and may well be wrong). Alex Campbell recorded it.

The Jon Raven song, mentioned above, started

This is to give notice that bandy;legged Lett
Will sell his wife Sally for what he can get
At 12 in the morning this sale will begin
So all you young fellows, be there with your tin

(At least, that's what I remember, from long, long ago)

Leadfingers, what's the source of the one you quoted?