1906[Oct.]        Masefield, John, ed. _A Sailor's Garland_. London: Macmillan.

Masefield was keen on connecting 19th century chanties with earlier, British song traditions. He said "Haul on the Bowline" was from the time of Henry VIII; that "A-Roving" was based in "The Rape of Lucrece"; connected the "crabfish" theme in Whiskey Johnny to a 16th century ballad... which is not to necessarily say that all these ideas have no merit, but it speaks to his orientation. The implications of this, I believe, are that when he tweaked or made up some lyrics at the time of publication -- which I believe he did -- he sometimes cast them in the cultural world of English balladry.

I suspect (can't prove) that his presentation of Lowlands was *influenced* by his feeling that it would have been based in an old ballad, and therefore it has something of a Northen English/Scottish cast. Judge for yourself. I will be interested to see what "original" versions of "Lowlands" after this have the full "dead lover" theme -- so far, it has only been Davis' composed (?) set, and these by Masefield.

ALthough Masefield had observed chanties first hand, his credibility is tarnished (in my view) by the fact that the first verse he gives is identical to the one in LA Smith and in Alden. If he actual *knew* this song, why adopt and repeat the likely error (or oddity) of "a-ray" in the chorus?

LOWLANDS 

(Halliard Chanty)

I Dreamt a dream the other night,
   Lowlands, Lowlands, hurrah, my John;

I dreamt a dream the other night, 
      
   My Lowlands a-ray.

I dreamt I saw my own true love,

He was green and wet with weeds so cold,

"I am drowned in the Lowland seas," he said,

"I shall never kiss you again," he said,

I will cut my breasts until they bleed,

I will cut away my bonny hair,

No other man shall think me fair,

O my love lies drowned in the windy Lowlands,