Hi,

This Nova Scotia version was collected by Creighton from Mr. Thomas Young, the postman at West Petpeswick circa 1933.

The Ship's Carpenter [A]- sung by Thomas Young, Petpeswick, NS c. 1933
Creighton's footnotes.

1. In Gosper of late a fair damsel did dwell,
For wit and for beauty few did her excel,
A young man he wanted her be his dear
And he by his trade was a ship's carpenter.

2. He says, "Dearest Mary, if you will agree
To give your consent for to marry me,
Your love it can cure me of sorrow and care,
Consent then to wed with a ship's carpenter."

3. All blushing and smiling like roses in June,
She says, "Dearest Willie, to wed I'm too young,
For young men are frickly[l], I see very plain
When a young maid is kind they will soon her disdain."

4. But still, it was in vain she strove to deny,
When he by his cunning soon made her comply
By boles his absence he did her betray,
Through the silvery hills part he did lead her astray.

5. For when this fair damsel she was overproved,
She soon sent these tidings to her faithless love,
Who swore by the heavens that he would prove true,
Says, "I will marry no damsel but you."

6. Things passed on a while till at length she did hear
His ship must be sailing; for sea he must steer;
It grieved this fair damsel, and wounded her heart
To think with her true love she so sudden must part.

7 She says, "Dearest Willie, you are going to sea,
Remember the vows that you've made unto me,
If at home you don't tarry I never can rest,
Oh, don't go and leave me in sorrow oppressed."

8 So with tender embraces to her he did say,
"I'll marry my Mary before I go away,
And if it's to-morrow, my dear we will ride down,
The ring for to buy, our union to crown."

9. With tender embraces they parted that night
And promised to meet it's morning at light,
"O say dearest Mary, you must go with me
Before we get married some friends for to see."

10. He led her through groves and valleys so deep,
At length this fair damsel began for to weep,
Saying, "I fear dearest Willie you've led me astray,
On purpose my innocent life to betray."

11 You've guessed what was right; all on earth can't you save,
For all of last night I was digging your grave."
Oh, poor ruin-ed Mary, when she heard him so,
Tears from her eyes like fountains did flow.

12. Grave with the spade. standing by she did see
Which caused that fair damsel to weep bitterly,
"Perjur-ed Willie thou worst of mankind,
Is this the brides bed I expected to find?"

13. "Oh, pity my infant and spare my sweet life;
Let me in shame if I can't be your wife,
Take not my life on your soul to betray,
And to the purgatory[2] be hurried away."

14. "There is no time for parting, and no time to stand,"
Instantly taking a knife in his hand
Pierced her sweet breast, and the blood it did flow,
Into the grave her fair body did throw.

15. He covered her up, and then hastened home,
Left none but the small birds her sad fate to mourn,
He then he took a ship without more delay
And sailed out for Plymouth to sail the salt sea.

16. A young man named Stewart with courage so bold,
Happening when late to go to the hold,
A beautiful damsel to him did appear,
And into her arms held an infant most dear.

17. Being merry with liquor he thought to embrace,
Transported with joy at beholding her face,
And to his amazement she vanished away
Which he told to our captain without more delay.

18. Our captain then summoned our jovial ship's crew,
Saving, "My dear fellows I'm afraid some of you
Have murdered a damsel before you came away,
Whose injur-ed ghost haunts you here on the sea.

19. "Any of you if the truth do deny,
When found out will hang on the yard arm so high,
And he that confesses, his life we won't take'
But land him unto the first island we make."

20. On that our young Willie he fell on his knees,
The blood in his veins with quick horror did freeze,
"Murder, cruel murder, what have I done!
God help me, I'm feared my soul is undone."

2L And none else but that poor wretch beheld the sad fate,
And raving and distracted he died that same night.

1. fickle?
2. penitentiary?