Here's another US version that's based on the full Gosport ballad. It's from Folksongs of Florida; Morris, 1950. When Polly's ghost later appears to Sweet William, "he went distracted and died that same night."

"The Ship Carpenter." Text communicated by Miss Inez Parrish, Trenton, who took it down from the singing her mother Mrs. J. H. Parrish.

"Oh will you consent, love, oh will you agree,
Oh will you consent, love, for to marry me,
I will free you from sorrow, great trouble, and care,
If you will only wed with the ship carpenter."

He led her over hills and valleys so steep
Until pretty Polly began for to weep;
"It's William, sweet William, you are the worst of all men,
The Lord will reward you for what you have done.

"Oh pity your infant and spare its poor life,
And let me go distracted and not be your wife."
"It's Polly, pretty Polly, it's now for you to stand,"
And quickly he taken his knife in his hand.

He led her a little farther and what was she to spy?
There was a grave dug and a spade lying by;
He pierced her to the heart and her heart blood did flow,
And under the ground her fair body he throwed.

He covered her up and straightway rerurned home,
Leaving none but the small birds to weep and to mourn,
. . . .
. . . .

Straightway to Belford this young man did steer,
And there he dropped anchor and stayed for three years
When the captain said, "some of us have murdered;
And if it be so, the ship's in great danger on the ocean to go."

Sweet William lay sleeping at his chamber so dear,
When the voice of his true love came in to his ear,
"Oh wake, Sweet William, awake and draw near,
To the voice of your true love who loved you so dear."

"Oh yonder prerty polly, oh yonder she stands,
with her ring all on her fingers and her lily-white hands;
Oh yonder pretty Polly, oh yonder she stands,
with her ring all on her finger and her babe in her arms."

There was none but sweet William who saw that great sight,
And he went distracted and died that same night;
There was none but sweet William who saw that great sight,
And he went distracted and died that same night.