Hi,

I've found a great traditional version of Gosport from West Virginia collected in 1953. I can't seem to get the 8th stanza, which can be viewed on Google Books here but it's snippet view: https://books.google.com/books?id=N7LYAAAAMAAJ&q=%22A+tremble+of+fear%22+pretty+polly&dq=%22A+tremble+of+fear%22+pretty+polly&hl

Pretty Polly (The Cruel Ship's Carpenter) (Note j Contributed by Everett Smith, of Catawba, as sung by S. L. Bunner of Catawba. I have the tune of this, as sung to me by Everett Smith.)

1. It's away down in low land,
Where little Polly did dwell;
For wit and for beauty
There's none could excell.

There's a young man who courted her
All for to be his dear,
And was by trade
Was a ship's carpenter.

2. "Come, pretty Polly,
Come go along with me;
Before we get married,
A friend we will be.* (see?)

He led her through groves
And through valleys so deep,
Till last* this fair damsel (at last?)
Began for to weep.

"Hard-hearted young William,
You have led em astray,
one purpose, my in love* (on purpose my love)
And my life to betray."

3. She saw her grave dug,
And a spade standing by,
Saying, "Is this my bride's bed,
Wherein must I lie?

Hard-hearted young William,
You're worst of all men;
May the heavens award* you (reward?)
When I'm dead and gone.

4. "It's come, pretty Polly,
There's no time to stand;
While immediately taking
A knife in his hand,

He pierced her fair body
Till the heart-blood did flow
And into her grave,
Her fair body did throw.

5. In covering her over,
He turned back again;
Left none but the small birds
Her death to mourn.

Way down that redboat,
He's gone speedily,
And away in Portsmouth
He bound out for the sea.

6. Old Charley Stewart,
Carried so bold,
This beautiful damsel,
He chanced to behold,

This beautiful damsel
Unto him did appear,
And into her arms was
A baby so dear.

7. With screams of loud screeches,
Cried out . . .(in loud cries?)
Till flashes of lightning
Fell down from the skies;

Set the whole ship in
A tremble of fear;
But none saw the ghost,
but A voice they did hear.

8. [missing]