Hi,

Good news: I want to thank Kevin Fredette and Jo Brown of the WVU library. Kevin sent me an entire copy of the Pretty Polly text housed at the West Virginia History Center ("West Virginia Collection"). Jim Brown got the 8th stanza right from Google books- it just didn't seem right :) Here is the entire version. Pretty Polly's ghost gets mad then she gets even!!! Check out the ending.

Pretty Polly (The Cruel Ship's Carpenter) --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[1],
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[2],
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[3]
A voice they did hear.


8. "Oh, Captain, Captain,
Stand my defence,
For yonder comes
The spirit hence.
It'll cause you and all your
Seamen all for to weep,
When you are slumbering
In the deep."

9. "Oh, Captain, Captain,
Can you tell me,
Where such a young
Man may be?"
In St. Island
this young man died
And in St. Island
This young man lies."

10. "Oh, Captain, Captain,
How can you say so,
While he is in
Your ship below?
If you don't go
And bring him hence,
A dreadful storm
I will commence.

11. Down deck the sea
Captain goes,
For to face
The young man* foes. (man's foes?)
She cast her eyes
On him so grim,
Which made him tremble
In every limb.

12. She caught him by the
Cuff of the coat,
And pulled him into
Her little boat.
She sank her boat in
A flame of fire,
Which caused the seamen
To admire.

My Footnotes:

1. Roxburghe broadside: On board the Bedford (Way down [on] the Bedford)
2. Roxburghe broadside: She afterward vanished with shrieks and cries,
                      Flashes of lightning did dart from her eyes;
3. It makes no sense to have "but" on this line.