The Gosport tragedy/The Gosport tragedy

The Goſport Tragedy

IN Goſport of late a young damſel did dwell,
A young man did court her for to be his dear,
And be by his trade was a ſhip carpenter
⁠He ſaid my dear Molly if you will agree,
And now will content love to marry with me,
Your love it will eaſe me of ſorrow and care,
If you will but marry a ſhip carpenter.
⁠With bluſhes more charming the roſes in June
She anſwer'd ſweet William to wed I'm too young
For young men are fickle I ſee very plain,
If a maid ſhe is kind they'll quickly disdain
⁠They'll flatter and tell how her charms they adore
If they'll gain her conſent they'll care for so more
The moſt beautiful woman that ever was born,
If a man has enjoy'd her, her beauty he'll ſcorn.
⁠My charming ſweet Molly why do you ſay ſo,
Thy beauty is the haven to which I will go,
And if in that channel I chance for to ſteer,
I there will call anchor and Nay with my dear.
⁠I ne'er will be cloy'd with the charms of my love
My love iſ as true as the ſweet turtle dove.
And all that I crave is to marry my dear,
And when you're my own no danger I'll fear.
⁠The life of a virgin ſweet William I prize,
For marriage brings ſorrow and trouble likewiſe:
I'm loath for to to venture and therefore forbear,
For I will not marry a ſhip carpenter.
⁠For in the time of wars to the ſeas you muſt go
And leave wife and child in ſorrow and wo,
I'm loath for eo venture, and therefore forbear,
For I will not marry a ſhip carpenter.
⁠But yet all in vain ſhe his ſuit did deny,
For ſtill unto love he's forc'd her to comply,
At leogth with his cunning her heart did betray,
Unto lewd deſires be led her aſtay.
⁠But when with child this young damſel did prove,
The tidings immediately ſhe ſent to her love,
And by the good heavens he ſwore to be true,
Saying I will marry none other but you
⁠This paſt on a while at length we do hear,
The king wanted ſailors, to ſea he muſt ſteer,
Which griev'd the young damſel indeed to the heart,
To think with ſweet Willy ſo ſoon for to part.
⁠She ſaid my dear Willy e'er you go to ſea,
Remember the vows you made unto me,
And if that you leave me I never ſhall reſt,
And why will you leave me with ſorrow oppreſt?
⁠The kindest expreſſions he to her did ſay,
I'll marry my Molly e'er I go away;
And if tomorrow to me you will come,
The prieſt ſhall be brought love and all ſhall be done.
⁠With kindeſt embraces they parted that night,
ſhe went for to meet him the next morning light,
He ſaid, my dear charmer you muſt go with me,
Before we are married a friend for to ſee
⁠He led her through groves and valleys ſo deep,
At length the fair damfel began for to weep.
ſaying, William I fancy you lead me aſtray,
On purpoſe my innocent life to betray.
⁠He ſaid that is true, and none can you live,
For I all this night lave been digging your grave,
Poor harmleſs creature when ſhe heard him ſay ſo
Her eyes like a fountain began for to flow.
⁠A grave and a ſpade ſtanding by ſhe did ſee,
And ſaid muſt this be a bride bed for me!
O perjured creature, thou worſt of all men!
Heaven will reward you when I'm dead and gone
⁠O pity my infant and ſpare my ſweet liſe,
Let me go diſſref'd if I'm not your wife,
O take not my life leſt my ſoul you betray
Muſt I in my youth thus be carried away.
⁠Her hands white as lillies in ſorrow ſhe wrung,
Intreating for mercy, ſaying What have I done
To you my dear Will, what makes you ſo ſevere,
To murder your true love that you lov'd ſo dear.
⁠He ſaid, there's no time diſputing to ſtand,
And instantly taking his knife in his hand,
He pierced her heart while the blood it did flow,
And into the grave her fair body did throw.
⁠He cover'd the body and home he did come,
Leaving none but the birds her death to bemoan,
On board of the Bedford he enter'd ſtraightway,
Which lay at Portsſmith, and bound for the ſea.
⁠For Carpenter's Mate he was enter'd we hear,
Fit for the voyage away then to ſteer;
But as in the cabin one night he did ly,
The voice of his true love he heard for to ſay,
⁠O perjur'd William awake now and hear,
The words of your true love that loved you to dear
The ſhip out of Portſmouth it never ſhall go,
Till I be reveng'd of that ſad overthrow.
⁠This ſpoken ſhe vanish'd with ſshrieks and with cries
The flashes of lightning did dart from her eyes,
Which put the ſhips crew in a terrible fear,
Tho' none ſaw the ghoſt the voice they did hear;
⁠Charles Stewart a man of courage ſo bold,
One night as he was going down to the hold,
A beautiful damſel to him did appear
And ſhe in her arms was a baby ſo dear.
⁠Being merry in drink he went to embrace
The charms of this, ſo lovely a face:
But to his surpriſe she vaniſh'd away,
Bewent to the captain without more delay
⁠He told the whole ſtory which when he did hear
He ſaid, Now ſome of my men I do fear,
Has done ſome murder and it it be ſo,
Our ſhip's in great danger if to ſea ſhe does go.
⁠Then on a time his merry men all,
Into the great cabin, to him he did call,
And ſaid my dear ſailors this news I do hear
Does really ſurpriſe me with ſorrow and fear,
⁠The ghoſt which appear d in dead of the night,
And all my brave ſailors does sorely affright,
I fear has been wrong'd by ſome of the crew,
And therefore the perſon I fain now would know.
⁠Then William aſtoniſh'd, did tremble with fear
And begin by the Powers above for to ſwear,
He nothing at all of the matter did know,
But as from the captain he went for to go.
⁠Unto his ſurpriſe his true love did ſee,
With that he inimediately fell on his knee,
Saying, here's my true love, where ſhall I run
, O ſave me or elſe my poor ſoul is undone.
⁠The murder he did confeſs out of hand,
Saying, here before me my Molly doth ſtand,
Poor injur'd ghoſt! thy pardon I crave
And ſoon ſhall follow thee down to the grave.
⁠There was none but the wretch did behold the ſad ſight.
Then roving diſtracted be died in the night;
But when that her parents theſe things did hear,
They ſought for the body of their daughter dear.
⁠Near a place called Southampton in valley ſo deep
The body was found while may did weep,
At the fall of baby and damsel ſo fair,
And in Goſport churchyard they bury'd her there.
⁠I hope this will be a warning to all
Young men who innocent maids do enthral,
Young men be conſtant and be true to your vows
And bleſſings will attend you be ſure all your lives.