Lankum - The New York Trader Lyrics

To the New York Trader I did belongShe was fit for sea both stout and strongWell manned, well rigged, well fit for seaBound for New York in AmerikayOn the 4th of March we did set sailAll on a sweet and a pleasant galeWith hearts undaunted we set for seaBound for New York in AmerikayOur cruel captain as we did findLeft half of our provisions behindOur cruel captain, you'll understandMeant to starve us all before we reached the landAs our captain in his cabin layA voice came to him and this did say"Prepare yourself and ship's companyFor tomorrow night you must lie with me"Our captain woke in a terrible frightIt being the first part of the nightLoud for his bosun he did callTo him related the secrets all"Bosun" says he, "it does grieve my heartTo think I have acted the villain's partTo take what was not my lawful dueFor to starve the passengers and the ship's crew”"There's one more thing that I have to tellWhen I in Waterford town did dwellI killed my master, a merchant thereAll for the sake of his lady fairI killed my wife and my children threeAll for that cursed jealousyAnd on my servant I lay the blameAnd he was hanged in grief and shame""Oh, captain, captain, if that be soPray let none of the ship's crew knowBut keep that secret all in your breastAnd pray the Lord may grant you rest"The very next morning a storm did riseWhich to our seamen did much surpriseThe seas came over both fore and aftTill scarce one man on deck was leftAnd then the bosun, he did declareThe captain was a murdererThis so enraged the whole ship's crewThey overboard our captain threwAll of a sudden a calm was thereOur good little ship onwards did steerThe winds abated and calmed the seasAnd we sailed on for AmerikayAnd when we reached that New York shoreOur good little ship for to repairThe people wondered much to seeSuch a poor distressed and shipwreck crew were weSo sailors all where'er you beA warning pray you take by meAs you love your life won't yous take good careAnd never go sailing with a murderer