Classic Poem

1.

There was a ship, and a ship of fame,
Launch'd off the stocks, bound to the main,
With a hundred bold and brisk young men,
Well pick'd and chosen every one.
And William Glen was our captain's name,
He was a tall and a brisk young man;
As bold a sailor as went to sea,
And we were bound for High Barbary.

2.

On the first of April we did set sail,
Blest with a sweet and a prosperous gale;
They all fell sick but sixty-three,
As we did sail to High Barbary.
One night our captain lay in his sleep,
And there came a voice, as if from the deep:—
“Prepare you and your brave company;
To-morrow night you must lodge with me.”

3.

This waken'd the captain in a fright,
It was the third watch of the night,
And for the boatswain he did call,
And told him of his secrets all:—
“I slew a lord in Straffordshire,
All for the love of a lady fair;
And though the king has pardon'd me,
He's daily in my company.”

4.

“Oh! worthy captain, since it is so,
I pray you let no body know;
Keep you the secret in your breast,
And pray that you may get some rest.”
But soon the sea did rage and roar,
We never thought to see the shore;
Our ship was wash'd both fore and aft,
Till only a few on board were left.

5.

Our foremost man at the helm stood,
And was swept off by the raging flood,
Crying for mercy on us all,
As to the bottom he did fall.
Our boatswain, then, he did declare,
That our captain was a murderer,
Which so enraged our whole ship's crew,
That overboard they the captain threw.

6.

Our treacherous captain being gone,
Immediately there was a calm;
The wind was calm'd, so was the sea,
And we arriv'd at High Barbary.
When to High Barbary we did come,
Our dismal state we to them made known:
Then all young sailors I pray beware,
And never sail with a murderer!