The British Version
| The British folio broadside
was printed in 1701 for his execution. "This ballad features
the emotional release of moral condemnation, reciting the personal
confession of Kidd's lawless acts, his pious regrets, and his
moral warnings to others. Although he did none of those things
in fact" (Bonner p.89). |
Printed in
London in 1701
"Captain Kid's Farewel to the Seas,
or, the Famous Pirate's Lament, 1701
to the tune of Coming Down"
Play 17KVio.mid
My name is Captain Kid, who has sail'd [who has sail'd],
My name is Captain Kid, who has sail'd;
My name is Captain Kid
What the laws did still forbid
Unluckily I did while I sail'd [while I sail'd, etc.].
Upon the ocean wide, when I sail'd, [when I sail'd],
Upon the ocean wide, when I sail'd,
Upon the ocean wide
I robbed on every side,
With the most ambitious pride, when I sail'd.
My faults I will display while I sail'd, [while I sail'd],
My faults I will display while I sail'd,
My faults I will display,
Committed day by day
[1 line lost.]......................., while I sail'd.
Many long leagues from shore when I sail'd, [when I sail'd],
Many long leagues from shore when I sail'd,
Many long leagues from shore
I murdered William Moore,
And laid him in his gore, when I sail'd.
Because a word he spoke when I sail'd, [when I sail'dj,
Because a word he spoke when I sail'd,
Because a word he spoke,
I with a bucket broke
His scull at one sad stroke, when I sail'd.
I struck with a good will when I sail'd, [when I sail'd},
I struck with a good will when I sail'd,
I struck with a good will,
And did a gunner kill
As being cruel still when I sail'd.
A Quida merchant then while I sail'd, [while I sail'd],
A Quida merchant then while I sail'd,
A Quida merchant then
I robbed of hundreds ten,
Assisted by my men, while I sail'd.
A banker's ship of France, while I sail'd, [while I sail'd],
A banker's ship of France, while I sail'd,
A banker's ship of France
Before us did advance:
I seized her by chance, while I sailed.
Full fourteen ships I see when I sailed, [when I sailed],
Full fourteen ships I see when I sailed,
Full fourteen ships I see
Merchants of high degree;
They were too hard for me when I sailed.
We steered from sound to sound while we sailed, [while we
sailed],
We steered from sound to sound while we sailed,
We steered from sound to sound,
A Moorish ship we found;
Her men we stripped and bound while we sailed.
Upon the ocean seas while we sailed, [while we sailed],
Upon the ocean seas while we sailed,
Upon the ocean seas
A warlike Portuguese
In sport did us displease, while we sailed.
At famous Malabar when we sailed, [when we sailed],
At famous Malabar when we sailed,
At famous Malabar
We went ashore, each tar,
And robbed the natives there, when we sailed.
Then after this we chased, while we sailed, [while we sailed],
Then after this we chased, while we sailed,
Then after this we chased
A rich Armenian, graced
With wealth, which we embraced, while we sailed.
Many Moorish ships we took while we sailed, [while we sailed],
Many Moorish ships we took while we sailed,
Many Moorish ships we took;
We did still for plunder look;
All conscience we forsook while we sailed.
I, Captain Culliford, while I sailed, [while I sailed],
I Captain Culliford, while I sailed,
I, Captain Culliford,
Did many merchants board,
Which did much wealth afford, while we sailed.
Two hundred bars of gold, while we sail'd, [while we sail'd],
Two hundred bars of gold, while we sail'd,
Two hundred bars of gold
And rix dollars manifold
We seized uncontrolled, while we sailed.
St. John, a ship of fame, when we sailed, [when we sailed],
St. John, a ship of fame, when we sailed,
St. John, a ship of fame
We plundered when she came,
With more than I could name, when we sailed.
We taken was at last, and must die, [and must die],
We taken was at last, and must die,
We taken were at last
And into prison cast:
Now, sentence being past, we must die.
Tho' we have resigned while we must die, [while we must die],
Tho' we have resigned while we must die,
Tho' we have resigned awhile,
While fortune seemed to smile,
Now on the British isle we must die.
Farewel the ocean main, we must die, [we must die],
Farewel the ocean main, we must die,
Farewel the ocean main:
The coast of France or Spain
We ne'er shall see again; we must die.
From Newgate now in carts we must go, [we must go],
From Newgate now in carts we must go,
From Newgate now in carts,
With sad and heavy hearts,
To have our due deserts we must go.
Some thousands they will flock when we die, [when we diel,
Some thousands they will flock when we die,
Some thousands they will flock
To Execution Dock,
Where we must stand the shock and must die.
Source: Bonner, William Hallard Pirate Lauriate. Rutgers
University Press. 1947. ISBN: 1299849849 ISBN-13: 9781299849846, p86.
Captain William Kidd (1645-1701) had
in fact been commissioned as a privateer, by New
York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, to hunt pirates, and carried a license for that from King Wiillian III of England.
Gunner William Moore was threatening his Captain with mutiny when Kidd struck him with a bucket and inadvertantly killed him. Kidd trial was really him being made a scapegoat for international political purposes.
This song popularized the erronious belief that Kidd had confessed guilty to the false charges when he never did.
For more discussion see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Kidd |
|
The American Version
| Side by side, the English and American version demonstrate the
growth of a folk ballad. The earlier English version is less
fanciful..."The song came to the Colonies almost immediately,
where it was so popular that its rough rhythms were worn down
to easier smoothness and its narrative nonchalantly reworked"
It also features an inexplicable variation of Kidd's first name
to Robert. |
Printed in America 1730-1820
"The Dying Words of Capt. Robert Kidd
A noted pirate who was Hanged at Execution Dock,
in England." [play 21KOx]
YOU captains brave and bold, hear our cries, hear our cries,
You captains brave and bold hear our cries,
You captains brave and bold,
tho' you seem uncontrol'd
Don't for the sake of gold lose your souls, lose your souls.
My name was Robert Kidd, when I sail'd, when I sail'd,
My name was Robert Kidd when I sail'd
My name was Robert Kidd,
God's laws I did forbid,
And so wickedly I did when I sail'd.
My parents taught me well, when I sail'd, when I sail'd,
My parents taught me well when I sail'd,
My parents taught me well
to shun the gates of hell,
But against them I did rebel, when I sail'd.
I curs'd my father dear when I sail'd, when I sail'd,
I curs'd my father dear when I sail'd,
I curs'd my father dear,
and her that did me bear,
And so wickedly did swear when I sail'd.
I made a solemn vow, when I sail'd, when I sail'd,
I made a solemn vow, when I sail'd.
I made a solemn vow,
to God I would not bow,
Nor myself one prayer allow, when I sail'd.
I'd a bible in my hand, when I sail'd, when I sail'd,
I'd a bible in my hand when I sail'd,
I'd a bible in my hand
by my father's great command,
But I sunk it in the sand when I sail'd.
I murder'd William Moore as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I murder'd William Moore as I sail'd;
I murder'd William Moore,
and I left him in his gore,
Not many leagues from shore, as I sail'd.
And being cruel still, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
And being cruel still, as I sail'd;
And being cruel still,
my gunner I did kill,
And his precious blood did spill as I sail'd.
My mate took sick and died, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
My mate took sick and died, as I sail'd;
My mate took sick and died,
which me much terrified,
When he call'd me to his bedside, as I sail'd.
And unto me did say, see me die, see me die,
And unto me did say, see me die;
And unto me did say,
take warning now I pray
There'll come a reckoning day, you must die.
You cannot then withstand, when you die, when you die,
You cannot then withstand, when you die;
You cannot then withstand
the judgements of God's hand,
But bound in iron bands you must die.
I was sick and nigh to death as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I was sick and nigh to death as I sail'd!
I was sick and nigh to death,
and vow'd at every breath,
To walk in wisdom's ways as I sail'd.
I thought I was undone, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I thought I was undone, as I sail'd;
I thought I was undone,
that my wicked glass was run,
But my health did soon return, as I sail'd.
My repentance lasted not, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
My repentance lasted not, as I sail'd;
My repentance lasted not,
my vows I soon forgot,
Damnation's my just lot, as I sail'd.
I steer'd from sound to sound, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I steer'd from sound to sound, as I sail'd;
I steer'd from sound to sound,
and many ships I found,
And most of them I burn'd as I sail'd.
I spy'd three ships of France, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I spy'd three ships of France as I sail'd.
I spy'd three ships of France,
to them I did advance,
And took them all by chance, as I sail'd.
I spy'd three ships of Spain, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I spy'd three ships of Spain as I sail'd;
I spy'd three ships of Spain,
I fir'd on them, amain,
Till most of them were slain, as I sail'd.
I'd ninety bars of gold, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I'd ninety bars of gold as I sail'd,
I'd ninety bars of gold
and dollars manifold,
With riches uncontrol'd, as I sail'd.
Then fourteen ships I see, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
Then fourteen ships I see, as I sail'd,
Then fourteen ships I see,
and all brave men they be,
And they were too hard for me, as I sail'd.
Thus being o'ertaken at last, I must die, I must die,
Thus being o'ertaken at last, I must die,
Thus being o'ertaken at last,
and into prison cast,
And sentence being past, I must die.
Farewell to the raging main, for I must die, for I must die,
Farewell to the raging main, for I must die,
Farewell to the raging main,
to Turkey, France & Spain,
I shall ne'er see you again, for I must die.
To Newgate now I'm cast, and must die, and must die,
To Newgate now I'm cast, and must die;
To Newgate now I'm cast,
with sad and heavy heart,
To receive my just desert, I must die.
To Execution Dock, I must go, I must go,
To Execution Dock, I must go;
To Execution Dock,
where many thousands flock,
But I must bear my shock, and must die.
Come all ye young and old, see me die, see me die,
Come all ye young and old, see me die;
Come all ye young and old,
you're welcome to my gold,
For by it I've lost my soul, and must die.
Take warning now by me, for I must die, for I must die,
Take warning now by me, for I must die;
Take warning now by me,
and shun bad company,
Lest you come to hell with me, for I must die;
Lest you come to hell with me, for I must die.
Source: Bonner, William Hallard Pirate Lauriate. Rutgers
University Press. 1947. ISBN: 1299849849 ISBN-13: 9781299849846, p.91. |
