Captain Robert Kidd You captains bold and brave, hear our cries, hear our cries You captains bold and brave, hear our cries, You captains brave and bold, though you seem uncontrolled Don't for the sake of gold lose your souls, lose your souls. Don't for the sake of gold lose your souls. My name was Robert Kidd, when I sailed, when I sailed. My name was Robert Kidd, when I sailed, My name was Robert Kidd, God's laws I did forbid, And so wickedly I did, when I sailed. My parents taught me well, when I sailed, when I sailed, My parents taught me well, when I sailed, My parents taught me well to shun the gates of hell, But against them I rebelled when I sailed. I cursed my father dear when I sailed, when I sailed, I cursed my father dear when I sailed, I cursed my father dear and her that did me bear, And so wickedly did swear when I sailed. I made a solemn vow when I sailed, when I sailed, I made a solemn vow when I sailed, I made a solemn vow to God I would not bow, Nor myself one prayer allow, as I sailed. I'd a Bible in my hand when I sailed, when I sailed, I'd a Bible in my hand when I sailed, I'd a Bible in my hand by my father's great command, And sunk it in the sand when I sailed. I murdered William Moore, as I sailed, as I sailed, I murdered William Moore, as I sailed, I murdered William Moore, and left him in his gore, Not many leagues from shore, as I sailed. And being cruel still, as I sailed, as I sailed, And being cruel still, as I sailed, And being cruel still, my gunner I did kill, And his precious blood did spill, as I sailed. My mate was sick and died, as I sailed, as I sailed, My mate was sick and died as I sailed, My mate was sick and died, which me much terrified, When he called me to his bedside, as I sailed, 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 by me, There comes 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 judgment of God's hand, But bound then in iron bands you must die." I was sick and nigh to death, as I sailed, as I sailed, I was sick and nigh to death, as I sailed, I was sick and nigh to death, and I vowed at every breath To walk in wisdom's ways as I sailed. I thought I was undone, as I sailed, as I sailed I thought I was undone as I sailed, I thought I was undone and my wicked glass had run, But health did soon return, as I sailed. My repentance lasted not, as I sailed, as I sailed, My repentance lasted not, as I sailed, My repentance lasted not, my vows I soon forgot Damnation's my just lot as I sailed. I steered from sound to sound, as I sailed, as I sailed, I steered from sound to sound, as I sailed, I steered from sound to sound, and many ships I found, And most of them I burned, as I sailed. I spied three ships from France as I sailed, as I sailed, I spied three ships from France, as I sailed, I spied three ships from France, to them I did advance, I took them all by chance, as I sailed. I spied three ships of Spain as I sailed, as I sailed, I spied three ships of Spain, as I sailed, I spied three ships of Spain, I fixed on them amain, Till most of them were slain, as I sailed. I'd ninety bars of gold as I sailed, as I sailed, I'd ninety bars of gold as I sailed, I'd ninety bars of gold and dollars manifold, With riches uncontrolled, as I sailed. Then fourteen ships I saw, as I sailed, as I sailed, Then fourteen ships I saw, as I sailed, Then fourteen ships I saw, and brave men they were Ah! They were too much for me, as I sailed. 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 the sentence being past, I must die. Farewell the raging sea, I must die, I must die Farewell the raging sea I must die Farewell, the raging main, to Turkey, France, and Spain I ne'er shall see you again, 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 a sad and heavy heart To receive my just desert, I must die. To Execution Dock I must go, must go, To Execution Dock I must go, To Execution Dock will many thousands flock, But I must bear the shock, I must die. Come all you young and old, see me die, see me die, Come all you young and old, see me die, Come all you 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. see notes on Captain Kidd printed in Lomax and Lomax, American Ballads and Folk Songs DT #413 Laws K35 SOF
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!