This beautiful song was taught to me by Joe Hickerson. It has been recorded by Shirley Collins on Folkways Records, and it appears in Northumbrian Minstrelsy, edited by Bruce and Stokoe. The first verse comes from Stephen Sedley's book The Seeds of Love. (ET)Ed Trickett: guitar & lead Gordon Bok: whistle & vocal Ann Muir: vocal
I will put my ship in order
And I will set her on the sea
And I will sail to yonder harbor
To see if my love minds on me
I drew my ship into the harbor
I drew her up where my true love lay
I drew her close up to the window
To listen what my true love did say
"Oh who is that at my bower window?
That raps so loudly and would be in?"
"It is your true love that loves you dearly
So rise, dear love, and let him in"
Then slowly, slowly rose she up
And slowly, slowly came she down
But before she had the door unlocked
Her true love had both come and gone
He's brisk and braw, he's far away,
He's far beyond the raging main
Where bright eyes glancing and fishers dancing
Have made him quite forget his own.
- repeat first verse ...