|
|
| From Songs of Miramichi by Louise Manny and James Reginald Wilson, Brunswick Press, Fredericton, New Brunswick, 1968 |
Down by the rolling ocean
There lived a damsel fair,
She was coamly, tall and handsome,
She was called the village dear,
Her heart she gave to a young man
Far on the ocean wide,
And true she was to young Henery
Who’s on the silvery tide. Young Henry long being absent,
A nobleman there came,
A-courting pretty Mary,
But she refused the same.
I pray, begone! There is but one!
There is but one! she cried,
And I pray begone! There is only one,
And he’s on the silvery tide. This nobleman in a passion,
Those words to her did say,
To prove your separation,
I will take your life away,
I will watch you late and early,
Till you alone I will spy,
And you’ll sink or swim far, far from him,
Who’s on the silvery tide. This nobleman was walking
One evening to take the air,
Down by the rolling ocean
He spied this damsel fair,
Now said that cruel villyun,
Consent and be my bride,
Or you’ll sink or swim far, far from him,
Who’s on the silvery tide. O no! O no! dear sir she said,
My vows I will not break,
O no! O no! said Mary,
I will die for his sweet sake.
He took a pocket handkerchief,
Her tender hands he tied,
And while screaming she went floating,
Out on the silvery tide. It happened not long after
Young Henry returned from sea,
Expecting to be married
And appoint his wedding day.
Your own true love has been murdered
Her aged parents cried,
She has proven her own destruction
Down on the silvery tide. Young Henry went to bed that night,
But no rest could he find,
For the thoughts of pretty Mary
Kept running through his mind.
He dreamt that he was sailing,
Far on the ocean wide,
And his true love she set weeping
Down by the silvery tide. Young Henry arose at midnight
To search those sea banks o’er,
From three o’clock in the morning
He wandered from shore to shore,
Till four o’clock in the evening,
A lifeless body spied,
While to and fro came floating
Out on the silvery tide. He knew that it was his own true love
By the gold ring on her hand,
He unfastened that pocket handkerchief
That brought him to a stand.
The name of that cruel villyun
Young Henry quickly spied,
That put an end to Mary
Down on the silvery tide. This nobleman was taken,
The gallows was his doom,
For murdering pretty Mary,
All in her youthful bloom,
Young Henry quite distracted,
He wandered until he died,
And his last words was Poor Mary
Down on the silvery tide. (last five words spoken)