Words: traditional
Music: traditional

A boy to me was bound apprentice
Because his parents they were poor.
I took him from St. James workhouse
All for to sail to some foreign shore.

And then one day he did annoy me,
But nothing to him did I say,
But straight way to my yardarm I dragged him
And I left him there till the very next day.

His hands and arms they hang towards me,
His feet and legs they hung down likewise.
And with my tarry rope I killed him,
All because I would not hear his cries.

And then my men they did reject me,
All for that I now had done such wrong.
And to my cabin they close confined me
And they bound me down with the irons strong.

And to London Town they then did bring me
And here I lay now condemned to die.
If I had by my men been ruled
I might have saved that poor boy's life and mine.

So you captains bold that plough the oceans
That have got servants to wait on thee
I pray you never, oh never will use them
For you plainly see 'twas the death of me.