The Cruel Ship's Captain
Dave Van Ronk Lyrics


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One day this poor boy to me was bound apprentice,
Because of his being fatherless;
I took him out of St. James' Workhouse,
His mother being in deep distress
I took him out of St. James' Workhouse,
His mother being in deep distress.

One day this poor boy unto me offended,
But nothing to him I did say;
Up to the main-mast shroud I sent him,
And there I kept him all that long day.

All with my garling-spikk I misused him,
So shamefully I can't deny;
All with my marling-spike I gagged him
Because I could not bear his cry.

His face and his hands to me expanded,
His legs and his thighs to me likewise;
And by my barbarous cruel entreatment
This very next day this poor boy died.

I asked my men if they'd release (?) me.
If I'd give them golden store.
Out of my cabin straightway they hauled me,
A prisoner brought me on Bristol shore.

And now in Newdigate I am confined,
The writ of death I do deserve;
If I had been ruled by my servants
This poor boy's life might have been preserved.

You captains all throughout this nation,
Hear a voice and a warning take by me.




Take special care of your apprentice
While you are on the raging sea.

Overall Meaning

"The Cruel Ship's Captain" by Dave Van Ronk is a traditional English folk ballad that tells the story of a cruel ship captain who takes in an orphan boy as an apprentice. Despite his best efforts to provide the boy with a better life, the captain succumbs to his dark nature and mistreats the boy, ultimately causing his death. The captain is then captured and sentenced to death for his crimes, leaving him to reflect on his mistakes.


The first verse sets the scene for the story, with the captain taking in the young boy from St. James' Workhouse to give him a better life. However, in the second verse, the boy offends the captain in some unspecified way, and the captain responds with cruelty by sending him up to the main-mast shroud and keeping him there all day. The third verse describes the captain's further mistreatment of the boy, using his garling-spikk and marling-spike to harm and gag him.


In the fourth verse, the boy's condition worsens, and he reaches out to the captain for help with his face, hands, legs, and thighs. However, the captain remains cruel and indifferent to the boy's suffering. Ultimately, the boy dies as a result of the captain's barbarous treatment. In the fifth verse, the captain faces justice for his crimes and reflects on the fact that he could have saved the boy's life if he had been a better leader and human being.


Line by Line Meaning

One day this poor boy to me was bound apprentice,
I once took on a fatherless boy as an apprentice, who was in distress because of his mother's situation.


I took him out of St. James' Workhouse,
He was in need of rescue from St. James' Workhouse- and so I rescued him and gave him employment.


His mother being in deep distress.
He was left without his mother in a difficult situation.


One day this poor boy unto me offended,
At one point he disrespected me


But nothing to him I did say;
I didn't say anything to him in response


Up to the main-mast shroud I sent him,
I ordered him to climb up to the high bow of the ship as punishment


And there I kept him all that long day.
He had to remain there throughout the entire day


All with my garling-spikk I misused him,
I put him through physical torture with my garling-spikk.


So shamefully I can't deny;
I am unable to deny the shame of the torture I inflicted upon him.


All with my marling-spike I gagged him
I silenced him when he cried out with my marling-spike.


Because I could not bear his cry.
I tortured him so horribly I couldn't bear the sound of his cry.


His face and his hands to me expanded,
He reached out his hands and face towards me


His legs and his thighs to me likewise;
He also reached out his legs and thighs


And by my barbarous cruel entreatment
By torturing him so cruelly and mercilessly


This very next day this poor boy died.
The very next day, he died due to the torture I inflicted upon him.


I asked my men if they'd release (?) me.
I sought the help of my men to release me.


If I'd give them golden store.
I offered to give them treasure in return.


Out of my cabin straightway they hauled me,
Instead, they came and took me out of my workshop right away.


A prisoner brought me on Bristol shore.
I was arrested and taken as a prisoner to Bristol.


And now in Newdigate I am confined,
I am now imprisoned in Newdigate.


The writ of death I do deserve;
I deserve the death penalty for what I did.


If I had been ruled by my servants
If I listened to my people


This poor boy's life might have been preserved.
Then maybe this poor boy would have lived.


You captains all throughout this nation,
All of the ship captains from this nation


Hear a voice and a warning take by me.
Listen closely to my warning


Take special care of your apprentice
Take care of your apprentice.


While you are on the raging sea.
Especially when you are on the rough sea.




Contributed by Jasmine O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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