> Folk Music > Songs > Norht Americay

North Americay / Farewell to Kingsbridge

[ Roud 596 ; Master title: North Americay ; Laws J13 ; Ballad Index LJ13 ; VWML SBG/1/1/274 ; Bodleian Roud 596 ; GlosTrad Roud 596 ; Wiltshire 174 ; trad.]

Nick Dow: Southern Songster Roy Palmer: The Rambling Soldier James Reeves: The Everlasting Circle

Cyril Tawney sang Farewell to Kingsbridge in 1970 on his Argo album A Mayflower Garland. He noted:

Collected by the Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould from Roger Huggins, Lydford, who had learned it in 1868 from a man called Kelly in Tavistock. It is a “localised” version of a song that was widespread in England around 1778-1780.

Liz Conway and Friends sang Sons of Liberty on their 2018 Stonehousw album Downhill All the Way.

Jim Causley sang Farewell to Kingsbridge on his 2021 album Devonia. He noted:

Traditional. Baring-Gould Collection.
Collected from Roger Huggins of Lydford who learnt it from a man named Kelly in Tavistock.

Dave Lowry sang Farewell to Kingsbridge on his 2024 WildGoose album Songs of a Devon Man. Bill Crawford noted:

Dave learnt this from the Sabine Baring-Gould manuscripts and it was also sung by Cyril Tawney. It was collected from Roger Huggins, mason of Lydford, by Henry Fleetwood Sheppard in 1890 [VWML SBG/1/1/274] .

Lyrics

Cyril Tawney sings Farewell to Kingsbridge

On the ninth day of November, at the dawning in the sky,
Ere we sailed away to New York, we at anchor here did lie;
O‘er the meadows fair of Kingsbridge, then the mist was lying grey;
We were bound against the rebels, in the North Americay.

O, so mournful was the parting of the soldiers and their wives,
For that none could say for certain they‘d return home with their lives.
Then the women they were weeping, and they cursed the cruel day
That we sailed against the rebels, in the North Americay.

O, the little babes were stretching out their arms with saddest cries,
And the bitter tears were falling from their pretty simple eyes
That their scarlet-coated daddies must be hurring awqy,
For to fight against the rebels, in the North Americay.

Now with God preserve our monarch, I’ll finish up my strain,
Be his subjects ever loyal and his honour all maintain,
May the Lord our voyage prosper and our arms across the sea,
And put down those proud rebels, in the North Americay.

Dave Lowry sings Farewell to Kingsbridge

On the ninth day of November, at the dawning in the sky,
Ere we sailed away to New York, we at anchor here did lie;
O‘er the meadows fair of Kingsbridge, then the mist was lying grey;
When we sailed against the rebel, in the North Americay.

O, so mournful was the parting of the soldiers and their wives,
For that none could say for certain they‘d return home with their lives.
O, the women they were weeping, and they cursed the cruel day
That we sailed against the rebel, in the North Americay.

O, the little babes were stretching out their arms with saddest cries,
And the bitter tears were falling from their pretty simple eyes
That their scarlet-coated daddies must be hurring awqy,
For to fight the cruel rebel, in the North Americay.

Then with God preserve our monarch, I will finish up my strain,
Be his subjects ever loyal and his honour all maintain,
May the Lord our voyage prosper and our arms across the sea,
And put down the wicked rebel, in the North Americay.