Прощание капитана Кидда

«Прощание капитана Кидда с морями» (Captain Kidd's Farewel to the Seas) — довольно старая английская баллада, предположительно датируется 1701 годом. Автор неизвестен.

В балладе излагается исповедь капитана Кидда у виселицы, его ханжеское раскаяние и предостережение другим. Первый вариант баллады был опубликован в день казни Кидда. Автор баллады преувеличивает злодеяния Кидда, приписывая ему захват большого количества судов.

В течение двух столетий баллада была весьма популярна в Америке, часто переиздавалась и исполнялась. Со временем все 25 четверостиший претерпели значительные изменения, тон ее стал более мрачным. В итоге она превратилась в ужасные стенания душ грешников.

Вот отрывок из изначального варианта этой баллады на языке оригинала:

My name was Captain Kidd, when I sail'd, when I sail'd,
And so wickedly I did, God's laws I did forbid,
When I sail'd, when I sail'd.
I roam'd from sound to sound, And many a ship I found
And them I sunk or burn'd. When I sail'd.
I murder'd William Moore, And laid him in his gore,
Not many leagues from shore, When I sail'd.
Farewell to young and old, All jolly seamen bold,
You're welcome to my gold, For I must die, I must die.
Farewell to Lunnon town, The pretty girls all round,
No pardon can be found, and I must die, I must die,
Farewell, for I must die. Then to eternity, in hideous misery,
I must lie, I must lie.

А вот один из довольно поздних вариантов:

My name is Captain Kid, who has sailed, who has sailed,
My name is Captain Kid, who has sailed.
My name is Captain Kid;
What the laws did still forbid
Unluckily I did while I sailed, while I sailed.

Upon the ocean wide, when I sailed, etc.,
Upon the ocean wide, when I sailed,
Upon the ocean wide
I robbed on every side
With most ambitious pride, when I sailed, etc.

My faults I will display, while I sailed, etc.,
My faults I will display, while I sailed.
My faults I will display,
Committed day by day.
[Damnation is my lot, as I sailed,] etc.

Many long leagues from shore, when I sailed, etc.,
Many long leagues from shore, when I sailed;
Many long leagues from shore
I murdered William Moore,
And laid him in his gore, when I sailed, etc.

Because a word he spoke, when I sailed, etc.,
Because a word I spoke, when I sailed;
Because a word he spoke
I with a bucket broke
His skull at one sad stroke, while I sailed, etc.

I struck with a good will, when I sailed, etc.,
I struck with a good will, when I sailed;
I struck with a good will,
And did a gunner kill,
As being cruel still, when I sailed, etc.

A Quida merchant then, while I sailed, etc.,
A Quida merchant then, while I sailed;
A Quida merchant then
I robbed of hundreds ten,
Assisted by my men, while I sailed, etc.

A banker's ship of France, while I sailed, etc.,
A banker's ship of France, while I sailed;
A banker's ship of France
Before us did advance.
I seiz-ed her by chance, while I sailed, etc.

Full fourteen ships I see, when I sailed, etc.,
Full fourteen ships I see, when I sailed;
Full fourteen ships I see,
Merchants of high degree.
They were too hard for me, when I sailed, etc.

We steered from sound to sound, while we sailed, etc.,
We steered from sound to sound, while we sailed;
We steered from sound to sound,
A Moorish ship we found.
Her men we stripped and bound, while we sailed, etc.

Upon the ocean seas while we sailed, etc.,
Upon the ocean seas while we sailed,
Upon the ocean seas
A warlike Portuguese
In sport did us displease, while we sailed, etc.

At famous Malabar when we sailed, etc.,
At famous Malabar when we sailed,
At famous Malabar
We went ashore, each tar,
And robbed the natives there, when we sailed, etc.

Then after this we chased, while we sailed, etc.,
Then after this we chased, while we sailed,
Then after this we chased
A rich Armenian, graced
With wealth, which we embraced, while we sailed, etc.

Many Moorish ships we took while we sailed, etc.,
Many Moorish ships we took while we sailed,
Many Moorish ships we took;
We did still for plunder look.
All conscience we forsook while we sailed, etc.

I, Captain Cullifoord, while I sailed, etc.,
I, Captain Cullifoord, while I sailed,
I, Captain Cullifoord,
Did many merchants board,
Which did much wealth afford, while we sailed, etc.

Two hundred bars of gold, while we sailed, etc.,
Two hundred bars of gold, while we sailed,
Two hundred bars of gold
And rich dollars manifold
We seiz-ed uncontrolled, while we sailed, etc.

St John, a ship of fame, when we sailed, etc.,
St John, a ship of fame, when we sailed,
St John, a ship of fame,
We plundered when she came,
With more that I could name, when we sailed, etc.

We taken was at last, and must die, etc.,
We taken was at last, and must die,
We taken was at last
And into prison cast.
Now, sentence being passed, we must die, etc.

Though we have reigned awhile, we must die, etc.,
Though we have reigned awhile, we must die,
Though we have reigned awhile,
While fortune seemed to smile,
Now on the British Isle we must die, etc.

Farewell the ocean main, we must die, etc.,
Farewell the ocean main, we must die,
Farewell the ocean main;
The coast of France or Spain
We ne'er shall see again. We must die, etc.

From Newgate now in carts we must go, etc.,
[From Newgate now in carts we must go],
From Newgate now in carts
With sad and heavy hearts
To have our due deserts we must go, etc.

Some thousands they will flock when we die, etc.,
Some thousands they wi!l flock when we die,
Some thousands they will flock
To Execution Dock,
Where we must stand the shock and must die, etc.