Come all you wild and wicked youths, where ever you may be
For I bid you pay attention now, and listen unto me
For the fate of us poor transports, as you will understand
And the hardships we do undergo, upon Van Diemans Land
Verse 2
My parents reared me tenderly, good learning gave to me
Till with bad men I was beguiled, which proved my destiny
O' I was brought up in Worcestershire, near to the town did dwell
My name is Henry Albert, and many knows me well
Verse 3
Me and three more went out one night, to Squire Daniel's farm
To get some game was our intent, as the night came tumbling down
But to our sad misfortune, they took us there with speed
And they hauled us off to Warlock Jail, which made our hearts to bleed
Verse 4
There at the Marchers Rises, at the bar we did appear
Like Job we stood with patience, to hear our sentence there
But being some bold offenders, made our case go hard
My sentence was for fourteen years, and I was sent onboard
Verse 5
Now the ship that took us from the land, the Speedwell was her name
For a full four months and more my boys, we ploughed the Ragin' Main
No land, no harbor did we see, and believe it is no lie
All around us one black water, above us one blue sky
Verse 6
On the day we made it to the land, upon that fateful shore
The planters gathered 'round us there, full forty score and more
They led us round like horses there, and sold us out of hand
And they yoked us to the plough my boy, to plough Van Diemans Land
Verse 7
Last night as I lay in my bed, of Wooster I did dream
With my true love beside me there, down by some burblin' stream
But a' broken hearted I awoke, alone and far from home
For now we're rattlin' in our chains, in foreign lands to roam