Soon as these words she spoke, her love grew stronger, He flew into her arms, he could wait no longer, They both sat down and sung, but she sung clearest, Like a Nightingale in spring, Welcome home, my dearest.

He sang God bless the wind that blew him over, She sang God bless the ship that brought him over, They both sat down and sung, but she sung clearest, Like a Nightingale in spring, Welcome home, my dearest.

LXXXVIII

The Maid's Lamentation for the Loss of her True Love

As I walk'd out one May morning down by a river's side,

There I beheld a gay lady that was to have been a

Bride,

She was to have been a Bride, my boys, and a charmer to behold,

May the Heavens above protect and keep all jolly sailors bold.

I built my Love a very fine Ship, a Ship of noble Fame, With twenty-five Mariners to box about the Main; When the Wind blows, Boys, and Seas begin to spout, My true Love, and his gallant Ship, was sadly tost about.

Our Anchor and our Cables we overboard did throw, Our Main-mast and our Rigging, overboard did blow,

By the Tempest of bad Weather, and the Raging of the Sea,

I never had but one true Love, and him they took from me.

Says the Mother to the Daughter, what makes you to lament?

Is there never a Lad in this Town that can give you Content?

No, there's never a Lad in the Town ever shall suffer for me,

Since the Seas and the Winds has parted my Love and me.

There shall no Scarf go on my Head, no Comb into my Hair,

No Fire burn, no Candle light to shew my Beauty

fair,

For never will I married be, until the Day I die, Since the Seas and the Winds has parted my Love and me.

LXXXIX

The Distressed Ship Carpenter
WELL met, well met, my own true Love,
Long time I have been seeking thee,
I am lately come from the salt salt Sea,
And all for the Sake, Love, of thee.

I might have had a King's Daughter,

And fain she would have married me, But I've forsaken all her Crowns of Gold, And all for the Sake, Love, of thee.

If you might have had a King's Daughter, I think you much to blame,

I would not for Five Hundred Pounds,
That my Husband should hear the same.

For my Husband is a Carpenter,
And a young Ship Carpenter is he,
And by him I have a little Son,

Or else, Love, I'd go along with thee.

But, if I should leave my Husband dear,
Likewise my little Son also,

What have you to maintain me withal,
If I along with you should go?

I have seven Ships upon the Seas,

And one of them brought me to Land, And Seventeen Mariners to wait on thee, For to be, Love, at your Command.

A pair of Slippers thou shalt have,
They shall be made of beaten Gold,
Nay, and be lin'd with Velvet Soft,
For to keep thy Feet from Cold.

A gilded Boat then thou shalt have,
Thy Oars shall be gilded also,
And Mariners to row thee along,

For to keep thee from thy overthrow.

They had not been long upon the Sea,
Before that she began to weep;
What weep you for my Gold? he said,
Or do you weep for my Fee?

Or do you weep for some other young Man,
That you love much better than me?
No, I do weep for my little Son,

That should have come along with me.
She had not been upon the Seas,
Passing Days three or four,

But the Mariner and she were drown'd,
And never were heard of more.

When Tidings to Old England came,
The Ship's Carpenter's wife was drown'd,
He wrung his Hands, and tore his Hair,
And grievously fell in a Swoon.

Oh! cursed be those Mariners,

For they do lead a wicked life, They ruin'd me a Ship Carpenter, By deluding away my Wife.

XC

To all you Ladies now at Land'

To all you ladies now at land,

We men at sea indite;

But first would have you understand

How hard it is to write;

The Muses now, and Neptune too,

We must implore to write to you.

With a fa, la, la, la, la.

For though the Muses should prove kind,

And fill our empty brain;

Yet if rough Neptune rouse the wind,
To wave the azure main,

Our paper, pen and ink, and we
Roll up and down our ships at sea.

With a fa, la, la, la, la.

Then, if we write not by each post,
Think not we are unkind;
Nor yet conclude our ships are lost
By Dutchman, or by wind:

Our tears we'll send a speedier way,
The tide shall bring them twice a day.
With a fa, la, la, la, la.

The King, with wonder and surprise,
Will swear the seas grow bold;
Because the tides will higher rise,
Than e'er they did of Old;
But let him know it is our tears
Bring floods of grief to Whitehall stairs.
With a fa, la, la, la, la.

Should foggy Opdam chance to know

Our sad and dismal story,

The Dutch would scorn so weak a foe

And quit their fort at Goree;

For what resistance can they find

From men who've left their hearts behind?

With a fa, la, la, la, la.

Let wind and weather do its worst,

Be you to us but kind,

Let Dutchmen vapour, Spaniards curse,
No sorrow shall we find.

'Tis then no matter how things go,

Or who's our friend, or who's our foe. With a fa, la, la, la, la.