Maiden's choice/The maiden's choice

THE MAIDEN'S CHOICE.

O Daughter! O daughter! marry a man,
That gets his living all on the land;
'Tis do your endeavour, do all that you can,
That the first night he may be at your command.
For don't marry with a sailor then,
For they're a ranting, roaring sort of men, etc.

For landmen they have money for to lend,
And what the sailors get they soon do spend;
Drinking at taverns, spending galore,
They spend their money when they come on shore.
So do not marry with a sailor then,
For they're a ranting, roaring sort of men, etc.

For sailors they do curse and swear,
On board of men of war and privateers;
All their delight is to destroy and kill,
While the landmen they live so meek and mild.
So do not marry with a sailor then,
For they're a ranting, roaring sort of men, etc.

Mother, you seem to take the landmen's part,
They'd all be sailors if they had good hearts;
Sailors they venture through many a storm,
To keep their country free from harm.
So I do love them as I do my life,
And hope to be some honest sailor's wife, etc.

Our merchant trade would soon decay,
And so would ev'ry other trade beside,
If it were not for the sailors bold,
That cross the foaming billows wide.
So I do love them as I do my life,
And hope to be some honest sailor’s wife. etc.

For sailors they do spend their money free,
When that they do come from the roaring sea,
And if they meet a pretty wench whom they adore,
They will send her both gold and silver store.
So I do love them as I do my life,
And hope to be some honest sailor's wife, etc.

O daughter, O daughter, since that I find,
'Tis for a sailor bold your heart is inclin'd,
As for the landmen you cannot them adore,
So I never will persuade you any more;
For I need must confess that the most of them,
Are a very handsome sort of gentlemen.

Come, all you young fellows, be ruled by me,
and spend not your money in waste,
For if that you do, you are surely undone,
so away to your business in haste.