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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.
