The Constant Seaman
And his Faithful Love.
See here the Pattern of true Love,
the life of constancy;
And e're they would disloyal prove,
they both resolv'd to dye.
Tune of Philander.
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man.
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FArewell my dearest Dear,
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for needs I must away,
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Then for me do not fear,
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not troubled be I pray;
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While Fish swim in the Ocean Sea,
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I constant will remain,
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And none but thee
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My wife shall be,
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When I return again.
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maid.
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The dangers of the Seas
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torment my mind full sore;
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Methinks it might thee please
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to live upon the shore:
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Thy company I more do prize
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than all the Indian store:
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O prithee stay,
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Go not away,
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Least thou return no more.
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man.
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One Voyage more my Dear,
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and then I will refrain,
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To travel i'le forswear,
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and quite forsake the Main:
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Thy Ivory breasts my Rocks shall be,
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thine eyes like stars shall shine,
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Ten thousand times
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I'le think on thee
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When I'm beyond the line.
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maid.
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The Voyage is so long,
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that I am sore afraid,
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And shall my self do wrong,
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by being thus delayed:
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What care I for the golden Mines,
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thou treasure art to me,
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Then let me find
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My true-love kind,
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As I am unto thee.
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man.
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When home I do return
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with Gold and Silver store,
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Thou shalt no longer mourn
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thy sorrow shall give o're;
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I'le kiss and hug thee in mine arms,
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and cool thy hot desire;
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Thou shalt no more
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Complain so sore,
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Of Loves tormenting fire.
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maid.
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But I have heard some say
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full many a time to me,
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That some are cast away,
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and some do dye at Sea;
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If either of these should prove thy fate,
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then quite undone were I,
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For thy dear sake
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my heart would break,
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And I with grief should dye.
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man.
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Forbear my only joy,
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torment thy self no more
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There's some at Sea do dye
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and so there is on shore:
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The Heavenly power can us protect
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when we are out at Sea:
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Let the powers above
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Preserve my Love
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And go along with me.
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maid.
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But then then is the Turk
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our mortal Enemies
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Who up and down do lurk
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Christians to make their prize:
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If they should light upon my Love
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'twould be the worst of all:
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For rather I
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Had thou shouldst dye
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Than in their hands to fall.
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man.
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My dearest do not fear,
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we do go bravely man'd
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When we that course do steer
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the Turks do understand:
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And if they come with us to fight
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as we sail on the Main
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I hope we shall
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Be prosperous all
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And send them back again.
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maid.
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Then farwel my delight
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since needs it must be so:
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Methinks that I could fight
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if I with thee might go:
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I'd fight up to the knees in blood
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for to preserve my Dear
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My Love to save
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From watry Grave
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There's nothing I would fear.
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