The Bristol Bridegroom;
OR THE
Ship-Carpenters Love to the Mer-
chant's Daughter.
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YOU loyal lovers all draw near,
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A true relation you shall hear,
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Of a young couple who provd to be
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A pattern of true loyalty.
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A merchant did in Bristol dwell,
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As many people know full well;
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He had a daughter of beauty bright,
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In whom he placd his hearts delight.
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He had no child but only she,
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Her father lovd her tenderly
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Many to court her thither came,
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Gallants of worth, birth, and fame.
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Yet notwithstanding all their love,
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A young ship-carpenter did prove
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To be the master of her heart,
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She often said, Well never part.
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As long as life and breath remain,
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Your company Ill not refrain;
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No cursed gold or silver bright
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Shall make me wrong my hearts delight.
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Now when her father came to know,
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His daughter lovd this young man so,
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He causd her to be sent to sea,
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To keep her from his company,
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Which when his daughter came to hear,
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Without the thought of dread or fear,
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She drest himself in seamans hue,
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And after him she did pursue.
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Unto the Captain she did go,
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And said, Right worthy sir, tis so,
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You do want men, I understand,
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Im free to fight with heart and hand.
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The Captain straitway did reply,
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Young man youre welcome heartily;
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One guinea in her hand he gave,
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She passed for a seaman brave.
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Soon after this the ship did sail,
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And with a fair and pleasant gale;
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But the ship-carpenter her dear,
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Did little think his love so near.
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She then appeared for to be
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A person of no mean degree;
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With pretty fingers long and strait,
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She soon became the surgeons mate.
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[PART II]
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It happened so that this same ship,
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A storming of the town of Dieppe,
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She lay at anchor something nigh,
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Where the cannon balls did fly.
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Then the first man that wounded were,
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Was this young bold ship carpenter:
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When drums beat and trumpets sound,
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He in his breast receivd a wound.
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Then to the surgeons care was he
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Brought down with speed immediately,
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Whereas the pretty surgeons mate
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Did courteously upon him wait.
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She drest the wounded dismal part,
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Although the sight did pierce her heart;
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Yet she did use her utmost skill
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To cure him with a right good will.
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She curd him in a little space,
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He often gazd upon her face;
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Surgeon, said he, such eyes as thine
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Did formerly my heart entwine:
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If ever I live to go on shore,
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And she be dead whom I adore,
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I will thy true companion be,
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And neer forsake thy company.
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If she be dead this will I do,
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To the female sex Ill bid adieu,
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And neer will marry for her sake,
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But to the seas myself betake.
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PART III.
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THE merchants daughter of Bristol who
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To her love provd just and true,
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When many storms were overblown
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She to her love herself made known.
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The season of the year being past,
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The ship was homewards bound at last,
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When into harbour she did get,
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The seamen all on shore were set;
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But yet of all the whole ships crew,
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Theres not a soul among them knew
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That they a woman had so near,
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Until she told it to her dear.
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To whom these words she did unfold,
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Not long ago, cries she, you told
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Me plainly that such eyes as mine,
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Did formerly your heart entwine.
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Then without any more ado,
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Into his arms she straitway flew,
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And cries, My love, thou art my own,
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This have I done for thee alone.
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His heart was touchd with joy likewise,
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When as the tears stood in his eyes;
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[He said, Thou hast a valiant heart,]
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And hath perform'd a true loves part.
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Therefore without any more delay,
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He drest her like a lady gay,
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So then they marryd were with speed,
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As formerly they had agreed.
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PART IIII.
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THEN to her fathers house he went,
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And found him in much discontent;
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He asked for his daught[e]r dear,
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Which piercd her fathers heart to hear.
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He with a mournful sigh replyd,
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I wish she had in her cradle dyd,
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Then I should have seen my darlings death
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When she had yielded up her breath.
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But now I neer shall see her more,
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My jewel whom I still adore,
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O most unhappy man was I,
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To part her from your company.
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Had I a kingdom now in store,
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Nay, had I that and ten times more,
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Id part with all her face to see,
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Daughter, would I had dyd for thee.
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The young man hearing what he said,
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Replyd, Your daughter is not dead,
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For you within an hours space,
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Shall surely see your daughters face.
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He rode as fast as he could hie,
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And fetchd her home immediately,
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He set her in her fathers hall,
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Where on her knees she strait did fall.
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The old man was with joy possest,
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His daughter then he kist and blest,
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Thrice welcome home art thou to me,
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Once more my jewel from the sea.
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To him the truth she did relate,
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And how she had been the surgeons mate;
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Then did he smile and was most glad,
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And gave them all that eer he had.
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She that was seaman and surgeons mate,
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Reserved by the hand of fate,
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She now is made a lawful wife,
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And liveth free from care and strife.
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Young lovers all a pattern take,
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When you a solemn contract make,
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Stand to the same whateer betide,
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As did this faithful loving bride.
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