Loyal Constancy; Or, The Seamans Love-Letter:
Written by John Blay on Board the Henry and Elizabeth riding at Leghorn, to his
Dear Mistris Mary Foart, now living near Wapping, exhorting her to continue
in her wonted love and constancy according to their mutual promises past be-
tween them, in order to their happy Union and Marriage, as soon as he shall
return from this Voyage to England.
Tune of, Cloris full of harmless thoughts; Jenny Gin. The fair one let me in.
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TIll from Leghorn I do return,
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still constant to me prove;
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Let none impart, or share thy heart,
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but only me thy love;
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Let no brisk Boy thy love injoy,
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or rob me of my, treasure;
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But may we kiss injoying bliss,
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possest of earthly pleasure.
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Ah charming fair one of my heart,
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how wretched now am I;
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Since from thee I am forc'd to part,
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and leave felicity:
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All night I lye, I sigh and groan,
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still thinking of the bliss;
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We oft times have injoy'd alone,
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with smile and amorous kiss.
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When night grows dark, I steer my Bark,
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to loves long-wisht for Port;
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But still I find the winds unkind,
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I cannot reach the Fort;
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Tempestuous waves my heart inslaves
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my troubled Bark does roul;
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Nothing I see, unless't be thee,
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can ease my troubled soul.
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With serious thoughts I spend my hour,
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still thinking of your charms,
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Till sleep my drowsie sence o're-powers,
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and brings thee to my arms;
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Where in a Dream I thee imbrace,
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and think the world's my own,
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But when I wake, O then alas,
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my earthly joy is gone.
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With early look, when day appears,
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I rouse me up from sleep;
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I find my Pillow strew'd with tears,
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your absence caus'd me weep:
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Thus never shall I be at ease,
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till like two Turtles we
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May still be Billing when we please,
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and live at liberty.
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Ah Mary Foart thou lovely Maid,
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writ in my heart most dear;
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May storms and tempests me invade,
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when Mary is not there:
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Though London youths do seek the prize,
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to take and bare away;
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Yet she that's vertuous, chaste, and wise,
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will own her Love
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John Bay.
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