The SEAMAN's COMPLAINT
FOR HIS
Unkind Mistress of Wapping:
Together with
The Young Woman's Answer in her own Vindication.
To the Tune of, I love you dearly, I love you well, etc.
Licens'd and Enter'd according to Order, etc.
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WHen I went early in the spring,
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On board a ship to serve the King,
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I left my dearest Love behind,
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Who said her heart for e're was mine.
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Her Love appear'd most true to be,
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And she on board would go with me;
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She went as far as the Boy i'th' Nore,
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And then return'd back to the shore.
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Oft-times I hug'd her in my arms,
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I thought she had a thousand charms;
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Our vows we bound with kisses sweet,
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To marry next time we did meet.
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A golden chain I did present,
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She seemed very well content;
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She sigh'd, and said, It breaks my heart,
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To think my Love and I must part.
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While I was sailing on the sea,
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I took all opportunity,
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To send letters unto my Dear,
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But yet from her I ne'r could hear.
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When we were booming of a town,
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Where cannon-balls flew up and down,
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I'th' worst of all those dangers there,
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My thoughts was still upon my Dear.
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But since we are returned home,
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My Love I went to wait upon,
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Who did in Wapping dwell of late,
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And now has made me unfortunate.
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For when I to her Father came,
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And ask'd for my Love by her name,
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Her Father churlishly did cry,
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Sir, all your love she does defie.
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Said I, what mean you, Sir, by this?
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To tell you true, she wedded is
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To a rich old Man for all her life,
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And you may look for another Wife.
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Curst on all false love where-e'r it be,
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A curse on all such perjury;
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A curse on those who-e[']r do make,
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Or break a vow for riches sake.
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A curse on gold and silver too,
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A curse upon that Miser, who
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Has made his Daughter change her mind,
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Oh! Womens tongues are like the wind.
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Adieu all comfort of my life,
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Adieu the pleasures of a Wife,
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Adieu all false-hearts here on shore,
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For I will ne'r see England more.
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I'll go where boombs and cannons play,
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Where they ne'r cease both night nor day,
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I'll range the seas until I die,
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Where waves are tossing mountains high.
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Since I have lost my heart's delight,
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I bid unto the World good night,
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I'd rather be where bullets fly,
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Than in a Woman's company.
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The young Woman's Answer.
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IN e'ry street I hear 'em sing
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My Love's complaint, who serv'd the
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I went with him to the Boy i'th' Nore,
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And could have gone all the World o're.
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He says my love appeared true,
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I do declare it was so too;
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And let his love be ne'r so great,
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Mine was as much, tho' unfortunate.
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A golden chain I had of him,
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Which I will freely return again;
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As for my sighing when we did part,
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'Twas from the bottom of my heart.
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Then both of us did straight agree,
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At his return married to be;
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As for his letters he sent to Town,
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I do declare I ne'r had one.
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But now I find it (tho' too late)
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My Love complains of his hard fate,
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But 'tis my Father's fault indeed,
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He often said that you were dead.
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Those letters that you sent to me,
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My Father would not let me see;
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But always said, Child be at rest,
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For thy Sweet-heart was slain at Brest.
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Then he perswaded me to wed
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To a rich old Man that's almost dead;
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It's true I'm married, and am a Wife,
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I wish I'd liv'd single all my life.
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I always lov'd a Seaman brave,
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And once I was in hopes to have
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Him which I now ne'r expect to see;
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You Maidens all then pity me.
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While we are young and once in love,
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It looks like blessings from above;
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Yet our Friends oftentimes will make
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Us break those vows for riches sake.
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And as for gold and silver too,
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I freely curse it as well as you;
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For if that had not caus'd this strife,
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Then you and I had been Man and Wife.
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Altho we both are crost in love,
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Your resolution I'd have ye move;
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Since now you see the fault's not mine,
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Think not so hard on woman-kind.
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Where one Woman is false in love,
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A hundred Men they false do prove;
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Tho' I lay not this charge to you,
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Nor I hope you don't think me untrue.
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Return, return, I beg my Dear,
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For here are thousand Women here,
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That are more beautiful than I,
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Therefore ne'r go where bullets fly.
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'Twould be the comfort of my life,
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To see you have a happy Wife,
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Tho' I am crost, 'twill ease my pain,
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To see you once return'd again.
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