Soldiers & sailors

                              THE

                          ROVING

                     BACHELOR.

Come all you roving bachelors that mean to take a wife,
I'd have you to be right cautious in changing of your life,
For women are as various as fishes that are in the sea,
Likewise you are more tamer than snow on a cold winter's day.
                                                                        Fal de ral la.

Come all you men take my advice and singly earn your bread,
For if you should by chance take a wife, you had better by half
be dead,
For let you be at work or play, yon must attend to what they say,
for women they are like the sun, when they begin their tongues
will rum.                                                            Fal de ral la.

The fairest of all womenkind had never a fault but two,
The douce a bit of good they say and as little they will do,
They will not be tied to any one but drink and sport with all
they can,                                                                        (begun.
For when you think you have them won your business is not half
                                                                        Fal de ral la.

mpson was the strongest man, and soon by a woman he was
done,                                                                            (eyes,
And read the book that tells no lies, the book that open'd mortal
The book that first made mortal man, and taught him how his
course to span,                                           (the world began.
It is there recorded, and so it does run, they're ad ever since
                                                                        Fad de ral la.

There was a man all in a cart just going to be hanged,
That hour a messenger arrived and bid the cart with him to stand
To marry a wife he would be quit, but stop says he you have not
get me yet,                                                                     (cart.
The bargain's bad in every part, the wife's the worst drive on the
                                                                        Fal de ral la.

The hangman then, with whip in hand, drove on the cart at his
command,
Two horses they like lightning d w and to the spot they quickly
drew ;
And when he came unto the p ce, O now says my sorrows
will cease,
Five minutes more will do the job, and thus he did address the
mob :—

Good people all who see me die, rejoice, bo glad, no longer cry
The rope is round, and just the thing, an emblem of the wedding
ring ;
the wedding ring I count far worse, it ties the man and robs
his purse ;
sad if 500 years you live, he wedding ring will give.

Then off his handkerchief he threw, nnd over his face the cap he
drew
Shook hands with jack, that tied the rope, now, now said ho, I
die in hope,
if I had lived to take ife, in misery I must have spent
my life
gave three cheers, and bid farewell, I've done with the mon
and down he fell.

[NLS note: a graphic appears here - see image of page]

          Fair Phœbe

               AND HER

DARK-EY'D SAILOR.

Its of a comely young lady fair,
Who was walking out to take the air
She met a sailor upon the way,
So I paid attention to hear what they did say

Said William—lady, why roam alone ?
The night is coming, and the day near gone,
She said, while tears from her eyes did fall,
It's a dark-ey'd sailor that's prov'd my down

Its two long years since he left the land,
I took a gold ring from off his hand,
We broke the token—here's part with me
And the other rolling at the bottom of the

Said William, drive him all from your mind.
Some other sailor as good you'll find,
Love turns aside, and soon cold do grow,
Like a winter's morning when the land's are
with snow.

These words did Phœbe's fond heart inflame
She said on me you shall play no game,
She drew a dagger and then did cry,
For my dark-ey'd sailor a maid I'll live and

His coal black eyes and his curly hair,
And pleasing tongue did my heart ensnar ,
Genteel he was, but no rake like you,
To advise a maiden to slight the jacket blue.

But still said Phoebe I'll ne'er disdain,
A tarry sailor, but treat the same,
So drink his health—here s a piece of corn,
But my dark-ey'd sailor st l this heart of mi

Then half the ring did young William show,
She seem'd distracted 'midst joy and woe,
Oh, welcome, William, I've lands and gold,
For my dark-ey'd sailor so manly, true, and bold
Then in a village down by the sea,
They joined in wedlock and w ll agree
So maid's bo true when our ore's away,
A cloudy morning oft brings a pleasant day