Soldiers & sailors

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

            THE

    CARFINDO,

                 OR

    Ploughman turned Sailor.

I THAT once was a ploughman, a sailor am now ;
No lark that aloft in the sky,
Ever fluttered his wings to give speed to the plough,
Was so gay and so careless as I.
But my friend Was a Carfindo aboard a king's ship,
And he asked me to go just to sea for a trip ;
And he talked of such things,
As if sailors were kings,
And so teazing did keep,
That I left my poor plough to go ploughing the deep ;
No longer the horn,
Call'd me up in the morn,
I trusted the Carfindo and the inconstant wind,
That made me for to go and leave my love behind.

I did not much like for to be board a ship,
When in danger there's no room to creep out :
I liked the jolly tars, I liked bumboo and flip,
But I did not like rocking about.
By and by came a hurricane, I did not like that,
Next, a battle that many a sailor laid flat ;
Ah ! cried I, who would roam,
That like me had a home ?
When I'd sow and I'd reap,
Ere I left my poor plough to go ploughing the deep,
Where sweetly the horn
Called me up in the morn,
Ere I trusted the Carfindo and the inconstant wind,
That made me for to go and leave my love behind,

At last safe I landed and in a whole skin,
Nor did I make any long stay,
Ere I found by a friend who I asked for my kin,
Father dead, and my wife ran away.
Ah ! who but myself, said I, hast thou to blame,
Wives losing their husbands oft lose their good name.
Ah ! why did I roam
When so happy at home ;
I could sow and could reap,
Ere I left my poor plough, to go ploughing the deep,
When so sweetly the horn
Call'd me up in the morn,
Curse light upon the Carfindo and the inconstant wind,
That made me for to go and leave my dear behind.

Why if that be the case said this very same friend,
And if you ben't no more minded to roam,
Gie's a shake by the fist, all your care's at an end,
Dad's alive, and your wife safe at home.
Stark staring with joy I leapt out of my skin,
Buss'd my wife, mother, sister, and all my kin
Now, cried I, let them roam,
Who want a good home,
I am well, so I'll keep,
Nor again leave my home to go ploughing the deep.
Once more shall the horn
Call me up in the morn,
Nor shall any damn d Carfindo nor the inconstant wind,
E're tempt me for to go and leave my dear behind,

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

            WHEN LAST

          From the Straits.

London :—H. SUCH, Printer & Publisher,
          177, Union Street, Boro'.—S. E.

                       ( by Dibdin ).

WHEN last from the Straits we had fairly cast
anchor,
I went, bonny Kitty to hail,
With quintables stored, for our voyage was a spanker,
And bran new was every sail :
But I knew well enough how, with words sweet as
honey,
They trick us poor tars of our gold,
And when the sly gipsies have fingered the money,
The bag they poor Jack give to hold.

So I chased her, d'ye see, my lads, under false col
Swore my riches were all at an end,
That I had sported away all my good-looking d
And borrowed my togs of a friend.
Oh, then, had you seen her ! no longer " my h
'Twas varlet, audacious, and bold ;
Begone from my sight ! now you've spent
money,
For Kitty the bag you may hold.

With that I took out double handfuls of shiners,
And scornfully bid her good bye,
'Twould have done your heart good, had you seen her
fine airs,
How she'd leer, and she'd sob, and she'd sigh.
But I stood well the broadside ; while jewel and honey
She called me, I put up the gold,
And bearing away, as I sack'd all the money
Left the bag for Ma'am Kitty to hold.

              520.