The Mariners Misfortune;

Or, The Unfortunate Voyage of two Constant Lovers.
Being an Account of a faithful Seaman, who going to take his
Farewel of his Sweetheart, she resolved come Life, or come
Death, to Sail with him; and putting her self into Mans
Apparel, went the Voyage with him, but by distress of
weather, coming home were cast away, the constant Seaman
having no other help, betook himself to swimming, and
having got his Sweetheart upon his back, swam till he was
almost tyred, but was at last taken up by an Algerine,
who carryed them to Algiers, where being brought before
the Governour, she confessed her selfe to be a Female, which
so astonished the Governour, that he in requital of her
constancy, set them both free, who are happily Arrived in
England again.

A Seaman lov’d a Maiden pretty,
and esteem’d her as his life,
She was beauteous, fair and witty,
whom he vow’d should be his wife:
He was minded, and designed
for to leave the brittish shore,
And sail again unto the Main,
as he had often done before.

So he kindly came unto her
and his mind did thus express,
Dearest, of my love be sure,
in thee is all my happiness.
And yet must I immediately
be forc’d to leave thee on the shore,
When I again, come form the Main,
I swear i’le never leave thee more.

These his words her mind did trouble,
and did pierce her tender heart,
Then her sorrows they grew double,
and increas’d her deadly smart:
She replyed, if she dyed,
to the Main with him she’d go.
Quoth he, my Dear, I greatly fear,
hardship thou canst not undergo.

I am loath for to forsake thee,
yet I constant will remain,
And my faithful wife will make thee
when I home return again:
He did protest, he did not jest,
but yet she constantly did cry
I do not fear, my only Dear,
for with thee I will live and dye.

I am resolv’d in spight of danger
that I will thy Messmate be,
Through the world i’le be a ranger
for my Loves dear company:
By joynt consent, to Sea they went
to satisfy her hearts desire;
This was not known to any one,
for she was drest in man’s attire.

To the Ocean then they Sailed,
little did the Captain know,
That a Female with him sailed
and sometimes in the long boat Row.
She did behave her self so brave
that none could this her trick discern;
Industriously this damsel she
did Navigation strive to learn.

Do but mark how fickle Fortune
did their comforts all destroy,
She doth often prove uncertain
and eclipse true lovers joy:
For blustring wind, too oft we find
do work poor Seamens overthrow:
And so were they all cast away,
great pitty ’twas it should be so.

In this distress these faithful lovers
both were like for to be lost;
Surging Seas did wash them over,
they on mighty Waves were tost:
In this distress, most pittiless,
care for his love he did not lack;
With weary limbs long time he swims,
while his true love was on his back.

But he at last was almost tyred,
past hopes of finding some relief;
Tho fortune smiles they oft desired,
for to ease them of their grief:
An Algerine, at that same time,
did happen to come sayling by;
So straightway he, most earnestly
aloud to them for help did cry.

They took them up into their ship,
that they were Turks they quickly found,
At first their hearts for joy did leap,
at last they were with sorrow drown’d:
For Algier then, they sailed agen,
not knowing who they had for prize,
For non bewray’d, it was a Maid
whose Echo’s then did pierce the Skies.

Before the Governour they came,
and then the truth she did reveal,

She freely did confess the same,
which long before she did conceal,
So presently, her constancy
most mightily he did commend,
And back again, he o’re the Main
did both these faithful lovers send.

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EBBA ID Number: 37422

ESTC Citation Number: R180362