James and Flora

Come all you true lovers attend for awhile,
To a tale I am going to unfold,
Young Flora was a damsel so virtuous and kind,
And young James was a gallant sailor bold.
Adieu, lovely Flora! one morning he did say,
We are called, I am forced for to go,
Far from my native shore, when the loud cannons roar,
And aloft when the stormy winds do blow.

Then Flora she wept, and tears fell from her eyes,
When young James told her he must depart,
He broke a ring in two, saying, here’s one half for you,
And the other half he pressed to his heart.
She wept in despair, and tore her lovely hair,
Saying, James, dearest James I will go,
She cried in accents soft, I will boldly go aloft
With my love when the stormy winds do blow.

Said James, dearest Flora, you surely must be mad,
For to venture your sweet life upon the deep,
And for to go aloft, when on your pillow soft,
Contented at home you might sleep.
She said, I’m not afraid, and none shall me persuade,
But determined I am for to go,
Unto some foreign shore, where the loud cannons roar,
And protect you when the stormy winds do blow.

As a sailor she shipped with her lover so true,
And no one suspected this fair maid!
In battle she did run, and she stood by her gun,
Like a Briton she never was afraid.
By day and by night on occasion she did fight,
With joy into battle she did go,
By her gun she did stand, done her duty like a man,
And went aloft when the stormy winds did blow.

Five years on the ocean young Flora did sail,
Respected by all the ship’s crew,
And never was it said that young Flora was a maid,
In her jacket and trowsers so blue;
But when they were at large,
when with James she was discharged
They together to the captain did go,
She said behold the maid that never was afraid,
In battle, or when stormy winds did blow.

How the captain did stare when these words he did hear,
He was suddenly overcome with surprise,
As he gazed on her so bright, he spoke with delight,
While the tears fell in torrents from his eyes.
He says you lovers bold, here is fifty pounds in gold,
With you both to church I will go,
May you with joy be blest, while you on your pillows rest,
And at home when the stormy winds do blow.

These lovers are united so loyal and true,
And in love and contentment do dwell,
Young James and his Flora by happiness are blest,
By their friends they are both respected well:
Esteemed by all around both in country and town,
And admired wherever the do go,
They talk in accents soft, of the time they went aloft,
And they listed when the stormy winds do blow.

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BBO Roud Number: 1701