The Young Sailor Bold
It is of a nobleman’s daughter,
So comely and handsome we hear,
Her father possessed a great fortune,
Full thirty five thousand a year,
He had but one only daughter,
Caroline was her name we are told
And one day from her drawing room window
She admired a young sailor bold.
His cheeks they appeared like two roses
His hair was as black as a jet,
Young Caroline watched his departure
Walked round and young William she met,
She said I’m a nobleman’s daughter,
Possest of ten thousand in gold
I’ll forsake both my father and mother,
To wed with a young sailor bold.
Said William, young lady, remember
Your parents you’re bound for to mind
And on sailors there is no dependence,
When their lovers are left far behind
Be advised, stay at home with your parents
And do by them as you are told,
And never let any one tempt you,
To wed with a young sailor bold.
She said there’s no one shall persuade me,
One moment to alter my mind,
But I’ll ship and proceed with my true love
He never shall leave me behind,
Then she drest like a gallant young sailor
Forsock both her parents and gold,
Two years and a half on the ocean,
She ploughed with her young sailor bold.
Three times with her love she was shipwrecked
And always proved constant and kind
Her duty she done like a sailor,
Went aloft in her jacket so blue
Her father long wept and lamented
From his eyes tears in torrents long rolled,
When at length they arrived safe in England
Caroline and her young sailor bold.
Caroline went straightaway to her father
In her jacket and trowsers so blue.
He received her and momently fainted,
When first she appeared to his view,
She cried my dear father forgive me,
Deprive me for ever of gold
Grant me my request I’m contented
To wed with my young sailor bold.
Then her father admired young William,
And vowed in sweet unity,
If life did him spare to the morning,
Together they married should be.
They were married and Caroline’s portion
Was two hundred thousand in gold
So now they live happy and cheerful
Caroline and her young sailor bold.
*Transcriber’s note: Dugaw’s catalogue contains multiple variants of this ballad; this is the first of the variants listed. To review other variants of this ballad, please consult the Dugaw catalogue.
BBO Roud Number: 553