Caroline and Her Young Sailor Bold

There lived a rich nobleman's daughter,
So comely and handsome and fair,
Her father possessed a great fortune,
Full thirty-five thousand a year.
She being his only daughter,
Caroline is her name we are told,
One day from her drawing-room window
She espied there a young sailor bold.

His cheeks they appeared like the roses,
His hair was as black as the jet,
This is lady she watched his departure,
Walked round and young William she met.
"Oh," she cried, "I'm a nobleman's daughter,
My income's five thousand in gold,
I'll forsake both my friends and my fortune
To wed with a young sailor bold."

Says William, "Fair lady, remember,
Your parents you are bound for to mind,
In sailors there are no dependence,
When their true love is left far behind.
Be advised, stay at home with your parents,
And do by them as you are told,
And never let anyone persuade you
To wed with a young sailor bold."

"There is no one shall ever persuade me
One moment to alter my mind,
In the ships I'll proceed with my sailor
And he never shall leave me behind."
So she dressed like a jolly young sailor,
Forsook both her friends and her gold,
Three years and a half on the ocean
She plied with her young sailor bold.

Three times with her love she was shipwrecked,
Though she always moved constant and true,
Her duty she done like a sailor,
Went aloft in her jacket so blue.
Her duty she done like a sailor,
Could hand reef and steer we are told.
At last they arrived in New England,
Caroline and her young sailor bold.

Then straightway she went to her father
In her trousers and jacket so blue,
He sees her and instantly fainted
When first she appeared to his view.
But she cried, "Dearest father, forgive me,
Deprive me for ever of gold,
Grant me one request if contented
To wed with a young sailor bold."

Her father embraces young William
In honour and sweet unity,
"If life shall be spared until morning
It is married this couple shall be.
"They were married and Caroline's fortune
Is thirty-five thousand in gold.
And now they live happy together
Caroline and her young sailor bold.

DT #448
Laws N17
From Creighton, Songs and Ballads of Nova Scotia, no.33
Collected from Mrs. Thomas Osborne of Eastern Passage, NS
SOF
oct96