Pretty Nancy of Yarmouth

Pretty Nancy of Yarmouth, she's me own heart's delight,
And a long and kind letter unto her I did write;
All to inform her what we had to undergo,
While sailing on the ocean where stormy winds blow.

On the eighteenth of October our barque it set sail
Pretty Nancy came down for to bid me farewell,
She said, "While you're sailing on the wild wastes of blue,"
She said, "My young sailor, I'll be faithful to you."

Long years then did pass when back I did return
Pretty Nancy was married, had a home of her own,
While I was a-sailing on the wide restless sea,
Pretty Nancy proved faithless and false unto me.

So come all you young sailors, take a warning by me
And never leave the lass you love for to plough the salt sea,
For while you are sailing on the wide ocean blue,
She'll prove faithless like Nancy of Yarmouth to you.

From Harmonious Companions, Myers
From the singing of the Young Tradition
RG
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