See also - slkmrcht - DT The Silk Merchant's Daughter

THE SILK MERCHANTS DAUGHTER
(from the singing of Archie Lant)
(Doerflinger - 'Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman' -pp296-297)

Oh hold your hand, butcher! the fair one she cried.
Indeed and I'm only an innocent main.
I'm a rich merchant's daughter, from London I be,
And you see what I've come to by the loving of thee.**

Oh, it's then the hot blood to his head it did pour,
Saying Since you are the loved on that I do adore,
Since you are the loved one that I do love best,
With my sweet, happy life, love, it's I wid I die first.

They lots were got ready and in a bog put,
and each one of us our own lot we drew,
The innocent fair one, the short lot she drew;
She was to be killed for to feed the whole crew.

They lots were got ready and in a bag put,
And each one of us our own lot we drew,
Be quick in lyou motion; let the bus'ness be done.
But before the blow was struck, oh we all heard a gun.

Oh, hold your hand, butcher, our captain he cried,
Some port or some harbor we are drawing nigh.
And while we were a-sailing with a sweet, pleasant tide,
We came to a city close by the sea side.

This couple got married, as I've heard the people say,
There was great rejoicing on their wedding day.
The bells of the village did echo and ring,
The boys they did dance, and the girls they did sing.


** last two lines of each verse repeat