[Indent even numbered lines]

Joy after Sorrow, Being the Sea-mans return from Jamaica; Or,
the lovely Lasses late Lamentation for the long absense of her
dearest beloved Friend
A Voyage to Jamaica he pretends:
But at his comming home he makes her amends.

To an excellent new Tune, called, my love is gone to Bohemy, or, Wet and weary

There was a maid as I heard tell
which fell in desparation,
She lov'd a young man passing well,
which brought her in vexation:
The Young-man had the Maid beguil'd,
the matter so was carried,
For he had gotten her with Child
before that they were married
Which caus'd this Maid to make great moan,
and often times to speak so,
[Cho.] My belly is up and my heart is down,
and my Love is gone to Jamaica.

He was my joy and hearts delight,
and well my mind contented,
But now hee's gone out of my sight,
I surely am tormented:
Whilst he with me was living here,
heaven knows I lov'd him dearely,
But now my heart will burst with care,
it toucheth me so nearly.
I sigh, I sob, and I make great moan
the cause wherefore I speak so &c. [i.e., Chorus]

My Love was wondrous kind and free,
when as first he came a woing,
And many good gifts he gave to me,
because he would be doing:
My Love gave me a Beaver Hat,
methought it was brave and bonny,
And a gallant Love=fancy to weare in it,
which cost five pound in mony:
but now I weeep and make great moan,
the reason why I speak so &c.

My Love gave me a Silken Gown,
with rich and costly Laces,
Ther's not a braver in the Town,
it all the rest surpasses:
My Love gave me a gay gold Ring,
and Bracelets made of Amber,
He also gave me a better thing,
when he had me in his Chamber.
I sigh, I sob, and I make great moan,
the reason why I speake so,
My belly is up and my heart is down,
for my Love is gone to Jamaica.

My Love gave me a Holand smock
and bid me for to wear it
One night twixt ten and eleven a clock
I'm sure he did not teare it:
My Love gave me a feather bed,
to lye on when I was weary
On which he had my Maiden-head
when he had made me merry
but since dame fortune she doth frown
this makes me sigh and speak so,
My belly is up and my heart is down
and my Love is gon to Jamaica.

And since that time I am possest,
with many grief I tell ye
In head, in side in back and breast,
but chiefly in my belly:
Oh that my Love were here againe,
I'm sure he would befriend me,
And use a meanes to cure my pain,
and take a course to mend me
I sigh, I sob, and I make great moan,
the reason why I doe so &c.

If I had Icarus wings to flye,
I doe so greatly mind him,
Then I would leave beyond the Seas,
and seeke till I could finde him,
If that he were in France or Spain,
or else in high Spaniolo.
I'de surely meet with him again,
so closely would I follow.
The Indies and the Wildernesse,
and hollow caves I'de seek to,
And every place both more and lesse,
belonging to Jamaica.

Thus many a woful day and night
the Damsel lay lamenting,
Before her love appear'd in sight
to yield her hearts contenting:
But mark what hapned [sic] at the last
when she so long had mourned,
The bonny Lad she lov'd best,
safely from Sea returned.
But when she heard her true-love speak
she knew him by his tongue Sir,
Her heart did in her belly leap,
and about his neck she flung Sir.

Good Lord what kissing there was then,
with friendly kind embraces,
Untill the joyful tears of them
ran down each others faces:
The very night when this was done
as is for certain spoken,
She was delivered of a Son,
a fair and goodly token,
Whereby she alters soon her tune
her fancy made her speak so,
My heart is up and my belly is down,
and my Love is come from Jamaica.

Soon after that the Seaman bold,
he having of mony plenty,
Cast in her lap ten pounds in gold.
and halfe crown pieces twenty:
And since that time they married are,
whereby their joys are double,
And now she sings with a merry cheer,
being free from care and trouble.
My sorrows all are past and gone,
which makes me sing and speak so,
My hart is up and my belly is down,
and my Love is come from Jamaica.

FINIS L. P.

Printed for Tho. Vere, at the signe of the Angel, without New-gate

Original in Wood Collection, E. 25 fol. 60, Bodleian Library, Oxford, here from copy in MLA rotograph collection, Library of Congress. This song gave the tune "Jamaica" its title. This copy alone is subscribed with the initials of Laurence Price as author, and is probably earlier than the other known copy (by the same printer) in the Rawlinson collection, Bodleian Lib., Oxford, and may be an original edition. Under the commonwealth's restrictions on, and then prohibition of, broadside ballad publication, only six broadside ballads were entered in the Stationer's Register from 1641 to March 12, 1656, when a flood of entries started. This quickly tapered off, but over the next few years many ballads originally composed and illegally printed earlier were first entered in the Stationers Register. This ballad was entered March 25, 1656, although written the previous year.

The Thirty Years War (including the Bohemian War) which involved most of Europe is usually given as 1618-1648, but was actually longer. Although the Peace of Westphalia was of 1648, England and a few other countries were not represented in it, and even major principals disagreed on provisions, and the war continued for many countries during the deliberations on conditions. The final treaty and actual conclusion of hostilities was not until 1654, so the tune citation for the ballad is not nearly as incongruous as it first seems.

X:1
T:(My love is gone to) Jamaica
Q:60
L:1/4
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K:F
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ffed/2c/2|ddcA|ffe/2f/2g|d2c2|\
ffed/2c/2|ddcA|B/2c/2dcB/2A/2|G2F2|]