Black-ey'd Susan's garland (1)

BLACK-EY’D

SUSAN’s

GARLAND,

IN

FOUR PARTS.

Edinburgh, Printed by J. Morren, Cowgate.

BLACKEY’D SUSAN.

part I.

ALL in the Downs a fleet was moor'd,
⁠the streamers waving in the wind,
When Black-Ey'd Susan came on board,
⁠oh where shall I my true love find?
Tell me you jovial sailors, tell me true,
⁠if my sweet William, if my sweet William sails,
⁠⁠⁠among the crew.

William aloft upon the yard,
⁠rock’d with billows to and fro!
Soon as her well known voice he heard,
⁠he sigh’d. and cast his eyes below ;
The (illegible text) flew quickly through his glowing hands,
⁠And quick as light'ning, and quick as light’ning,
⁠⁠⁠on the deck he stands.

So the sweet lark poised in the air,
⁠shut close her pinions to her breast,
If chance his mate’s shrill voice he hear,
⁠and drops at once into her nest.
Each noble captain in the English fleet,
⁠might envy William, might envy William’s lips
⁠⁠⁠with kisses sweet.

Oh Susan, Susan, lovely dear,
⁠my vows shall ever true remain,
Let me kiss off that falling tear,
⁠we only part to meet again;
Change as ye lift, ye winds, my heart shall be
⁠the faithful compass,the faithful compass that
⁠⁠⁠full points to thee.

Believe not what the landmen say
⁠with doubts they'll fill your constant mind,
They’ll tell that sailors when gone away,
⁠in every port a mistress find.
Believe them not whene’er they tell you so,
⁠for thou art present, for thou art present, where
⁠⁠⁠foe’er I go.

If to fair India’s coast we sail,
⁠thy eyes are seen in diamonds bright,
Thy breasts are like Africa’s spices small,
⁠thy skin as any ivory white.
Thus every beauteous object that I view,
⁠wakes in my soul, wakes in my soul (illegible text)
⁠⁠⁠charms of lovely Sue.

Though battles call me from thy arms.
⁠William shall to his dear return,
Though cannons roar, yet safe from harm,
⁠my pretty Susan do not mourn ;
Love turns aside the balls that round me fly,
⁠lest precious tears, lest precious tears should drop
⁠⁠⁠from Susan's eye.

The boatswain gave the dreadful word,
⁠the sail's their swelling bosoms spread,
No longer must she stay on board.
⁠they kiss’d ; she sigh’d, and hung her head.
The (illegible text) boat, unwilling (illegible text) to land
⁠adieu, she cried, adieu she cried, and wav’d her
⁠⁠⁠lilly hand.

part 2,

(illegible text) through a grove I took my way.
Sweet recreation for to take,
A charming maiden fair and gay,
⁠for her true love sad (illegible text) did make,
In a sweet bower, near a pleasant green,
⁠drest like a goddess, drest like a goddess, or some
⁠⁠⁠beauteous Queen.

To this poor maid with sorrow fill’d,
⁠I went to ease her of her smart,
But when my person she beheld,
⁠she said, kind sir, I pray depart;
What business have you here to trouble me,
⁠or to be scoffing, or to be scoffing, at my
⁠⁠⁠misery,

Sweet lovely mistress of the grove,
⁠why should I make a scoff at thee,
I do perceive thou art in love,
⁠and I should wish it were for me.
Sweet lovely creature tell me but your name,
⁠for your sweet charms, for your sweet charms do
⁠⁠⁠my senses inflame.

Susan, that is my name, said she,
⁠who am opprest with grief and woe;
My dearest love is gone to sea,
⁠but where he is I do not know;
My jewel’s absence fills my eyes with tears,
⁠I have not seen him, I have not seen him, for
⁠⁠⁠these many years.

Dear mistress Susan, I do protest,
⁠I think I know the same young man,
Has he not a mole upon his breast,
⁠likewise his name is William Lamb,
And if he be the same I’ll tell you plain,
⁠that all your sighs, that all your sighs,
⁠⁠⁠are truly spent in vain.

That is the man who is my dear,
⁠pretty sweet Susan did reply,
You make me tremble for to hear
⁠of my dear love’s inconstancy;
But such a thing can surely never be,
⁠for he admires, for he admires no other maid
⁠⁠⁠but me.

That’s your mistake, sweet charming fair,
⁠for I will let you understand,
William is marred I do declare,
⁠to a young maid in New England,
And rais’d to be a man of high degree;
⁠therefore forget him, therefore forget him, since
⁠⁠⁠he is false to thee.

If this be true that you have said,
⁠then all my joys are laid aside,
I am a poor distressed maid,
⁠none other shall make me a bride,
Since he is false a maid I’ll live and die.
⁠but still my heart, but still my heart,
⁠⁠⁠to the sweet William’s nigh.

If I could but my William view,
⁠who is across the watery main,
Then I my mind would soon impart,
⁠to him mho breaks my heart in twain,
And she who is bride I’d love her too.
⁠though he is false, though he is false, my love
⁠⁠⁠to him is true.

part 3.

WHERE is sweet William, where is my dear?
⁠toss’d by the billows to and fro,
Sometime as high as mountain tops,
⁠then sinking in the waves below,
Thus like my troubled heart, the ship does move,
⁠and like my wandering, and like my wandering
⁠⁠⁠fancy it does rove:

Sometimes in silent sleep I see
⁠the ship in full spread sails come in.
With watermen so neat and trim,
⁠for to convey me safe to him.
Come hail the ship, ye sailors tell me true,
⁠if my sweet William, if my sweet William's
⁠⁠⁠now alive with you.

Then I see him swiftly fly,
⁠for to receive me in his arms,
Susan says he, welcome on board,
⁠I do admire thy beauteous charms;
A thousand kisses on me he does bestow,
⁠while the ship softly, while the ship softly,
⁠⁠⁠is waving to and fro.

Millions of raptures I enjoy,
⁠fair Helen with all her beauty bright
By Paris could not be admired more,
⁠than I by William, my heart's delight,
But when I awake, like Rosamond fair, I see
⁠love’s but a fable, love’s but a fable,
⁠⁠⁠all my contentments see.

How does my heart thus panting lie.
⁠when I do find it out a dream, William is on the ocean wide,
⁠not by his Susan to be sern;
O Neptune, pray be kind unto my dear,
⁠and quick convey him, and quic convey him
⁠⁠⁠here my soul to cheer.

Boreas, instead of blustr’ing winds,
⁠breathe out a sweet and pleasant gale,
That softly o’er the purling streams
⁠my dearest love may safely sail;
You mermaids, with your harmony so sweet,
⁠charm my sweet William, charm my sweet William
⁠⁠⁠to his silent sleep.

And when they to the harbour come,
⁠wind gently whisper in my ear,
Like unto light’ning I will fly,
⁠William, thy (illegible text) heart to cheer ;
The boat, so willing, rows to the ship’s side,
⁠calling sweet William, calling sweet William,
⁠⁠⁠to receive his bride.

Into my arms he straight will fly,
⁠saying, my dear do not complain;
Though I have been absent many day,
⁠yet I am returned to my love again;
I am thy William join’d to thee by oath,
⁠but death, nothing but death
⁠⁠⁠shall ever part us both.

part 4.

SEEING sweet Susan’s loyalty,
⁠tears down his cheeks did drop (illegible text),
My dear, behold on my right breast
⁠you know there grows a certain mole,
Let not thy heart be sore opprest;
⁠there is the broken piece of gold,
Which we did break upon a certain day,
⁠when we did part, when we did part,
⁠⁠⁠and I did sail away.

Sorrow and hardship I went through,
⁠while I was on the raging main ;
Now my dear beloved Sue,
⁠I am return’d to thee again:
No more I’ll cross the raging ocean wide,
⁠but live at pleasure, but live at pleasure
⁠⁠⁠with my lovely bride.

Susan in a swoon did faint
⁠at William’s feet, I do declare,
Soon he reviv’d his charming saint,
⁠there was a happy, loving pair;
William and Susan sweety past along
⁠to Plymouth church, to Plymouth church,
⁠⁠⁠where multitudes did throng.

Twenty stout sailors brave and bold,
⁠and twenty maidens in rich attire,
A glorious sight for to behold,
⁠music play’d sweet to their desire,
To accompany the bride and bridegroom there;
⁠now they are joined, now they are joined
⁠⁠⁠a sweet and happy pair.

FINIS.