Caroline the Rich Merchant's Daughter Collected by Bob Copper from Lily Cook in North Chailey, Sussex in about 1954: see pp. 43-50 of Songs and Southern Breezes for the details; and the appendix, pp. 196-7, for these words.
It is of a nobleman's daughter
So comely and handsome we hear,
Her father possessed a great fortune
Full thirty-five thousand a year.
He had but one only daughter,
Caroline was her name we are told,
And one day from her drawing-room window
She admired a young sailor so bold.His cheeks they appeared like two roses,
His hair was as black as a jet,
Young Caroline watched his departure,
Walked round and young William she met.
She said, I am a nobleman's daughter
Possessed of thousands in gold,
I will forsake both my father and mother
To wed with a young sailor bold.Said William, Young lady, remember,
Your parents you are bound for to mind,
And on sailors there is no dependence
When their lovers are left far behind,
Be advised stay at home with your parents
And do as by them you are told,
And never let anyone tempt you
To wed with a young sailor bold.She said, There's no one shall persuade me
One moment to alter my mind,
But I'll ship and proceed with my true love
He never shall leave me behind.
Then she dressed like a gallant young sailor,
Forsook both her parents and gold,
Four years and a half on the salt seas
She ploughed with her young sailor bold.Three times with her love she was shipwrecked
And always proved constant and true,
Her duty she done like a sailor
Went aloft in her jacket so blue.
Her father long wept and lamented
From his eyes tears in torrents long rolled,
When at length they arrived safe in England
Caroline and her young sailor bold.Caroline went straight to her father
In her jacket and trousers so blue,
He received her, but momently fainted
When first she appeared to his view.
She cried, My dear father, forgive me,
Deprive me for ever of gold,
Grant me my request, I'm contented
To wed with my young sailor bold.Then her father admired young William
And vowed that in sweet unity,
If life did spare to the morning
Together they married should be.
They were married and Caroline's portion
Was two hundred thousand in gold,
So now they live happy and contented,
Caroline and her young sailor bold.
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