Rich Merchant and his 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. 194-195, for these words.
It's of a rich merchant in London did dwell,
He had but one daughter whom a sailor loved well,
Twenty thousand bright guineas was her portion in gold,
Until she fell in love with some young sailor bold.As soon as her father these tidings did hear
He flew into vengeance and young William did swear Saying,
No more shall your truelove sail across the salt sea,
Before tomorrow morning his butcher I'll be.As soon as she heard her father say so,
Her heart it was filled between sorrow and woe,
Saying, I wish to myself I could see him my dear
I would quickly give him warning for the danger draws near.So she dressed like a sailor compare and complete,
She dressed like a sailor from her head to her feet,
With her cap on her head and a cane in her hand,
She met with young William as she marched through the Strand.Oh William, dearest William, now you must believe,
That my father swears vengeance, your butcher he'll be,
So straight way to Dover you quickly must steer,
And in forty-eight hours I will meet you there.She kissed his sweet lips with tears in her eyes,
Saying, Now I must leave you or else you must die,
And so boldly she handed him two handfuls of gold,
And she marched through the streets like some young sailor bold.She met with her father as she marched through the Strand,
He mistook her for William saying, You are that man,
And a sword from his side he instantly drew,
And her beautiful body he pierced it right through.As soon as her father could see what he had done,
In the wringing of his hands he fell to the ground,
Crying, Oh wretched master, now what has thou done,
Thou hast killed the flower of fair London town.He leant on his sword to help bear the smart,
He leant on his sword and he pierced his own heart,
Crying, Forgive me, forgive me, as he drew his last breath,
And he closed his eyes in the cold arms of death.As soon as these tidings young William did hear,
He died broken-hearted bowed down in despair,
It was the father and the daughter and the young-sailor bold,
Died an unkindly death for the sake of their gold.
New: 9 March 2002 | Now: 9 March 2002 | Garry Gillard | index