Billy the Midshipman's Welcome Home

MOLLY,

You're welcome, my Billy, to the English shore ;
I hope you'll not cross the rough seas any more.
Many a day too, and many a night,
My heart grieved sore 'cause you were out of sight;
But now, to my comfort, I see you again.
Oh, never, dear Billy, Oh, never, dear Billy,
Sail more on the main.

BILLY.

Dear Molly, said Billy, the joy of my heart,
Daily I thought of you since we did part ;

And when the roaring waves mounting high they did move,
In the greatest danger I thought on my love.
The billows did foam, and the rocks they were nigh,
Yet nothing but death, yet nothing but death
Shall my love part and I.

MOLLY.

I thank thee, my dear, for thy firm love to me
In the midst of thy dangers upon the rough sea;
Each night in my bed still as down I was lain
I dreamed of shipwracks upon the salt main;
But now I do find from these dangers I'm free,
Since him that I love, since him that I love
Is come safe unto me.

BILLY.

Indeed, my dear Molly, the Powers above
Preserv'd me from dangers for thy tender love,
For I have been where thundering cannons did roar,
Their bullets like footballs flying from the shoar;
The danger of tempest and cannon balls too
I have undergone, I have undergone
For the sake, love, of you.

MOLLY.

My dearest, it's true, for the fault is in me,
For thou wouldst have wed, but I said, ' Go to sea.'
But when thou wert gone how my heart was opprest!
I scarce had a minute of pleasure and rest,
For by day all my fear was of danger to thee,
And by night I did dream, and by night I did dream
Still of storms on the sea.

BILLY.

My dear, thou dreamst right, for e're we got home
For several days we had storm after storm.
We lost all our masts and our tackle to boot,
In tempestuous nights on the ocean did float.
But, thanks unto Heaven, we had no men lost,
And the brave Royal Sov'rain, the brave Royal Sov'rain
Come safe to our coast.

MOLLY.

Oh my dear precious, my Billy, my joy,
There's nothing my happiness now can destroy ;
For since thou art [safe] from all cannon and storms
Thy person to me has a million of charms.
Oh, stay then on shore; never venture again
Upon the rough seas, upon the rough seas,
But with me, love, remain.

BILLY.

Thy love unto me now is clearer than life,
And happie am I since thou wilt be my wife,
And while I'm on shore still with thee I will stay,
Imbracing thy charms, love, by night and by day,
Till our admiral doth sail with the!fleet on the main ;
Yet kind Providence, I hope, yet kind Providence, I hope,
Brings me safe back again.