Watchman (1802)/The lucky escape

by Charles Dibdin

THE LUCKY ESCAPE

I That was once a ploughman a sailor am now,
No lark that arose in the sky,
E'er'flutter’d his wings to give speed to the plough,
Was so gay and so careless as I. Was so, etc.
But my friend was a carpenter on board a king’s ship,
And he ask’d me to go just to sea for a trip,
And he talk’d of such things as if sailors were kings.
And so teazing did keep,
And so teazing did keep,
That I left my poor plough to go ploughing the deep,
No longer the horn call’d me up in the morn,
No longer the horn call’d me op in the morn,
I trusted to the carpenter and the inconsistant wind,
That made me for to go and leave my dear behind.

I did not much like to be on board of a ship,
When in danger there’s no door to creep out;
I liked the jolly tars,I liked the bumbo and flip,
But I did not "like rocking about:
By and by came a hurricane, I did not like that,
Next a battle that many a sailor laid flat
Ah I cried I, who would roam,
That like me had a home ;
When i'd sow and I’d reap.
Ere I'd left my poor plough, to go ploughing the deep,
Where sweetly the Horn
Call’d me up in the morn,
Ere I trusted the carpenter and the inconstant wind,
that made me for to go and leave my love behind.

At last safe I landed, and in a whole skin,
Nor did I make aay long stay,
Ere I found! by a friend who I asked for my kin
Father dead, and my wife run away!
Ah! who but thyself, said I, hast thou to blame?
Wives losing their husbands oft lose their good name,
Ah! why did I roam
When so happy at home:
I could sow and could reap,
Ere I left my poor plough to go ploughing the deep:
When so sweetly the horn
Call’d me up in the morn,
Curse light on the carpenter and the inconstant wind,
That made me for to go and leave my dear behind.

Why, if that be the case, said this very same friend,
And you been no more minded to roam,
Gi'e’s a shake by the fist, all your care’s at an end
Dad’s alive and your wife’s safe at home.
Stark staring with joy, I leapt out of my skin,
Buss' d my wife, mother, sister, and all of my kin:
Now, cry’d I, let them roam,
Who want a good home,
I'am well, so I’ll keep,
Nor again leave my plough to go ploughing the deep
Once more shall the horn,
Call me up in the morn,
Nor shall any damn’d carpenter, nor inconstant wind,
E’er tempt me for to go and leave my dear behind."