there was a wealthy merchant in london he did dwell he had a beautiful daughter the truth to you we ll tell oh the truth to you we ll tell she had sweethearts a plenty and men of high degree but none but jack the sailor her true love ever be oh her true love ever be jackie s gone a sailing with trouble on his mind he s left his native country and his darling girl behind oh his darling girl behind she went down to a tailor shop and dressed in man s array she climbed on board a vessel to convey herself away oh convey herself away before you get on board sir your name we d like to know she smiled on her countenance they called me jack a roe oh they called me jack a roe i see your waist is slender your fingers they are small your cheeks too red and rosy to face the cannonball oh to face the cannonball i know my waist s too slender my fingers they are small but it would not make me tremble to see ten thousand fall oh to see ten thousand fall the war soon being over she went and looked around among the dead and wounded her darling boy she found oh her darling boy she found she picked him up on in her arms and carried him to the town she sent for a physician to quickly heal his wounds oh to quickly heal his wounds this couple they got married so well they did agree this couple they got married so why not you and me oh why not you and me oh why not you and me 1