A Quip for a scornfull Lasse.
Or, Three slips for a Tester.
To the tune of Two slips for a Tester.
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ALl you who have heard
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How I did regard
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a peevish disdainfull Lasse,
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Who proud of her beauty,
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Forgetting her duty,
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did seeke to make me an asse:
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Heare likewise my part,
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Who have in my heart
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resolv'd evermore to detest he,
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Sith she was i'th fault,
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I well may revolt,
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and give her three slips for a tester.
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There once a time was,
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When I lov'd that lasse,
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more deare then I did mine owne life
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And firmely was bent,
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If she would consent,
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with speed to have made her my wife:
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The foolish nice creature,
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Lookt I should intreat her,
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such madnesse and folly possest her:
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No more Ile be vext,
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My humour is fixt,
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Ile give her three slips for a tester.
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As she was to me,
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To her will I be:
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for so all my friends doe advise,
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If I should her meet,
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I would not her greet,
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nor afford her a glance from my eies:
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As I on the way
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Was walking one day,
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to meet me straight way she addrest her:
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Which I to prevent,
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A contrary way went,
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and gave her three slips for a tester.
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She came t'other day
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To the house where I lay,
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to speake with me was her desire,
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She said that she would
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See me if she could,
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but I said I scorn'd to come nie her:
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Yet thorow the glasse
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I peept on my Lasse,
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good Lord how brave she had drest her
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In hope to allure,
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But let her be sure,
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Ile give her three slips for a tester.
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She staid at the doore,
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An houre and more,
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to wait for my comming in sight:
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At last I came to her,
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But not like a wooer,
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though once she was all my delight,
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But that I was loath
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To infringe mine oath,
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I had gone very near to have kist her
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She seemed so faire,
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I could hardly forbeare,
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yet I gave her three slips for a ttester.
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What lacke you faire maid,
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Unto her I said,
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or what is your errand with me
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She prayd me to come
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To her father at home,
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to which I deny'd to agree:
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And made a reply,
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That never more I
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intended my mind to pester,
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With any small thought
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That concerned me ought,
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but to give her three slips for a tester.
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The second part. To the same tune.
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AT last I went with her,
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And so both together
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did come where her father did dwell.
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I wonder, quoth he,
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That we cannot you see,
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what have you forsaken my Nel?
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Your daughters too fine,
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Quoth I to be mine,
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therefore tis in vaine to molest her:
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Yet take this from me,
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Ime as scornfull as she,
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and Ile give her three slips for a tester.
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Then she standing by,
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Put finger i'th eye,
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and sorely began to weepe:
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Sir quoth the old man,
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Doe all what we can,
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where love cannot goe it will creep.
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All this would not serve,
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I still did reserve
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my vow, & Ime glad that I mist her,
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Thus I tooke my leave,
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And they all did perceive,
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I would give her three slips for a tester.
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Yet since at a Wedding,
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Where she came a gadding,
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among other maids of the towne,
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She came to the boord,
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Of her owne accord,
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and close by me she sate downe,
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Thought I this is strange,
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To see such a change,
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I wisht that my tongue had a blister.
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When I made that vow,
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But I must keep't now,
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and give her three slips for a tester.
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It makes me to muse,
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That she who did use
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so much to reject me before,
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Should follow me so,
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Where ere I doe goe,
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yet she hath incens'd me so sore,
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My heart is so hard,
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I cannot regard
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her beauty which brightly doth glister.
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I would have had faine
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What now I disdaine,
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I must give her three slips for a tester.
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If I had not sworne
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To hold her in scorne,
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I would not so hardly deale with her.
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Oh had she beene true,
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As to lovers is due,
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ere this we had maried together,
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For me she shall stay,
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Yet needs must I say,
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that love is a sore that will fester:
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I pity her state,
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But helpe is too late,
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I must give her three slips for a tester.
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Let every mayd
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Marke what I have said,
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and leave off all scornfull disdaine,
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Take love while tis profferd,
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And time while tis offerd,
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or else you may wish for't in vaine:
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My love when time was
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Did make me an asse,
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and plaid upon me like a Jester:
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But the worst is her share,
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I scorne to take care,
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but Ile give her three slips for a tester.
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