The two Nottinghamshire Lovers, or the Maid of Standon of Not -
tinghamshire , and the Leicestershire Man, which were linked together contra-
ry to their Friends minds, but she was inflamed in love, that she reque-
sted him from thence to goe; and he resolved her so to doe, ap-
pointing the place where they should meet, but it was a heavy
meeting as ere was knowne, as in the Ditty shall be showne.
To the tune of, I feare't shall stay too long.
|
I N Nottinghamshire ,
|
as late I did heare,
|
there lived two Lovers true,
|
Whose heart was linked fast,
|
Whilst life did last,
|
but marke what did ensue.
|
Oh this was all her song,
|
My Love, I suffer wrong,
|
And I feare thou wilt stay too long.
|
In Standon she was borne,
|
That lived thus forlorne,
|
and her name was called Anne Hall .
|
But her owne friends did seeke,
|
Her mind for to breake,
|
which caused her great downefall.
|
And this was, etc.
|
This Yongman in Leicestershire ,
|
Was borne as I doe heare,
|
and his name was called John Browne ,
|
But in this love he was
|
Not so constant as this Lasse,
|
as hereby shall be plainly found.
|
But this was, etc.
|
Her friends would not agree
|
That married shee should bee,
|
to him that she best did love:
|
Though shee did them intreat,
|
They her misused and beat,
|
in hope that her minde would move.
|
Oh this was, etc.
|
Her friends to her would say,
|
If you will him denay,
|
and marry some other man,
|
Then you shall want for nought
|
That for money can be bought,
|
take you him that hath house and land.
|
But this was, etc.
|
But she was thus resolved,
|
Till death her dissolved,
|
not to change like the wavering wind:
|
Like to the Turtle Dove,
|
So true shee did prove,
|
and shee was stedfast in her mind.
|
O but this, etc.
|
That when that she did see
|
Her friends would not agree,
|
she mone made unto her Love:
|
Saying shee would goe,
|
With him in weale or woe,
|
and would prove like the Turtle dove.
|
Oh but this, etc .
|
Thus hee replied againe,
|
My mind I will explaine,
|
and will tell thee what I will doe;
|
Meet mee in thy fathers Land,
|
And here's my heart and hand,
|
tomorrow with thee Ile goe.
|
Oh but this, etc.
|
To th'same shee did agree,
|
And appointed presently,
|
the place where she should him meet,
|
Then home she went againe,
|
For money to maintaine
|
her selfe and her lover sweet.
|
Oh but this, etc.
|
And when the houre came,
|
Then shee return'd againe,
|
to the place where he did appoint:
|
But when that shee came there,
|
Shee saw him not appeare,
|
and then she began to faint.
|
Oh but this, etc.
|
Then downe she sat her strait,
|
And thus began to write,
|
complaining most pittiously,
|
Of her crosses shee
|
Had endured patiently,
|
but then was resolved to dye.
|
Oh but this, etc .
|
False-hearted one,
|
That breedeth my mone,
|
and doth cause me thus to complaine:
|
Oh I will never trust
|
To one so unjust,
|
for I finde that it is in vaine,
|
But this was all her song,
|
My love, I suffer wrong,
|
And I feare thou wilt stay too long.
|
|
|
|
|
The second part. To the same tune.
|
H E so swore to mee,
|
That true he would be,
|
as the Turtle to her Mate,
|
Oh but him I finde
|
Much like to the wind,
|
that blowes uncertaine state,
|
But this is still my song,
|
My love I suffer wrong,
|
And I feare thou wilt stay too long.
|
His urging eyes
|
Like to the pleasant skies,
|
that in April oft doe show,
|
Yet ere that you are aware,
|
They changed are,
|
to stormy wind and blow.
|
Therefore, etc.
|
Seeing thee here I finde,
|
To bee so unkind
|
to mee which so deare loved thee,
|
I am resolved in heart,
|
From the world to depart,
|
thou againe shalt mee never see.
|
Therefore, etc.
|
To Father and Mother,
|
I speake above all other,
|
who are the causers of my woe,
|
You would not give consent,
|
Therefore you may repent,
|
you have wrought my overthrow.
|
Therefore, etc.
|
When I did you intreat,
|
Then was I sorely beat,
|
and you said him I should not marry,
|
You stood for worldly gaine,
|
Which breedeth now my paine,
|
for my love I doe now miscarry.
|
Therefore, etc.
|
To you my love likewise,
|
Whom I did once surmise,
|
would have proved more true to mee:
|
But you I false doe finde,
|
And to mee so unkind,
|
therefore now I here must dye.
|
Therefore, etc.
|
This letter of my woe,
|
With mee shall bee to show,
|
in the place where you me shall finde,
|
For to declare aright,
|
The causes of my spight,
|
and the truth of a troubled minde.
|
Therefore, etc,
|
Then with her knife,
|
Shee ended her life,
|
in the place that appointed was,
|
Where her love to see,
|
Came thither presently,
|
and found her dead on the grasse.
|
Therefore, etc.
|
Then with his Rapier hee,
|
Himselfe immediately
|
did kill hard by his love:
|
Straight after they were found
|
Bleeding upon the ground,
|
neere to a pleasant Grove.
|
Therefore, etc.
|
Her friends when they did heare
|
Sore grieved they were:
|
yet unto the place did come,
|
And from her pocket they
|
There pulled out straightway,
|
this letter of griefe and mone.
|
Therefore, etc.
|
When this they read and heare,
|
They strucken were with feare.
|
and cryed most pittiously:
|
Confessing of it true,
|
But marke what did ensue,
|
O they after did quickly dye.
|
Therefore, etc.
|
Let other Parents now,
|
Not seeke to breake a vow,
|
that is made between Lovers true:
|
Lest all too late I say,
|
They worke their lives decay,
|
as this story doth plainly shew.
|
And now to end my song,
|
My love, I suffer wrong,
|
And I feare thou wilt stay too long.
|
|
|
|
|