The Young-Mans Labour lost:
He with a fair Maid was in love,
But shee to him unkind did prove:
As by this Ditty you shall hear,
If Young men they will but draw near;
And Maidens too it doth advise,
To learn henceforth for to be wise.
To the Tune of, The Jeering Young-Man.
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A S I past by a Green-Wood side,
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A pritty Couple I espy'd,
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A Young-man and a dainty Lass,
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But mark what after came to pass:
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He thought her humours for to fit,
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But yet she was too ripe a wit;
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She would not yield to his desire,
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As by this Story you shall hear.
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To Complement he did begin,
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The Maids affection for to win,
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With speeches fair he did intreat,
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And often said his heart would break;
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Quoth he, I am my Fathers Heir,
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And have Threescore Pound a Year,
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I will maintain you gallantly,
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If thou wilt yield my Bride to be.
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Therefore I pray you be not coy,
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For thou shalt be my only joy;
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If thou deny'st thou wilt break my heart,
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For did'st thou know the deadly smart
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Which I sustain both day and night
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For thee which art my hearts delight;
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Therefore my dearest pitty me,
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Or I shall dye for love of thee.
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The M aid.
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G Ood Sir, I thank you for your love,
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Of your discourse I don't approve:
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For many now a days I see,
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Do bring themselves to poverty,
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By marrying whilst they are so young,
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But i'le not do my self-such wrong:
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Therefore forbear, thy suits in vain,
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I will not marry I tell thee plain.
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You say you have threescore pound a year
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What if thou hast I do not care,
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I knew those that had thre times more,
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And spent it all upon a Whore:
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And so may thou for what I know,
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For all you make so fair a show:
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Then be content and do not prate,
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For fear that I should break thy pate.
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Young-man.
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The young-man standing in amaze,
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And on the maid did strangly gaze:
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At last he made her this reply,
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And unto her these words did say:
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What ails thee for to be so cross,
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In troth I like thee worse and worse,
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Of all the Maids that e're I see,
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I never heard the like of thee.
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Sweet-heart believe me or else chuse,
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I'de have thee know I am none of those,
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That spend my means upon a Whore,
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Or run upon the Alewifes score:
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No I will better be adisv'd,
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It's good to be merry and wise:
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For friends I see are very scant,
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If that a man do come to want.
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Maid.
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My friend, quoth she, what have you said
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Is not half true I am afraid:
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I cannot think your so precise,
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One may see plainly by your eyes:
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Your hair is of the colour right,
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To couzen Maids is your delight:
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But thou shalt ner'e prove false to me.
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Or I will ne're prove true to thee.
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Therefore forbear my company,
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And henceforth come not me nigh,
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For I am not resolv'd to wed,
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Nor yet to loose my Maiden-head:
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A single life is void of care,
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For married wifes must pinch and spare
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Their charge for to maintain I see.
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Therefore a single Life for me.
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Man.
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Seeing thou provest so unkind,
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I am resolv'd to change my mind;
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A hundred pound I have in store,
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And threescore pound a year and more:
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If I can find an honest Girl,
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I'le prize her more then Gold or Pearl
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And she shall live a Ladies life,
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After she's made my wedded wife.
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And so farewel thou scornful dame,
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In time thou mayst repent the same,
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That thou to me didst prove untrue,
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In time thou mayst have cause to rue:
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Before that I will marry thee,
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I will be hanged upon a Tree:
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Rather I will give my wealth and store,
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To one that begs from door to door.
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M aid.
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Farewel, begone, thou sawcy Jack ,
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With thy wealth and mony prithee pack,
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My portion is an hundred pound,
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In Silver and good Gold so round:
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Besides my Mother she doth cry,
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I shall have all when she doth dye:
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Then what need I care for thy wealth,
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Even as thou said'st go hang thy self.
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For I am resolved as I begun,
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To end and so conclude my Song,
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A single life I hold it best
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And theron still my mind is prest,
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For Marriage brings sorrow and care,
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So in it I'le not fare my share:
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Since Young men are so fickle grown,
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I am resolv'd to hold my own.
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So Maids of you i'le take my leave,
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Let no false young-man you deceive:
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For many they are hard to trust,
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Scarce one in twenty proveth just:
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I for my own part will advise,
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All Maids henceforth for to be wise:
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And have a care who you doe wed,
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For fear you bring a Knave to bed.
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FINIS.
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