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EBBA 21718

Magdalene College - Pepys
Ballad XSLT Template
The Young-Mans Complaint for
The Loss of his Mistris.
Young-men you see my Fortune is such,
I have lost my Love by loving her too much:
My fortune's bad as other Young mens be,
Read but these Lines, and you shall Plainly see
I being bashful, she did me quite forgo,
I have lost my dear Mistris by being too slow.
To an Excellent New Tune, I have lost my dear Mistris, etc.

COme hearken Apollo my pittiful groan,
Of all loyal Lovers that is left here alone;
I'le fight for my true Love though Mars be my Foe,
For I've lost my dear Mistris by being too Slow.

How Lovers are often tormented in mind,
When as their own sweet-hearts proves to them unkind
Though many that hears me the same would forgoe,
I have lost my dear Mistris by being too Slow.

I would I had ne'r seen her, that I had ne'r been,
That I for her Love now sorrow have seen:
But my heart it with sorrow my sense or'e go,
That i've lost my dear Mistris by being too Slow.

When as we were Children we loved most dear,
But now of that Love I am never the near:
My heart is so sad and oppressed with woe,
That i've lost my dear Mistris by being too Slow.

When unto years elder our Youth did it spring,
Then to Complementing I stright did begin:
Yet bashfulness daunted and shamed me so,
That I lost my dear Mistris by being too Slow.

Quoth I my dear Honey though I cannot wooe,
Yet slight me not for it for loving of you:
Intirely I Love thee, the truth it is so,
Then do not refuse me by being too Slow.

At Fairs and at Markets you know it right well,
That I in your Company still did excel:
Neither car'd I for Money nor time it is so,
Then let me not loose you by being too Slow.

But she gave me Denial and bid me be gone,
For all I lamented and to her made moan,
Saying, I would not have you any more to do so,
For you have lost me plainly by being too Slow.

THough company together long time we have kept
One another, my mind and my heart is set,
Though one not so handsom as your self must go,
Away with me, and leave you by being too slow.

You are young and youthful, and maybe may have
A mind on a woman, but do not deceive
Your self any more, by neglecting it so,
For you have lost me plainly by being too slow.

I would have been married before now e're long,
At fourteen in truth I could wish't had been young,
If thou'd willing been then to Church with me go,
You need not have lost me by being too slow.

But you did neglect your time sore in that case,
For a woman can tarry but while time doth last,
For at fourteen she's ripe, there is few but doth know
So you fool'd your self then by being too slow.

So adieu to you young-men you hear how it is,
And all the frail ways how my fortune I miss,
But it shall be a warning unto me I trow,
That i'le never lose more by being too slow.

O Cupid thy Arrows are tipped with Gold,
And it strikes me quite thorow when thee I behold,
But like to Amintas, I made my moan so,
When I lost my dear Mistris by being too slow.

And like to Leander i'le mourn for my love,
Though new lands & countries, & constant i'le prove
I'le Drink and i'le Fuddle 'gainst who dares say no
Since I've lost my dear Mistris, by being too Slow.

You Godesses assist my Fortune being such,
For I have lost my Sweet-heart by Loving too much:
And it shall ne'r fret me although it be so,
That I have lost my Sweet-heart by being too slow.

Good Cupid assist me that now I may mend,
And cause my heart strong to continue to th' end:
And go along with me I will bear thy Bow,
So Cupid but hit them that they'l with me go.

For Young-men if that they stand, you must strike,
Not one way in forty that more they will like:
That they'l call you honey and with you will go,
And love you most dearly for useing them so.

FINIS.

Printed for J. Wright, J. Clark, W. Thackeray,
T. Passinger, and M. Coles.

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