NELLS Courtship:
Or, A DIALOGUE Between
Hasty NELL,
AND
Fainthearted JOHNNY.
To the Tune of The Spinning-Wheel. Licensed according to Order.
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AS bonny Nell went to the Mill,
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She met young John whom she lov'd well,
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To whom she said, when wilt thou wed?
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I'm weary of my Maiden-head:
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If you don't take me, my sweet John,
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In troth thou art no honest Man.
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Quoth John, what wouldst thou have me do?
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Alas! I have a Love for you,
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But there's one thing that hinders me
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From Marriage-state, as you shall see,
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Which make a young Man loth to wed,
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The times are hard, and trading's dead.
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TEll me not that, quoth honest Nell,
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You must such thought as these expel,
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I can no longer live a Maid,
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Consider this, my love, she said;
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If you don't wed me, my sweet John,
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In troth thou art no honest Man.
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My love, said he, you must forbear,
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Alas! my Head is full of Care,
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For why? I nothing have at all,
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For to endow a wife withal;
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Which makes me now forbear to wed,
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The times are hard, and trading's dead.
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Tush, foolish man, she then reply'd,
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I must and will be made a Bride,
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It is in vain to make your moan,
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I will no longer lye alone.
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If you don't wed me, my sweet John,
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In troth you are no honest Man.
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I prithee Nell be not in hast,
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I have no other love embrac'd,
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For whensoe'er I change my life,
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'Tis thou alone shalt be my wife;
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But at the present I'll not wed.
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The times are hard and trading's dead.
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Quoth Nell, what tho' the Times are hard,
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this is a small Excuse, said she,
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Which I shall never once regard,
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if that I could but Married be;
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Consider me, my sweet-fac'd John,
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Or else thou art no honest Man.
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Oh! sweet-fac'd Nell, I fear our Charge
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Will after Marriage soon grow large;
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For shouldst thou prove with Child, quoth he,
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Alas! what would become of me;
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These are the things that I so dread,
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The times are hard and trading's dead.
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Quoth Nell, I never knew before,
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a man of such a mind as you;
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Here I have Gold and Silver store,
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nay, House and Land and Cattle too:
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If you won't wed me, honest John,
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In troth thou art no honest Man.
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My father dy'd not long ago,
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and left me twenty Mark a year,
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Now if you'll have me tell me so,
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Oh then, quoth John, Love never fear.
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Tho' times are hard and trading's dead,
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Thy wealth invites me for to wed.
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She bought him strait new Hose and Shoon,
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a broad-brimm'd Hat, and Roast-meat Cloaths,
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And then before the next day noon,
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these Lovers to the Parson goes:
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Tho' times are hard and trading's dead,
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Her Money made young Johnny wed.
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