Take time while tis offerd.
For Tom has broke his word with his sweeting,
And lost a good wife for an houres meeting,
Another good-fellow has gotten the Lasse,
And Tom may go shake his long eares like an Asse.
To the tune of Within the North country.
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WHen Titans fiery Steeds
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Were lodged in the West,
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And every beast and featherd fowle,
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Betooke themselves to rest.
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Abroad I walked then
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To take the evenings ayre,
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Hard by a gentle gliding streame
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I saw a damosell fayre.
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Sweet Tom, quoth she, make haste,
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Why dost thou stay so long?If thou dost not thy promise keep,
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Alas thou dost me wrong.
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Thou knowest I ventured have
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To meet thee here to night,
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Why then wilt thou for my true love,
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Me churlishly requite?
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If that my mother knew
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That I this time was missing,
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To meet with thee, sheed sweare that I
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Should never have her blessing.
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Yet is my love so fixt,
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Though I were sure to die,
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I would be sure to meet with thee,
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Love lends me wings to fly.
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But now I well perceive,
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When mayds love yong men best,
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They use them like their servile slaves,
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And thus am I opprest.
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At first they wooe and pray,
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And many oathes they sweare,
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Untill like birds they have them caught
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Into their crafty snare.
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Then will they us reject,
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And scorne us to our face;
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Thus for our kindnesse oft we are
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Rewarded with disgrace.
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This I my selfe have proved
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That here I do report.
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For he to whom I gave my heart
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Makes me his laughing sport.
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The second Part.
To the same tune.
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THis night he promised me
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To meet at five a clock,
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Which houres long past, therefore I doubt
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With me he doth but mock.
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While I sit sighing here,
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Hes bragging to his mates,
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That his sweet-heart within the fields,
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Now for his comming waits.
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Thus like a Lion fierce,
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He insulteth ore his prey,
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Alas there is no remedy,
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Being bound, I must obey.
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Hard hearted creature here
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To serve me in this kinde,
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His flattring tong hath wrought my bane,
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As now with griefe I finde.
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Alas what shall I do,
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I am possest with feare,
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For rather then Ile homeward go,
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My life Ile finish here.
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For if that I go home,
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My father he will brawle,
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My mother she will second him,
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And thats the worst of all.
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Sheele tell me I have been
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A gadding after Tom,
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Sheele sweart Ile never leave these tricks,
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Till I come leaden home.
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If he would meet me here,
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Those words I well could beare,
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For when that I am armd with love,
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Their taunts I do not feare.
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Sweet Tom make haste away,
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Or else I shall despaire,
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For home untill I see thy face
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I meane not to repayre.
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What should the reason be,
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That thou wilt me neglect,
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For I have cast thy betters off
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Thy person to affect.
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If me thou dost forsake.
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Looke nere to finde the like;
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Me thinks experience might thee teach,
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While the Irons hot to strike.
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My portion is not small,
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My parentage not base,
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My looking-glasse informes me that
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I have a comely face.
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Yet have I made a choyce
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Against my parents will,
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With one so meane, who cruelly
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My tender heart doth kill.
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I hearing her say so,
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Did boldly to her come,
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The night was darke, and she beleeved
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That I was her owne Tom.
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She blamd my tarrying long,
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Which I did well excuse,
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I prayd her wend along with me,
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Which she did not refuse:
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Supposing all this while
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That I had been her Tom;
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She swore she had rather go with me,
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Then to go ever home.
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Thus Tom has lost his Lasse
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Because he broke his vow,
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And I have raysd my fortunes well,
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The case is alterd now.
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