A Yong-mans most earnest affection to his Sweetheart,
Exprest in a dainty Courtly Sonnet:
First read and heare it, then censure upon it.
To a curious new Northerne tune.
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COme come my Deare that art so pretty,
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Attend my suite and yeeld some pitty,
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For all the world shall nere remove me,
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Untill the day I die I vow to love thee:
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And all the birds in every valley,
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Will gladly sing the praise of Jacke and Dolly.
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Thy rare perfection I admire,
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Thy company I doe desire,
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Thy presence yeelds to me such pleasure,
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I would not misse thy sight for any treasure.
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Be thou my sweeting constant ever,
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And I in love will still persever:
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The Ocean sooner shall be dryed,
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Than my firme love to thee shall be denyed.
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Let me enjoy thy lovely presence,
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Which I do hold my earthly essence,
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And with reciprocall affection
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I will be constant to my first election.
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Though both my parents friends and kindred
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Seeke meanes to have my meaning hindred,
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I will not change my resolution.
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Though I were sure the same were my confusion
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Though I desire in haste to marry,
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Yet if I were constrayned to tarry
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A doozen yeares for that happy meeting,
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I patiently would stay for thee my sweeting.
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Then let not thy affections waver,
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[B]ut let me still retain thy favour:
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Be not unkind nor fickle minded,
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My hart hath found more wo then ever thine d[id].
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I many proffers have refused,
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Thereat my friends have greatly mused:
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When I thinke on thee that so surpasses,
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Then for thy sake I loath all other Lasses.
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Methinks thy sparkling eyes I see still,
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Which is a comfort unto me still,
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I dreaming see thy shadow nightly,
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And waking wish to see the substance rightly.
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Thy body is straight, small and slender,
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Thy skin is white, smooth, soft and tender:
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Thy leg and foote is framed neatly,
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And all thy lineaments are made compleatly.
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The Poet with his witty phrases,
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Will gladly write thy pretty praises,
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And all the Birds in every valley.
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Will gladly sing the praise of Jacke and Dolly.
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The Second part. To the same tune.
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ANd as thou proper art and pretty,
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So art thou courteous prompt and witty,
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Both Art and Nature are combined,
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To make o[f] thee a piece of Earth refined.
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And all the birds in every valle[y]
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Will gladly sing the praise of Jacke and Dolly.
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How can I then be discontented?
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Or why should my choice be pr[e]vented?
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Though thou hadst not one copper Token,
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Ile not recant the words that I have spoken.
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I might have riches out of measure,
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But what care I for worldly treasure?
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Give me a Lasse endowed by nature,
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Ile labour hard or beg for such a creature.
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No tortures that man can indure,
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Shall make my fancy prove impure:
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No parents frowne, nor friends reproving,
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Shall make my setled mind to be removing.
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Then sith my permament affection
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Submits it selfe to thy direction,
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Let not thy heart, my only s[?]w[?]ting,
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(Like Cresida) be mutable or fl[ee]ting.
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Be thou like Hero to Leand[e]r,
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Let not thy thoughts like H[e]lens wander,
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To leave thy first Love for a stranger,
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Duplicity in choice hath still [bred] danger.
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That which twixt faithfull friends is vowed,
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Ith Court of heaven is allowed,
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And he or she that the same infringeth,
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Must know that such contempt great Jove avengeth.
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But why seem I to misdoubt thy doing,
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No just oc[cas]ion by thee knowing?
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No, though I speake all this in passion,
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I dare be sworne thou hatst all of that fashion.
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Then be not thou my Deare offended,
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Nor let thy angry brow be bended:
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Yet if thou speake, to thee Ile be beholding,
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I love to heare thy voice, thought be in scolding.
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Then be thou constant in thy carriage,
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Untill that we be linkt in marriage,
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Then farewell care and melancholly.
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Since Jockie hath possest his dearest Dolly.
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And all the Birds in every valley,
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Will sweetly sing in praise of Jacke and Dolly.
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