The two Notinghamshire Lovers: or, The Maid of Standon in Notingham-
shire, and the Leicestershire man: Which were linked together contrary to their
Friends minds; but shee was so inflamed in love, that shee requested him from
thence to goe; and he resolved her so to doe, appointing the place where they
should meet; but it proved a heavie meeting as ere was knowne, as in this Ditty
shall be showne. To the tune of I feare I shall stay too long.
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IN Notinghamshire,
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as late I did heare:
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there lived two Lovers true:
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Whose hearts were linked fast,
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Whilst life did last,
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but marke what did ensue.
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O this was all her song,
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My Love I suffer wrong,
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And I feare thou wilt stay too long.
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In Standon she was borne,
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That lived thus forlorne,
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and her name was called Anne Hall,
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But her owne friends did seeke,
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Her mind for to breake,
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which caused her great downefall.
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And this, etc.
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This young man in Leicestershire,
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Was borne as I doe heare,
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and his name was called John Browne:
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But in his love he was
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Not so constant as his Lasse,
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as hereby shall be plainely found.
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But this, etc.
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Her friends would not agree
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That she should married be,
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to him that she best did love:
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Though she did them intreat,
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They her misused and beat,
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in hope that her mind would move.
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Oh this, etc.
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Her friends to her would say,
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If you will him denay,
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and marry some other man:
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Then you shall want for nought,
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That for money can be bought,
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take you him that hath house and land.
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But this, etc.
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But she was thus resolved,
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Till death her dissolved,
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not to change like the wavering wind:
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Like to the Turtle Dove,
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So true she did prove,
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and she was stedfast in her love.
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[O]h but this, etc.
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That when that she did see
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Her friends would not agree,
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she moane made unto her Love,
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Saying she would goe
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With him in weale or woe,
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and would prove like the Turtle Dove.
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Oh but, etc.
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Thus he replyd againe,
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My mind I will explaine,
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and will tell thee what I will doe:
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Meet me in your Fathers Land,
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And heres my heart and hand,
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tomorrow with thee Ile goe.
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Oh but, etc.
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To th same she did agree,
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And appointed presently
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the place where she should him meet,
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Then home she went againe,
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For money to maintaine
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her selfe and her Lover sweet.
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Oh but, etc.
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And when the houre came,
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Then she returnd againe:
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to the place where he did appoint:
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But when that she came there,
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She saw him not appeare,
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and then she began to faint.
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Oh but, etc.
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Then downe she sate her straight,
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And thus beganne to write,
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complaining most pittiously,
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Of her crosses she
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Had endured patiently,
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and then she was resolved to die.
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Oh but, etc.
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False-hearted one,
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That breedest my mone,
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and dost cause me thus to complaine:
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Oh I will never trust
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To one so unjust,
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For I find that it is in vaine.
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But this was all her song,
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My Love I suffer wrong,
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And I feare thou wilt stay too long.
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The second Part. To the same tune.
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HE so swore to me,
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That true he would be,
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as the Turtle to her mate:
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O but him I find
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Much like to the wind,
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that blowes in uncertaine state.
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But this is still my song,
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My Love I suffer wrong,
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And I feare thou wilt stay too long.
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His urging eyes,
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Like to the pleasant skies,
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that in April oft do show,
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Yet ere that you are aware,
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They changed are
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to stormy wind, and blow.
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Therfore, etc.
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Seeing that thee I find,
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To be so unkind
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to me which so deare loved thee,
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I am resolvd in heart
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From the world to depart,
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thou againe shalt me never see.
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Therfore, etc.
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To father and mother,
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I speak above all other,
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who are the causers of my woe:
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You would not give consent,
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Therefore you may repent,
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you have wrought my overthrow.
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Therfore, etc.
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When I did you intreat,
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Then was I sorely beat,
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and you said him I should not marry.
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You stood for worldly gaine,
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Which breedeth now my paine,
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for my Love I do now miscarry.
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Therfore, etc.
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To you my Love likewise,
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Who I did once surmize
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would have proved more true to me:
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But you I false doe find,
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And to me so unkind,
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therefore I here must die.
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Therfore, etc.
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This letter of my woe,
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With me shall be to show,
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in the place where you shall me find:
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For to declare aright
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The causes of my spight,
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and the truth of a troubled mind.
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Therfore, etc.
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Then with her knife
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She ended her life,
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in the place that appointed was:
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Where her love to see
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Came thither presently,
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and found her dead on the grasse.
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Therfore, etc.
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Therfore with his Rapier he
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Himselfe immediately
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did kill hard by his Love:
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Straight after they were found
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Bleeding upon the ground,
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neare to a pleasant-Grove.
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Therfore, etc.
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Her friends when they did heare,
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Sore grieved they were:
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yet unto the place did come,
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And from her pocket they,
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There pulled out straight way
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this letter of griefe and mone.
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Therfore, etc.
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When this they read and heare,
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They strucken were with feare,
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and cryed most pitteously:
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Confessing of it true;
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But marke what did ensue,
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O they did after quickly die.
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Therfore, etc.
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Let other Parents now
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Not seek to breake a vow,
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that is made betweene lovers true;
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Lest all too late, I say,
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They work their lives decay:
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as by this storie plainly doth appeare.
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And now to end my song, etc.
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