A Constant and Kind MAID,
Who savd in Love a proper young Mans Life,
And after provd his dear and loving Wife.
To the same TUNE.
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COntent th[y]self my Love, a[n]d do not dye,
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Thy life I l[o]ve, thy death I do defie,
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Live then in joy an[d] seek to banish pain,
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Take a good heart, and I w[i]ll love again.
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Each thing on earth doth love his chosen Mate,
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And thou condemnest me, and said I hate:
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M[e]n love by fancy, beasts they love by kind,
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Then fancy me, and thou shalt favour find.
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For all the gold that Cresus eer did own,
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I wil[l] not seem to leave my Love alone;
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No, no, my Love, I will not prove untrue,
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Nor will I change an old Friend for a new.
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Thou shalt not need to turn a Palmer poor,
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For I for thee have gold and silver store;
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Instead of finding out some secret place,
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Thou shalt have me within thy arms timbrace;
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Thou shalt not travel to another land,
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For il[l] be ready still at thy c[o]mmand:
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T[h]ou shalt my Dear have no cause to complain,
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For I with joy thy love will entertain.
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If thou hadst landed on some forreign shore[,]
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Whereas no Man did ever land before:
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But seeing thou art here alive with me,
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Thou shalt not go hence dangers for to see:
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What wilt thou wish of me my own true Love,
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F[e]ar not my Dear, for I will constant prove:
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I am thy own, and so thou shalt me find,
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[B]y thee I will be loving true and kind.
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As I w[as fair and lovely in thy sight,]
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[So will I prove thy joy and hearts delight;]
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I will not seek thy dearest blood to spill,
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But I will yield unto thy wish[e]d will.
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Sweet I have listned to thy moan and cries,
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Weep thou no more, but wipe thy watry eyes:
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The storms are past, the sun shines after rain,
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And I do vow to love thee once again.
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If thou wert on the roaring Sea so wide,
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Upon the Dolphins back then thou mayst ride:
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Desiring Neptunes favour out of hand,
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To be your Pilot to some other Land.
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Sweet Love abroad much dangers do ensue,
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The Seas and Wilderness bids thee adieu;
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Neer seek to write, nor think of wind and tide,
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But live with me and I will be thy Bride.
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O stay at home my Love and go not there,
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Wild beasts in pieces will thy body tear:
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When I behold them for to suck thy blood,
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They shall have mine; my Love, to do thee good.
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Lo thus to thee, my Love, I do make known,
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Vowing hereafter I will be thy own:
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O stay thy hand, my Love, and do not kill
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Thy gentle heart, which I do love so well.
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Then straight he took his Love into his arms,
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That had preservd his body from such harms,
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Welcome, quoth he, I lov[e] thee as my life
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And quickly after he made her his Wife.
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Thus have you heard my Song of wo and joy,
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Let Maids and young Men listen t[o] []t I pray;
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[Make you no Vows, but have a special care,]
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[For fear you wound your Love with deep despair.]
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