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EBBA 30649

British Library - Roxburghe
Ballad XSLT Template
The Frantick Squire:
Whose passionate Love for a Young Lady caused his Distraction,
and since the restoration, of his Senses, he, with his own hand, writ this
Excellent new Ditty.
To the Tune of Let Mary live long.

MElpomene now,
assist a meek Lover,
whose Tears will discover,
How false to her Vow
fair Cynthia hath been;
While I sigh and complain
She returnd me disdain,
and would not expel
My languishing passion,
My languishing passion,
but bid me farewel.

From morning to night,
I wanderd distracted
ah! what have I acted
Which made her delight
to torture me so:Through the Shades did I post,
Like a hovering Ghost
bereaved of rest;
With sad Lamentation,
With sad Lamentation,
in sorrows opprest.

My Riches I left,
with dear Habitation,
each Friend and Relation,
Of Comforts bereft,
Distracted I run;
That a place I might find
That was free from mankind,
(fair women I mean;)
Whose conquering Beauty,
Whose conquering Beauty,
too late I have seen.

My Pillow I made
on banks of green Rushes,
near Brambles and Bushes,
Where weeping I laid
my sorrowful Head;
As I closed my Eyes,
The kind watery Skies,
would weep to behold
A Lover exposed
A Lover exposed
to sorrow and cold.

I valud not Crowns,
with Kingdoms of Treasure,
and wealth out of measure,
Or fortifid Towns,
for which they contend;
There was Cynthia my Love,
Which I valud above
an Emperors Throne,
Her amorous beauty,
Her amorous beauty,
was Riches alone.

To Bedlam bound,
at length they conveyd me,
And there having laid me
Upon the hard Ground,
I took my repose;
And my rich silken Bed,
Where I once laid my Head,
was turned to Straws;
Of this my Distraction,
Of this my Distraction,
was Cynthia the Cause?

My Senses once more,
the hand of kind Heaven,
in pity hath given,
And now Ill adore
no woman alive:
Since my Heart is at ease,
Let em frown if they please
I scorn their disdain,
They never shall make me,
They never shall make me,
a Captive again.


FINIS.
Licensed according to Order.
Printed for P. Brooksby, Deacon,
J. Blare, J. Back.

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