THE
Fair MAID of the WEST;
Who sold her Maidenhead for a High-crownd Hat.
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I Pray attend unto this Jest,
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A youthful Maiden in the West,
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She was gay and handsome too,
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As I truth may tell to you.
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And therefore now I pray attend,
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Unto these lines which I have pennd,
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And if you do not say the same,
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I think you will be much to blame.
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Upon a day it happened so,
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That she would to market go,
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Taking her money great and small,
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To buy a high-crownd hat withal.
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As soon as eer she did come there,
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Unto a shop she did repair;
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Where soon a youthful batchelor,
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Did fix his wanton eyes on her.
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Kind Sir, said she, a hat Id have,
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And pray let me have what I crave,
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One that is fine and light to wear;
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He strait did fit her to a hair.
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What is the price? she then replyd,
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Seven Shillings I have denyd;
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I will fit you well he said,
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Because you are a hansome Maid.
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Ill let you have it for a crown,
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If that youll let me lay you down
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Upon my soft and downy bed,
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There to enjoy your Maidenhead.
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She seemd to blush and stand a while,
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At length she answered with a smile,
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What Maidenhead and money too,
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No, kind sir, that will not do.
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He strait did whisper in her ear,
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I will befriend thee now my dear,
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Let me enjoy my hearts delight,
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And you shall have the Hat outright.
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This maid she did no longer stand,
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But struck the bargain out of hand:
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And having given the youth content,
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She took her Hat and away she went.
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Now as she past along the way,
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She to herself these words did say,
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With a fine Hat I now am sped,
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And all for a silly Maidenhead.
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Then coming to her mother strait,
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This hopeful bargain to relate,
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O Mother! O mother! as Im true,
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I have a Hat and Money too
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Why Hussey, her Mother then replyd,
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How was the haberdasher paid?
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He had my Maidenhead said she,
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Which was a great plague unto me.
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The good old wife flew in a rage,
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And nothing could her wrath assuage,
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Thrusting her daughter out of doors,
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And said, shed never own her more.
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If this same Hat she did not take,
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And to the town again make haste,
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And give it him with whom she had lain,
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And bring her Maidenhead back again.
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With sighs and tears she did lament,
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As to the market town she went,
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To tell the shopkeeper therefore,
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He must her Maidenhead restore.
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For why, my mother wont agree,
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That I should part with it, said she.
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Why then come in, I will freely part
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With it to thee with all my heart.
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As soon as she did it receive,
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Poor heart she did no longer grieve,
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But made a curtsey to the ground,
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Because she had this kindness found.
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Then home again this lass did hie,
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And told her mother presently,
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An honest man he seemd to be,
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For he restord it willingly.
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Well daughter had it not been so,
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It might have been your overthrow;
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But since he did it you restore,
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See that you play the fool no more.
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