The Master-peice of Love Songs.
BEING
A Dialogue betwixt a bold Keeper and a Lady gay,
Who wood his Lords Daughter, and carried the Day.
But soon after Marriage was forced for to Fight
With his Lord and six Gentlemen for his own Right;
He cut them and hewd them, and paid them with Blows,
And made them his Friends who before were his Foes
To the Tune of, A Week after Easter.
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IT was a bold Keeper
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that chased a Deer,
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Of a stouter bold Spirit
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you never did hear,
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But he loved a Lady
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of Beauty most clear,
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And now you shall hear of their Wooing.
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Keeper] O pity, fair Lady
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the Suit which I move,
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For Im deep in Affection,
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and tossed in Love;
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For you are the Lady,
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the Turtle and Dove
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Whereon I have cast my Affection.
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Lady] O Keeper forbear,
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I shall thus answer thee,
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Im a Match for a Lord
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of a high Degree;
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For my Birth and yours
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they not equal be,
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Therefore Keeper, forbear your Wooing.
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Keeper] The Repulse it maketh
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me sadly to grieve;
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And true tis we all came
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from Adam and Eve,
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One loving Word to my Life
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is a Reprieve,
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Tho Im linked fast in Cupids Prison.
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Lady] O why should you say
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youre a prisoner to me,
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O hold, forbear keeper,
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for that may not be;
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We both may have Matches
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fitter for each Degree;
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Then forbear, and take this for an Answer.
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Keeper] No, not for an Answer
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that I shall it take,
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And yet this Denial
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makes my Heart to ake,
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And I shall lay down
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my Life at a Stake,
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To obtain the Favour of my Lady.
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Lady] It is a meer Madness
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your Life to lay down,
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What will People say,
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theres an end of a Clown
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That passd many Dangers,
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till Fortune did frown,
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And now dyd a pretended Lover.
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Keeper] The name of a Clown
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in my Heart I do scorn,
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Being nobly descended,
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and a Gentleman born;
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Yet I am a Keeper
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that must be forlorn,
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Except you can love me, fair Lady.
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Lady] Well, Keeper, I perceive
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thou hast a good Heart,
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Well thou art compacted
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in every Part:
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If my Lord did know,
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We both would suffer Smart,
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My Father would be so offended.
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Keeper] Lady, if you will consent
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to be my Bride,
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I will gird up my Sword
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and Buckler by my side,
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And then to the Church
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in private well ride,
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Where we will be marryd, fair Lady.
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She then gave Consent,
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and away they did ride,
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the valiant young Keeper
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and his lovely Bride,
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Not fearing of Danger,
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Whatever betide;
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For she was a valiant young Lady.
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Being marryd, they returnd
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back speedily,
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And riding along
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her Father did espy;
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Alack, quoth the Lady,
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one or both shall die.
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Fear Nothing, quoth the Keeper.
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The Lord he came posting
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so fast as he could hie,
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And six lusty Gentlemen
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for Company:
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Quoth he to the Keeper,
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Villain thou shalt die,
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For deluding away my Daughter.
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Come on, quoth the Keeper,
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tis no Time to prattle,
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I see by your Swords
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you are designd for Battle.
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With his Sword and Buckler
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he made them to rattle.
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The Lady held the Horse for the Keeper.
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He cut, and he hewd them
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on the Place he did stand;
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O then quoth the Lady,
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Bold Keeper, hold thy Hand.
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If youll give your Daughter
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thirty Thousand in Land,
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You shant die by the hand of the Keeper.
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Keeper, quoth the Lady,
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tis too small a Portion.
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Daughter, quoth the Lord,
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your Will shall be done;
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I will love thy Husband,
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and thee ever own.
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Thus a Keeper gaind a fair Lady.
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