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EBBA 31344

British Library - Roxburghe
Ballad XSLT Template
The Proud Pedlar.

SO merrily singeth the Nightingale,
And so merrily singeth the Jay:
And so merrily singed the proud Pedlar
As he walked along the Highway.

The Bag at my Back is worth Twenty Pounds,
In Gold and in good Money;
And I would freely part with it all,
For to kiss a Nigh[t] with a Lady.

The Lady lookd out of her window,
And hearing the Pedlar sing;
Sing on, sing on, thou proud Pedlar,
The Song that thou didst begin.

The Pedlar lookd over his Left-shoulder,
He looked so neat and so trim;
I never sung a Song in all my whole Life,
But I could sing it again.

The Bag at my Back is worth Twenty Pounds,
In Gold and in good Money;
And I would freely part with it all,
For to kiss a Night with a Lady.

The Lady took the Pedlars Hand,
And thro the Hall him led;
Into a large and spacious Room,
Where Cushions and Pillows were laid.

The Pedlar lay with the Lady all Night,
Until it was Break of Day;
And then he thought of his Tom Pack,
When he had no Sport to play

Heres Twenty Pounds the Pedlar said,
Fo to buy Gloves Jewels and Rings.
So I may have my little Tom Pack,
For to get me my Living.

The Lady took the Pedlars Pack,
And set it upon her Knee.
If you would give me twice Twenty Pounds,
You shall have no Pack of me.

I will make Grass grow the Pedlar said,
And where there did grow none.
And I will stand at the Hall-Gate,
Till your wedded Lord comes home.

At Night her own wedded Lord came home,
And eeing the Pedlar there stand.
What dost thou here thou proud Pedlar?
Now this of thee I do demand.

Yesterday I made a Feast
For Pedlars thirty-and-three.
And wanted a Mortar to pound the Spice,
And borrowd one of your Lady.

The Mortar was your own Ladys,
But the Pestle was my own;
But now she has got my little Tom Pack,
And I wish the truth was but known.

Come give him his Pack thou proud Pedlar,
What makes you here let him stand?
Come give him his Pack, and let him be gone,
And this of you I do command.

Come take thy Pack, thou proud Pedlar,
Come take this Pack of thine.
For never a Pedlar for thy sake,
Shall pound Spice in a Mortar of mine.

Now this is well juggld the Pedlar said
And it is well juggld of me:
For now I have got my little Tom Pack,
And kist all Night with a Lady.

By my wanton Tricks I lost this Pack,
By my Wits I have got it again;
And if I do live these Five hundred Years,
I will never come there again.

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