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EBBA 31459

British Library - Roxburghe
Ballad XSLT Template
Roger of the Vale.

YOung Roger of the Vale,
One Morning very soon,
Put on his best Apparel,
new Hose, and clouted shoon,
And a wooing he would go,
to bonny bouncing Nell.
Adzooks cries he, canst fancy me,
I like thy Person well.

I rose up soon this Morning,
it being Holiday;
I dressd my Horses ready,
and gave them Corn and Hay,
And I am come a wooing,
what sayst thou bonny Nell,
My Dear said he, canst fancy me,
I like thy Person well.

I thank thee for thy Love,
the Damsel then replyd,
But I am not so hasty
to be a Plowmans Bride,
Because I am in Hopes
to have a Farmers Son.
If it be so, quoth Hodge, Ill go,
farewell, then I have done,

Go take your Farmers Son,
with all my honest Heart,
Altho my Name is Roger,
that goes to Plow and Cart;
I need not travel far,
but I may have a Wife,
Theres buxom Joan, it is well known,
she loves me as her Life.

As he was going forth,
she answerd with a Smile,
Methinks youre very crusty,
come sit you down a-while,
And let us have a Chat.
In Truth said Hodge, not I:
Think I can stay here all the Day,
I have other Fish to fry.

The Damsel then replied,
cant I please you as well?
As Joan, who has not one Penny,
and I am bonny Nell;
I have fifty Shillings just.
The Money made him smile;
He pulld his Chair, and said my Dear,
Ill set me down awhile.

In half an hours Space
they both a Bargain struck,
Says Roger with this Money,
I hope to have good Luck,
For I have fifty more,
with which a Cow well buy,
Sweet buxome Nell, we shall do well,
and who but you and I.

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