The Maidens Delight:
OR,
A dainty New Dialogue
A Vaporing Gallant came the Maid to woo
But she denid and said she would not do
He profferred Ribbans, Gloves, and gay gold Rings
But she refused all manner of such things.
She said the greatest comfort of her life
Was to be made some honest Trades-mans wife.
To the Tune of, Behold the man with a glass in his hand.
Or, The Mountebank of York.
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Man.
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I am a Jovial Batcheler,
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and free from care and strife,
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I nothing in the world do want
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and yet I want a wife:
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Therefore sweet Cupid guide me,
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and help me to a Love,
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That may both kind and loving be
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and honest to me prove.
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Tis known to all my neighbours I
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am one and twenty years old,
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And I have store and plenty of
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white Silver and red Gold,
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I have both goods and Cattle,
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I have both howse and Land,
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I have my horse, my Hawk, my hound,
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and all things at command
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My hat is made of Beaver brave,
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my band of Flaunders Lace,
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My golden Belt about my neck,
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my person for to grace:
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My silver haunched Rapier
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doth make a gallant show,
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And I am well accounted of
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by all that do me know,
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I have my knots of Ribbans brave
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along my Cod-peice tids
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I have my goulden fancies
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meet round at every side
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So high as is my pocket holes,
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deny it he that can
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Let all that sees me judge if I
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am not a proper man
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And now sweet Betty I am come
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a wooing unto thee,
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I prethee tell me out of hand
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if thou canst fancy me,
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If thou canst truly love me
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ile take thee to my wife,
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And thou shalt surely always live,
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A sweet contented life.
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Ile furnish thee with rare delights,
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as Ribbans and gold rings
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Perfumed Gloves and Bracelets fine
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and such like costly things
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With a Bever hat and a taffety scarf
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and a new-fashion silken gown
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So thou shalt be as brave a Girl.
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as any in the town
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The second part, to the same Tune.
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Maid.
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GOod Sir I thank you kindly for
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your proffered courtesy
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But this I tell you plainly here
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in truth and verity
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That I shall never love you
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whilst I on earth remain
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Therefore forbear and say no more
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spend not your breath in vain.
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Tis not your cunning speeches that
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shall tempt me unto sin
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For all your wealth and riches sir,
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I value not a pin
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I will not wed a Prodigal
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though he be never so brave
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But if ever I marry whilst I live,
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some Trades-man I will have.
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A Prodigal wil domineer,
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and soon consume his store,
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Which being gone he knows not how
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nor which way to get more
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But the brave resolved trades-man
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is free from such like sorrow
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If he wants mony over night,
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heel work for more next morrow
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A spend-thrift that consumeth
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and sells his land for gold
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Is very like to live in want
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or beg when he is old
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But the Noble-minded tradesman,
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his work goes forward still
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For he hath meat and drink enuf,
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and al things else at wil.
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So now you honest Batchelers
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you partly know my mind
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If I can with a Trades-man meet,
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that wil to me prove kind
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If that he takes me to his wife,
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I wil him dearly love,
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Andile be as faithful unto him
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as is the Turtle Dove.
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I do confess gay Ribands
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becomes the britches fine,
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And that the golden fancies
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wil make the Cod-peice shine
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But before I wil be married
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to such a Prodigal
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Ile live a Maid and dye a Maid,
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and thats a word for all.
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Man.
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Farewel you scornful minion
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I bid thee now adue
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I never do intend to come,
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again to trouble you,
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Ile rest my self contented
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until that I can finde
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A wife that is more fitting and
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agreeable to my mind.
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Maid.
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Why then farewel proud Coxcome
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and this I tel thee plain
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Thy pride and thy ambition,
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I hold in much disdain,
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Rather then such a jack as thou,
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shouldst be my company keeper,
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Ile marry with a Beggar-man
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or with a Chimney-Sweeper.
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