The KENTISH Garland.
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GOOD people now I pray give ear,
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And also true attention.
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Unto these lines, which you shall hear,
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And words which I shall mention.
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Within this book as I shall write,
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As true it is reported,
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How a young squire ruind quite
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A damsel whom he courted.
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She was his fathers servant-maid,
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And daughter to a brazier,
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He often would her heart invade,
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At every turn and leisure.
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With all the argument of love,
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Which passion might discover,
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Portesting to the powers above,
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How dearly he did love her.
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With modest blushes she replyd,
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Sir, pray stop your proceeding,
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For I am no ways qualifyd,
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Neither for birth nor breeding,
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You can have choice of ladies,
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From noble loins descended,
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Therefore let me alone I pray,
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Your friends will be offended.
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Well met, the jewel of my heart,
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Fear not my friends displeasure,
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Let who will frown Ill take thy part,
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And love thee out of measure.
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No one thats born of noble blood
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Doth stand within my favour.
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I honour thee, with what is good,
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For you I love for ever,
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With modest blushes she replyd,
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Sir, stop those fond pretences,
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For if your friends should it know,
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Then they would be offended.
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Discourse to me of love no more,
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But strive to please your parents,
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Id rather wed with one thats poor,
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Than wed to live at variance.
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Farewel the jewel of my heart,
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Fear not my friends displeasure;
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Let who will frown, Ill take thy part,
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Ill love thee out of measure.
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Therefore cheer up, my lovely dear,
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If parents they should slight me,
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Till I my breath and life resign,
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Dear jewel I will right thee.
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Kind sir, you promise more to me,
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Than can be now expected;
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While you possess such riches store,
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Then love may be perfected;
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But if your parents should now stand
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Against you with denial,
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To disinherit you of all,
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Then there will come the trial.
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That is the work which they can do,
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Let them use their pleasure:
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I must be loyal, just and true,
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And love thee out of measure,
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If they would wrong their darling son,
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For such a poor transgression,
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Then let them go, when that is done
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I have a large possession,
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The which was left to me of late,
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Twas by a near relation.
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Let father frown, and mother hate,
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Im in a happy station:
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Therefore cheer up my dearest dear,
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If parents should disdain us.
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I hope two thousand pounds a year,
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Will modestly maintain us.
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These arguments and many more
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He used to obtain her.
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She gave consent to wed, wherefore
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Theres none alive can blame her.
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For she was made his lawful wife,
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By their portested marriage,
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But soon she lost her precious life.
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By his ungrateful carriage.
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Unknown to friends and parents dear,
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This couple they were wedded,
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And in the space of half a year
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After they both were bedded,
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It seemd she proved young with child,
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Her locks began to show it,
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Until his friends were reconcild.
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He would not let them know it,
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But up to famous London-town,
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Immediately he brought her,
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And to behave with modesty
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And decency he taught her.
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Much like a youthful lady gay,
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She seemd, all in her beauty;
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And while he with her there did stay,
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He shewd a husbands duty.
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As they were charmd with mutual love,
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Which for a season lasted;
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At length they heard a dismal noise,
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Which all their pleasure blasted,
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His parents come to understand,
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By private Information,
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That he had lodgings in the St[r]and,
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And filld with recreation.
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They sent a letter full of wrath,
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And threatnd her with ruin,
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Which he receivd, whilst she stood by,
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And at the same stood viewing.
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Tears from his eyes did flow amain,
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She asked him the reason:
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Said he, my friends do me disdain.
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They both wept for a season.
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She read these lines as well as he,
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And found them harsh and cruel:
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Said she, my dear be kind to me,
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Be kind my dearest jewel,
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Let me not suffer for thy sake,
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Consider my condition.
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For if you dont, my heart will break,
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It was not my Ambition
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To be a lady, well you known,
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Twas long eer I consented.
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Why do they seem to threaten so?
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I strove for to prevent it
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But now I am your lawful wife,
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Which you was pleasd to make me,
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Your smiles perhaps may save my life,
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I die if you forsake me.
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He took her by the hand, and said,
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My dear, my joy and sweeting,
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Within my lodgings pray abide,
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Till our next happy meeting.
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With kisses sweet and solemn vows,
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They from each other parted,
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But grief appeared on her brows,
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For she was broken-hearted.
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He promised to take her part,
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And certainly excuse her,
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To father, nay, and mother too,
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That they might not abuse her:
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To make the matter fair and clear,
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And in all cases clear her.
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He went, but neer returnd again,
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And never more came near her.
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But when she came unto the town,
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They told her he was marryd,
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To a young lady of renown,
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With grief she then miscarried.
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But when his parents came to find,
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That she was with their neighbour,
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To whom she did her conscience clear,
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Within the time of labour,
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They threatned her with banishment,
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For tricking of the squire,
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But fatal death did them prevent,
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For she did soon expire.
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But some minutes before she died,
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In friends and neighbours hearing.
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She wrung her hands, and weeping said,
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what is there no appearing?
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Will you not come near me then?
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Oh! husband most false-hearted,
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With just revenge Ill haunt you when
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My wronged souls departed;
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Adcordingly as she had said,
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within three nights after,
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Come to the room where he laid
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The wronged braziers daughter.
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When in the midst of their joy,
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To their amazing wonder,
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The room was filld with dreadful noise
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Like roaring claps of thunder.
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To crown the stately marriage bed,
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They saw a flash of fire,
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And heard a dismal voice that said,
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Oh! most ungrateful squire.
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The lady that lies by your side,
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She shall not long enjoy you,
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It was I that was your lawful bride,
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Just vengeance must destroy you:
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Within her arms like ice or clay,
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The spirit did unfold him:
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By force she took him quite away,
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His lady could not hold him.
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She shriekd and cryd, but all in vain,
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For then the spirit gave him
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That very night his fatal bane,
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Theres none alive could save him.
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The lady then rose up with speed,
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At this sad consternation,
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Where on his breast they plain did read
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These words of lamentation.
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In perfect roman letters blue,
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This wretch was my undoing,
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He being false, has brought me to
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My death and utter ruin.
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For making me his lawful wife,
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The deed he then to smother,
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And for the cursed golden prize,
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He married with another.
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His faithless tongue seducd my soul;
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And easily deceived me,
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His perjerd words pierced my heard.
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And of my life bereavd me,
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Leaving his wife and child to fall,
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A sacrifice together.
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He makes a third that caused th[e i]ll,
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So now farewel together
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