The STAFFORDSHIRE MAID.
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COME all ye young Gallants and listen a while,
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I'll tell you a story will make you smile:
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It is of a young bold Staffordshire Maid,
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Her part with a rogue of a Tinker she play'd.
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At Yarmouth this Damsel did live. as we hear,
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Along with a Farmer the space of a year;
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But being desirous her parents to see,
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She gave her master warning to go away:
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Her master in wages paid her four pound.
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She put it in her box with head-cloaths and gown,
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And having a box for to hold her cloaths,
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With it on her head from her master she goes.
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She had not been gone from the Town half a mile,
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Before a bold Tinker met her at a stile;
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When smiling in her face, unto her he said,
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Where are you going my charming fair maid?
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I'm going to Hurley, where my parents do dwell,
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Then reply'd the Tinker I know them full well;
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But be ruled by me, the Tinker did say,
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You'll surely be rob'd if you go the highway;
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If you turn to the right it will be the same,
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Then be ruled by me, and go strait down the lane:
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'Tis round about, yet better he said,
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Than for to be robb'd my charming sweet maid,
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She thanked the Tinker, and went on her way,
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But he soon call'd to her, and bid her to stay;
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I'm going down this lane the space of a mile,
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But little she thought that he would her beguile:
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Down the lane the Maid and the Tinker did walk,
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Diverting each other with innocent talk,
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Until they came to a lonesome place,
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Then the Tinker he look'd her so sly in the face:
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What's in your box, come tell unto me,
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And taking it from her, demanded the key;
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She said she had lost it, with tears in her eyes,
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A long pike-staff the Tinker lay by;
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And while he was busy in opening the lock,
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With the same she gave him a very great knock;
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The knock that she gave him, let him to know,
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Her staff it was ready to give t'other blow,
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Another she gave him on the side of the head,
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The blood it run down, she left him for dead,
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And said, Lie there villain, and rogue in thy heart,
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Thy traiterous actions have met their desert:
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So taking her box on her head once again,
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Away she went walking down the Lane;
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There she met a Gentleman, who did her entreat,
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And ask'd her the favor to open the gate;
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To open the gate, that his horse might go through,
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And as the Gentleman near to her drew,
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He said, To whom doth the box on your head belong,
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To master or Mistress, or have you done wrong?
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No, I've done no wrong, but a crime that's as ill,
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For I do believe a man I have kill'd.
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Come shew me the man, he strait to her said,
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And I will protect you from danger fair maid:
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She shew'd him the place where the Tinker lay dead,
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A long stream of blood was run down from his head;
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In his budgets were pistols, with powder and ball,
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And likewise a whistle, his companions to call.
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Also a hanger he had by his side,
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And a large pair of spurs if occasion to ride;
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He said, Fair damsel, you might have been abus'd,
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These are odd sorts of tools for a Tinker to use:
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He said. Fair maid, have you courage to stand,
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To fire a pistol when danger's at hand?
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She said, I have, and never will start,
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When dangers at hand. I will soon play my part:
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Then he took the whistle, and gave such a blow,
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As made the groves to ring and the thieves to crow:
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In a few minutes the thieves did appear,
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And seeing what was done, began for to swear
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They would be revenged; when the maid without dread,
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She cocked her pistol, and kill'd one stone dead;
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Another bold villain the gentleman shot,
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Who fell to the ground stone dead on the spot;
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Another bold villain seeing what was done,
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He took to his heels, and away he did run;
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The gentleman pursu'd him, and brought him to town,
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Where the truth of the matter was quickly made known
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The gentleman to the assizes is come it is said,
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And for this brave girl shall have money paid;
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Full fifty bright guineas she made it appear,
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Besides the effects in the budget we hear;
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Now all the brave Lads were in a strife,
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Who should gain this fair girl for a wife;
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But none of them was ordained so right,
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As he who made her a Lady so bright.
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