The merry Maid of Middlesex.
OR,
A pretty Song made by a pretty Maid,
Which had seven Suitors, she herself so said,
And yet (poor soul) she hath been strangely crost,
And through her Mothers means, her Sweet.heart's lost:
But yet she is resolved in this Sonnet,
To have a Husband, whatsoer'e comes on it.
To a dilicate Northern Tune: Or, The Maid that lost her way.
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IT was not long agone
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since Cupid with his Dart,
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Shot through my tender skin,
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and prickt my love-sick heart
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And since that desprate time,
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I am so love-sick grown,
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I neither can nor will
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no longer lye alone:
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Let Father angry be
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let mother brawl, and chide,
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A Husband I will have,
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whatever me betide,
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It is well known that I
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am fifteen years of oge,
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Yet live as weary a life,
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as a Bird pen'd in a Cage.
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Therefore Young-men I pray,
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give eare unto my Song,
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And you shall know in what,
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my Parents did me wrong:
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But now let Father frown, etc.
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Seven Suitors in one day,
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unto me came a wooing,
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And every one of them would
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fain with me be doing:
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First Will the Weaver came
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with Silks & Ribonds brave,
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And out of his pure love,
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these Tokens to me gave,
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Let Father fret and frown, etc.
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Full many a honied kisse
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the Weaver did me give,
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Which was enough to make
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a dying Maid to live:
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But yet my Parents would
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not give me their consent,
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That I should marry with him,
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which makes me to lament.
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But now let Father frown,
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let Mother brawl, and chide,
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A Husband I will have
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whatever me betide.
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The second part, to the same Tune.
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NExe Tom the Taylor trim,
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he brought me a brave new gown
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And wold have gave it me
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for to have laid me down,
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My Mother standind by,
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would not thereto agree,
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whereby I did both lose my gown
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and sweet-heart, woe is me.
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But now let Father frown,
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let Mother brawl and chide:
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A Husband I will have,
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whatever me betide,
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Then Sam the Shoo-maker
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brought me a pair of shooes
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To fit my pretty feet
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as he did often use:
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But at the drawing on
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his hand by chance did slip,
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Which made my Mother vex,
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and sorely bite the Lip,
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But now let Father greive, etc.
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George Glover he gave me
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a pair of dainty Gloves,
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Such as your bravest Batchlors
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do use to give their Loves;
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And therewithal kind heart,
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he kist me tenderly:
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And then my Mother she did soon
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break up our company.
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But now let Father angery be, etc.
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There came a bonny Lad,
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a Vintner neat and fine,
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And in his hand he brought
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a bottle of Muskadine,
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And bad me for to drink
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as long as I could pull:
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For he had an intent
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to fill my belly full:
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At which my Mother she
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began to frown and chide,
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Yet I will have a Husband
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whatever me betide.
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A nimble Tapster next
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gave me a gay gold Ring,
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And promised to bestow
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on me a better thing:
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But in the bringing he
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had wondro[us] ill luck,
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My Mother she did chance to see
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and would not let us truck.
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But now let Father frown, etc.
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Then came a noble Spark,
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a Souldier stout and bold,
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And quickly cast into my lap
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full sevenscore pound in gold
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O he was a brave Young-man,
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I lov'd him as my life:
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& yet my Mother she would not
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now let me be his Wife.
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But now let Father frown, etc.
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The Cobler he poor fool,
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fell sick and needs must dye,
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Except my Love would grant
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him love, as a remedy:
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Cobler my Mother said,
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you have of late been dipt,
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Before you shall my Daughter have
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Ile see you soundly whipt.
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But now let Father frown, etc.
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A Maiden-head it is a load
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too heavy for me to carry;
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Therefore I will make all the speed
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that ever I can to marry,
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No matter for his wealth
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nor Trade, what er'e it be,
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For I will dearly love the Man
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if he could fancy me.
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So now you know my mind,
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although my Mother chide,
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A Husband I must have,
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whatever me betide.
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