The Beautiful SHEPHERDESS of ARCADIA:
A new Pastoral Song of a courteous young Knight, and a supposed Shepherd's Daughter of
Arcadia, in Peloponnesus. To the Tune of, The Shepherd's Daughter, etc.
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THere was a Shepherd's Daughter
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came tripping on the way,
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And there she met a courteous Knight,
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which caused her to stay:
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Sing trang dildo lee.
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Good-morrow to you beauteous Maid,
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these words pronounced he,
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O I shall dye this day, he said,
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if I've not my wi[l]l of thee:
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Sing trang, etc.
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The Lord forbid, the Maid reply'd,
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that such a thing should be,
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That ever such a courteous Knight
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should dye for love of me:
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Sing trang, etc.
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He took her about the middle so small,
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and laid her on the plain,
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And after he had got his will,
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he took her up again:
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Sing trang, etc.
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Now you have had your will, kind Sir,
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and put my body to shame,
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Even as you are a courteous Knight,
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tell me what is your name?
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Sing trang, etc.
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Some do call me Jack, Sweet-heart,
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and some do call me John,
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But when I come to the King's fair court,
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they call me Sweet William:
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Sing trang, etc.
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He set his foot into the stirrup,
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and away then he did ride;
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She tuckt her girdle about her middle,
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and ran close by his side:
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Sing trang, etc.
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But when she came to the broad water,
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she set her breast and swam,
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And when she was got out again,
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she took her heels and ran:
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Sing trang, etc.
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He never was the courteous Knight
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to say, Fair Maid will you ride?
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Nor she was never so loving a Maid
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to say, Sir Knight abide:
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Sing trang, etc.
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When she came to the King's fair court,
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she knocked at the ring,
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So ready was the King himself
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to let this fair Maid in:
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Sing trang, etc.
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O Christ save you, my gracious Liege,
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your body Christ save and see,
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You have a Knight within your court
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this day hath robbed me:
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Sing trang, etc.
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What hath he robbed thee of, Sweet-heart,
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of purple or of pall?
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Or hath he took thy gay gold ring
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from off thy finger small?
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Sing trang, etc.
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He hath not robbed me, my Liege,
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of purple or of pall,
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But he hath got my maiden-head,
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which grieves me worst of all:
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Sing trang, etc.
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Now if he be a batchelor
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his body i'll give to thee,
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But if he be a married man
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high hanged shall he be:
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Sing trang, etc.
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He called down his merry men all
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by one, by two and by three;
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Sweet William us'd to be the first,
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but now the last comes he:
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Sing trang, etc.
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He brought her down full forty pound
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ty'd up within a glove,
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Fair Maid, I give the same to thee,
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and seek another love:
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Sing trang, etc.
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Oh, i'll have none of your gold, she said,
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nor i'll have none of your fee,
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But I must have your fair body,
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the King hath given me:
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Sing trang, etc.
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Sweet William ran and fetcht her then
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five hundred pound in gold,
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Saying, Fair Maid take this to thee,
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thy fault will never be told:
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Sing trang, etc.
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'Tis not thy gold that shall me tempt,
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these words then answered she;
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But I must have your own body,
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so the King hath granted me:
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Sing trang, etc.
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Would I had drank the fair water,
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when I did drink the wine,
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That ever any Shepherd's Daughter
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should be a fair Lady of mine:
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Sing trang dildo lee.
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Would I had drank the puddle water,
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when I did drink the ale,
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That ever any Shepherd's Daughter
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should have told me such a tale:
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Sing trang, etc.
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A Shepherd's Daughter as I was,
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you might have let me be,
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I'd ne'r a come to the King's fair court
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to have crav'd any love of thee:
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Sing trang, etc.
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He set her on a milk-white steed,
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and himself upon a gray,
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He hung a bugle about his neck,
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and so they rode away:
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Sing trang, etc.
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But when they came unto the place
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where marriage-rites was done,
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She prov'd herself a Duke's Daughter,
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and he but a Squire's Son:
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Sing trang, etc.
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Now you have married me, Sir Knight,
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your pleasures will be free;
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If you make me Lady of one good town,
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i'll make thee Lord of three:
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Sing trang etc.
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Accursed be the gold, he said,
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if thou hadst not been true,
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That should a parted thee from me,
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to have chang'd thee for a new:
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Sing trang, etc.
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Their hearts being so linked fast,
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and joyned hand in hand,
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He had both purse and person too,
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and all at his command:
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Sing trang dildo lee.
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