The amorous Lady's GARLAND,
Shewing how a young Lady going with her maid to St. James's Market fell
in Love with a young butcher, who desir'd him to walk with her into St. James's
Park, after some discourse they both agreed to be married the next morning.
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YOung men & pretty maidens,
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be pleas'd to lend an ear,
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'Tis of a charming Lady,
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that lov'd a young man dear;
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She was a merchants daughter,
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of beauty fair and clear;
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And he a pretty butcher,
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this Lady lov'd him dear.
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As through St. Jamess Market,
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this Lady she did go,
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She spy'd this charming butcher,
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attir'd like a beau;
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Young cupid let his arrow fly,
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while gazing thus she stood,
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The butcher being brisk and gay,
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and in a mery mood.
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He took her by the charming hand,
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saying Lady what dy'e buy,
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The best of ware I hear have got,
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the Lady did reply,
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The meat you have is fresh & good
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and charming to behold;
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But something else i'd have, if I
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could purchase it with gold.
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What is it pretty Lady,
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I pray now let me hear,
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Alth' my Ware is so good,
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it is not very dear;
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The Lady smil'd to hear him
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thus merrily to talk,
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And so into St. Jamess Park,
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this couple strait did walk.
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And to break her troubled mind,
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the Lady did begin;
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Kind sir I hope you'll pardon me,
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for love's tormenting sting,
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Has pierc'd my heart in twain,
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you that I adore;
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I am a merchants daughter bright,
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i've gold and silver store.
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And can'st thou love a butcher,
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thou charming Lady bright,
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O God's! that brought this lovely creature
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this day unto my sight
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Unite us both with happiness,
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let me enjoy the fair:
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Sweet Lady come into my arms,
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and never more despair.
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With that I did presume to kiss
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her ruby lips so sweet,
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And then we promis'd each other,
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next morning for to meet;
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According to our promises,
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it likewise was perform'd,
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And with the happy nuptual writer
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this Lady was adorn'd.
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She had a trusty servant,
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which all the matter knew,
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Who solemnly protested,
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to us she would be true:
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And in the dead time of the night,
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she brought me to my dear,
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To revel in the bay of love,
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with my own charming fair.
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We kept the matter secret,
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till twenty weeks was past:
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My lovely creature did begin
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to thicken in the waist:
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Her mother quickly spy'd the same
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and told her husband dear,
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Saying alas! she is with child,
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my jewel I do fear.
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So sending for their daughter,
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they thus to her did say,
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Tell us with whom you have been fooling,
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daughter dear I pray;
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For I perceive you are with child,
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let not the father know,
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We'll make him curse the very time
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he serv'd our daughter so.
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My maid and I to Market went,
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to them she did reply;
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You bid me buy the best of meat,
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you cannot it deny;
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There was a youthful butcher.
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I like his Ware so well,
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Of it I made a hearty meal,
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which made my belly swell.
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You are a pretty Lady,
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her father then did say,
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And as for Mistress Betty,
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come quit my service pray;
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But first go fetch the butcher,
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e'er i'll your wages pay,
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I'll make the rogue to marry her,
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so Betty went her way.
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And going to the butcher,
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she unto him did say,
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Come lay aside your knife & steel,
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this minute come away,
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And answer for the deed you've done
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my master he does swear
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He'll make you for to marry
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my charming Lady fair.
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He soon came to her father,
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the old man thus began,
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I pray what sort of meat was that,
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you sold my daughter, when
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You made her belly thus to swell,
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in such a dismal sort,
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Indeed young man it was not well,
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and you shall suffer for't.
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Here take the harlot quite away,
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and marry her with speed,
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One farthing of her portion
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she shall not have indeed;
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Why then I will not have her,
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the butcher did reply,
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With that the Lady hung her head,
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and bitterly did cry.
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So then the mother she did say,
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dear husband now i pray,
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We would give her, her portion
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if that she marry'd were;
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No, I will have the money down
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e'er I to Church do go,
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The old man sigh'd & shook his head
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well, since it must be so.
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Seven thousand pounds i'll give her
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but thus it shall be done,
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The Minister he shall come hear,
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You away shall run;
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He having got the money,
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he fell upon his knees,
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Likewise the Youthful Lady,
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saying, father if You please.
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To grant us both Your blessing,
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for we've already Wed,
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Her aged parents wept for joy,
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their grief soon vanished;
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He blest his son and daughter,
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saying, rise my children dear;
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And strait he settled on them both
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five hundred pounds a Year.
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Now Lovers all, you plainly see,
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what cupid can do,
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There's nothing like the Lovers
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that constant are and true;
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Blame not my charming creature,
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because she courted me,
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This being Leap-year, the maidens fair
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to court indeed are free.
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