The Master-piece of Love-songs:
A Dialogue betwixt a bold KEEPER and a LADY gay,
He woo'd his LORD's Daughter, and carried the day;
But soon after Marriage was forc'd for to fight,
With his Lord and six Gentlemen, for his own Right;
He cut them, and hew'd them, and paid them with blows,
And made them his Friends, that before were his Foes.
To the Tune of, The Week before Easter, the Day's long and clear, etc.
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IT was a bold keeper
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that chased the deer,
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Of a stouter bold spirit
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you never did hear,
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And he loved a Lady
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of beauty most clear.
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And now you shall hear of his wooing:
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Keeper.] O pitty fair Lady,
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the suit which I move,
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For I'm deep in affection,
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and tossed in love;
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For you are the Lady,
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the turtle, and dove,
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Whereon I have cast my affection.
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Lady.] O Keeper forbear,
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I shall thus answer thee,
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I am a match for a Lord
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of a high degree;
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For my birth and yours
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they not equal be,
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Therefore Keeper forbear your wooing.
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K] This repulse it maketh
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me sadly to grieve;
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And true 'tis we all came
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from Adam and Eve,
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One loving word to my life
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is a reprieve,
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Tho I am linked fast in Cupids prison.
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L.] O why should you say
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you'r a prisoner to me;
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O hold, forbear Keeper,
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for that may not be:
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We both may have matches
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fitter for each degree;
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Then forbear, and take this for an an-swer.
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K.] No, not for an answer,
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that I shall it take,
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And yet this denial
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makes my heart to ake;
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And I shall lay down
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my life at the stake,
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T'obtain the favour of my Lady.
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L.] It is a meer madness
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your life to lay down,
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What will people say?
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an end of a clown,
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'That past many dangers
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fortune did frown,
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And now died a petended lover.
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K.] The name of a clown
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in my heart I do scorn,
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Being nobly descended,
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and a gentleman born:
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Yet I am a Keeper
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that must be forlorn,
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Except you can love me fair Lady.
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L.] Well Keeper, I perceive
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thou hast a good heart,
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Well thou art come
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pacted in every part:
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If my Lord did know,
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we should both suffer smart.
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My father would be so offended.
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K.] Lady if you will consent
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to be my bride,
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I will gird my sword
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and buckler by my side,
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And then to the Church
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in private we'll ride,
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Where we will be married fair Lady.
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She then gave consent,
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and away they did ride,
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The valiant bold Keeper,
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and his lovely bride,
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Not fearing of danger
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whatever betide,
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For she was a vallian[t] young Lady.
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Being married, he returned
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back speedily,
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And riding along
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her father did espy:
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Alack, quoth the Lady,
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one or both shall dye.
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Fear nothing, quoth the Keeper, fair Lady.
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The Lord he came posting
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so fast as he could hie;
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And six lusty gentlemen
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for company:
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Quoth he to the Keeper,
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Villain thou shalt dye,
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For deluding away my fair daughter.
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Come on, quoth the Keeper,
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no time to prattle,
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I see by your swords
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you'r prepar'd for battle:
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With his sword and buckler
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he made them to rattle:
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The Lady did hold the horse for the Keeper.
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He cut them and hew'd them
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on the place he did stand:
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O then, quoth the Lord,
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bold Keeper hold thy hand.
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If you'll give your daughter
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thirty thousand in land,
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You shall not dye by the hand of the Keeper.
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Keeper, quoth the Lady,
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too small a portion.
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Peace, quoth the Lord, daughter
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let your will be done;
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I will love thy husband,
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and thee ever own.
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Thus a Keeper gained a fair Lady.
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