The True-Lovers Holidaies:
OR,
The Wooing, Winning, and Wedding of a fair Damosel; performed by a lusty Souldier, being one of the
Auxiliaries.
The Souldier Woo'd the Maid with words most kind,
She Answered him according to his mind.
To the Tune of, Nobody else shall plunder but I.
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MY sweetest, my fairest,
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My rarest, my dearest,
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Come sit thee down by me and let's chat a while,
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It doth my heart good, when
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I see thee most nearest,
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That we with pleasant talk the sad times may beguile
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If thou'lt have the patience to stay in this Bower,
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That I may discourse with thee just half an hour,
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I'le shew thee a Ticket from Cupids Commision,
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Which Venus set hand to, upon this condition,
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that nobody else shall enjoy thee but I.
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the Summer is come,
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and the time is in season,
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That each pretty bird have made choise of his Mate,
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now I being a young man
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of judgement and reason,
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Have cause to be doing e're time's out of date,
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Hark, hark how I hear the sweet Nightingals verses
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Whose ecchoes records what true-lovers rehearses;
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The true-hearted Turtle-Doves now are a billing,
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And so will I do my Love, if thou art willing
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that nobody else shall enjoy thee but I.
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I pray thee Love leave me not,
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though I am a Souldier,
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And want skill in wooing to deal with a Maid;
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yet if thou wilt kisse me,
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and make me the bolder,
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Mark well and consider what here shall be said,
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My hand and my sword shall from danger defend thee,
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My purse and my person shall stoutly attend thee;
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I'l buy thee a new kirtle, wrought wastcoat & beaver
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A dainty silk Apron, my minde shall not waver,
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So nobody else shall enjoy thee but I.
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if thou wilt consent, that
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things shall be so carried,
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Before this day fortnight I'l make thee my wife,
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and we in the Church will
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be lawfully married,
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So shalt thou live bravely all dayes of thy life;
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Thou shalt have thy servants to wait on thy leisure,
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thy purse shall be cram'd with gold crowns, & rich tre-sure
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Nothing shall be wanting that I can procure thee,
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So thou wilt be constant and thus much assure me,
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that nobody else shall enjoy thee but I.
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make answer sweet hony
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to what I have spoken
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That I may the better know whereon to trust,
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receive this Gold Ring
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as an eminent token,
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My love shall be permanent, loyal and just;
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One lovely look from thee, for aye will revive me,
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But a frown of thine will of life streight deprive me,
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Then answer me kindly at this time dear sweeting,
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That I may finde comfort by this happy meeting,
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and nobody else shall enjoy thee but I.
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The Second Part to the same Tune.
Being the Maids Loving Answer to the Souldier.
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ILe leave all my kindred
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both father and mother,
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My Uncle, my Aunt, and my Grandam also,
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my nearest acquaintance,
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my Sister and Brother,
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For 'tis my desire with a Souldier to go,
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In weal and in woe I will with my Love travel,
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Whilst some at my service and toyle do much marvel
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So long as my life lasts, if fortune will guide me
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I'le march with thee bravely, whatever betide me.
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And I'le be thy true-Love until I dye.
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not the great Ordance
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when they do rattle,
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Shall make me fly from thee, my minde is so stout,
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for when I perceive thee
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preparing for battel,
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I'le closely stick to thee, of that make no doubt,
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and when thou hast drawn thy brave blade to befriend me
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For courage and valour and skill I'le commend thee
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In peace and in warres if thou pleasest to prove me,
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By day and by night thou shalt finde how I love thee,
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I'le still take thy part till the day that I dye.
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moreover sweet Souldier
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thus much I must tell thee,
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When I understood you took mee for your choice,
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It made the very heart of me
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Leap in my belly,
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And all the merry veins in my body rejoyce;
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You also requested of me certain kisses,
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The which you accounted as true-Lovers blisses,
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Instead of one kisse, now I'le give thee full twenty,
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So thou wilt repay me again with like plenty.
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and I'le be thy true love until I do dye.
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this Ring which thou gavest me,
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shall serve for a token,
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I'le keep it for thy sake whiles heaven lends me life,
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the promise betwixt us
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shall never be broken,
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Be thou my sweet Husband, I'le be thy kinde Wife:
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Then serve Cupids warrant upon me and spare not,
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For what thou canst do with thy Ticket I fear not:
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Let Vulcan and Venus with Cupid conspire,
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To kindle Loves fuel, or quench Lovers fire,
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yet I'le love my Souldier until that I dye.
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you said in a fortnight
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that we should be married,
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But I am unwilling to stay for't so long:
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besides in my minde I have
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over much tarried;
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Delayes amongst Lovers doth oftentimes wrong.
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Pray make all things ready 'twixt this and Sunday,
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That we may be married on the next Munday,
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So we in the Holy-days may make us merry,
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With Banquets and Pastimes until we be weary.
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and I'le be thy true-Love until that I dye.
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