The Crafty Maid:
OR,
The young Man put to his Trumps.
He did begin to Wooe this Maid
But she not believed one word he said;
She put him off then, with a Jear,
And sent him away with a Flea in's Ear.
To the Tune of The Despairing Maid: or, Fye Love, fye.
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IN Moor-fields one Evening Tide,
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A pretty couple there I espy'd,
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A dainty young Man and a Lass,
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But you shall hear what came to pass,
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He strait began to court this Maid,
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And thought her heart for to betray:
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But she would not yield to his Desire,
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As by the Story you shall hear.
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To Complement he did begin,
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The Maid's Affection for to win,
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With Speeches fair he did intreat,
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And often said his Heart would break.
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Quoth he, I am my Father's Heir,
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And have Threescore pound a year;
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I will maintain you gallantly,
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If thou wilt yield my Bride to be.
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Therefore I pray you be not coy,
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For thou shalt be my only Joy,
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If thou deniest thou wilt break my Heart;
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For did'st thou feel the deadly smart
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Which I sustain both day and night
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For thee, which art my Hearts delight;
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Therefore my Dearest pity me,
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Or I shall dye for love of thee.
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The Maid.
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Good Sir I thank you for your Love,
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Of your Discourse I don't approve;
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For many nowadays I see,
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Do bring themselves to Poverty,
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By Marrying whilst they are so young,
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But I'll not do myself such wrong;
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Therefore forbear, thy Suit's in vain,
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I will not Marry I tell ye plain.
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You say you have Threescore pound a year,
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What if thou hast, I do not care,
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I knew those that had three times more,
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And spent it all upon a Whore,
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And so may thou for ought I know,
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For all you make so fair a Show,
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Then be content, and do not prate,
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For fear that I should break thy pate.
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The young Man.
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The young Man standing in amaze,
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And on the Maid did strangely gaze,
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At last he made her this Reply,
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And unto her these words did say:
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What ails thee for to be so cross?
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In troth I like thee worse and worse,
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Of all the Maids that e'er I see,
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I never heard the like of thee.
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Sweet-heart believe me, or else chuse,
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I'd have thee know I am none of those,
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That spend my means upon a Whore,
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Or run upon the Ale-wives Score;
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No I will better be advised,
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It's good to be merry and wise;
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For Friends I see are very scant,
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If that a Man do's come to want.
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Maid.
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My Friend, quoth she, what you have said,
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Is not half true, I am afraid;
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I cannot think you're so precise,
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One may see plainly by your Eyes;
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Your Hair is of the Colour right,
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To cozen Maids is your delight;
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But thou shalt ne'er prove false to me,
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Or I will ne'er prove true to thee;
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Therefore forbear my Company,
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And henceforth come not me a nigh,
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For I am not resolved to Wed,
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Nor yet to loose my Maiden-head:
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A single Life is void of Care,
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For married Wives must pinch and spare,
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There Charge for to maintain I see,
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Therefore a single Life for me.
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The Man.
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Seeing thou provest so unkind,
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I am resolved to change my mind;
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A hundred pound I have in store,
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And Threescore pound a year more,
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If I can find an honest Girl,
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I'll prize her more than Gold or Pearl,
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And she shall live a Ladies Life,
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After she's Maid my wedded Wife.
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And so farewell, thou scornfull Dame,
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In time thou mayest repent the same,
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That thou to me didst prove untrue,
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In time thou mayest have cause to rue;
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Before that I will Marry thee,
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I'll hang myself upon a Tree,
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Rather I'll give my Wealth and Store,
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To one that begs from door to door.
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The Maid.
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Farewell, be gone, thou sawcy Jack,
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With thy Wealth and Money prithee pack,
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My Portion is an hundred pound,
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In Silver, and in good Gold so round,
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Besides my Mother she doth cry,
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I shall have all when she doth dye,
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Then what need I care for thy Wealth?
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Even as thou sayest, go hang thyself.
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For I am resolved as I begun
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To end, and so conclude my Song,
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A single Life I hold it best,
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And thereon still my mind is prest;
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For Marriage brings Sorrow and Care,
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So in it I'll not bear a share,
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Since young Men are so fickle grown,
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I am resolved to hold my own.
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So Maids of you I'll take my leave,
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Let no false young Men you deceive,
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For many they are hard to trust,
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Scarce one in twenty proveth just:
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I for my own part will advise
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All Maids henceforth for to be wise,
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And have a care who you do wed,
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For fear you bring a Knave to Bed.
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