True Love Requited:
Or, The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington.
The young-man's Friends the Maid did scorn,
'Cause she was poor and left forlorn;
They sent the Esquire to London fair,
To be an Apprentice seven year.
And when he out on's time was come,
He met his Love a going home,
And then to end all farther strife,
He took the Maid to be his Wife.
To a North-Country Tune. Or, I have a good old Mother at home.
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THere was a youth, and a well-belov'd youth
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and he was a Esquires Son;
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He loved the Bayliffs daughter dear
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that lived in Islington.
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She was coy, and she would not believe
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that he did love her so;
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No, nor at any time she would
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any countenance to him shew.
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But when his friends did understand
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his fond and foolish mind,
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They sent him up to fair London
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an Apprentice for to bind.
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And when he had been seven long years
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and his Love he had not seen,
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Many a tear have I shed for her sake
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when she little thought of me.
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All the Maids of Islington
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went forth to sport and play;
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All but the Bayliffs Daughter dear,
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she secretly stole away.
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She put off her Gown of gray,
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and put on her puggish Attire;
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She's up to fair London gone
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her true Love to require.
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As she went along the Road,
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the weather being hot and dry,
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There was she aware of her true Love,
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at length came riding by.
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She stept to him as red as any Rose,
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and took him by the Bridal Ring,
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I pray you kind Sir give me one penny
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to ease my weary Limb.
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I prithee sweetheart canst thou tell me
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where that thou wast born?
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At Islington kind Sir, said she,
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where I have had many a scorn.
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I prithee sweet-heart canst thou tell me
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whether thou dost know
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The Bailiffs Daughter of Islington?
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she's dead, Sir, long ago.
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Then will I sell my goodly Steed,
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my Saddle, and my Bow,
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I will into some far Country,
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where no man doth me know.
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O stay, O stay, thou goodly Youth
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she's alive, she is not dead;
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Here she standeth by thy side,
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and is ready to be thy Bride:
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O farewell grief, and welcome joy,
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ten thousand times and more;
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For now I have seen my own true Love,
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that I thought I should have seen no more.
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