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EBBA 35960

Beinecke Library - Michell-Jolliffe
Ballad XSLT Template
Love in a MAZE;
OR, The Young-man put to his Dumps.
Here in this Song you may behold and see
A gallant Girl obtain'd by Wit and Honesty;
All you that hear my Song, and mark it but aright,
Will say true love's worth gold, and breeds delight.
To a pleasant New Tune, called, The true Lovers delight; Or, The Cambridge Horn.

LAte in the Morning as I abroad was walking,
All in a meadow green, I heard two Lovers talking;
With kisses sweet the young-man her saluted,
Then I d[r]ew near to hear what they disputed:
Then I drew near to hear what they disputed.

Young-man.
Fair Maid, quoth he, this merry morning,
P[r]esent one smile to me, and be no longer scorning;
Him who hath vow'd to be thine own forever,
O say but to me, Our Loves shall never sever:
O say but to me, etc.

maid.
Indeed Sir, quoth she, it is a misty morning,
But I would have you know I always hated scorning;
And as for love, as yet I mean to smother.
I know not one as yet I love better than another.
I know not, etc.

Young-man.
[True-lo]ve sweet-heart, quod he, if e're you chance to know it
[It cann]ot smothered be, but at last you'l show it;
[The first] time I beheld thy sweet and comely carriage,
[I ever sin]ce desired that we were joyn'd in marriage:
[I ever si]nce, etc.

maid.
[Love Sir,] quoth she, is like a Fishers Angle,
[Which oft] hath golden baits silly maidens to intangle,
[Are cunning]ly cast out by young mens false inventions
[Then marri]age they'll pretend where 'tis not their in-tentions.
then marriage, etc.

Young-man.
[O 'tis so, my] Dear, true love is like a Fountain
[That casts out] water clear out of a Rocky Mountain,
[Whose stream] for to stop you'll say it is a wonder,
[Likewise 'tis as] strange to cleave the Rocks in sunder:
[Likewise, etc.]

Such is my love to thee, and shall be ever,
No unconstant thoughts or fickle mind can sever
My heart from thee, which always shall be bringing
Fountains clear & fresh, that from true love is springing:
Fountains clear, etc.

maid.
Your comparison, said she, I must confess is witty,
To stop the stream of true love it were a pitty;
But your heart you compare indeed to rocky mountains
Fo[r] stony oft they are, and cast out several Fountains.
For stony, etc.

As from some Fountain several streams are running,
So many feigned loves you oft have by your cunning;
'Tis hard to pierce your flinty heart asunder,
And stop your fickle streams, it is a wonder:
And stop, etc.

Young-man.
Fie, fie, sweet-heart, your wit doth over-match me,
No words I can impart, but presently you catch me:
You Maidens now each day do grow so coy and witty,
Let young-men beg & pray, you'll take of them no pitty.
Let young-men, etc.

maid.
Fie, away for shame, you young-men can dissemble,
Your wits are ripe, your tongues are quick and nimble;
Indeed you'll beg & pray sometime to get your pleasure,
Then leave us in the lurch, & we may repent at leisure.
Then leave, etc.

Young-man.
Confest it is, there's many are so minded,
But if thou would'st prove my constancy, thou'lt find it,
Do thou but command, through danger I will enter,
And for to gain thy love, through an army I wou'd venter
And for, etc.

SWeet-heart i'd have you know I never cou'd dissemble
And my complements are slow, my tongue was never nimble;
'Tis none but loyal love that makes me come unto thee
It is not for thy wealth but vertue that I love thee.
It is not, etc.

With that a Bush of May this lovely Maid espyed,
Near to a bank of Time, whereto she quickly hyed,
Down she pluckt the May that was so green and tender
& up she pluckt the Time with her pretty arms so slender
and up she pluckt, etc.

She stuck the bush of May in Time, and did present it
Unto this young-man, which was soon discontented;
Here, Sir, quoth she, if that you will be eased,
Read but this Riddle, Sir, perhaps you may be pleased.
Read but, etc.

Young-man.
He took it from her hand and receiv'd it as a token,
Then in a dump did stand, & never a word was spoken;
Blushing, then at last he modestly replyed,
Your Riddle I can read, Love, and shall not be denied.
your Riddle, etc.

This May stuck in Time, which is to me presenting,
Shews that I may in time gain your love & contenting
Which if I may, I'll stay your time and leisure,
No time I'll think too long, so at last I gain the treasure
no time, etc.

He took her by the hand, and lovingly they walked,
Being ty'd in Cupids bands, most amorously they talked
They on each other smil'd, with interchanging kisses,
O 'tis pitty time beguil'd such lovers of their blisses.
O 'tis pitty, etc.

Perhaps, sweet Sir, you by this Riddle reading,
May think you gained me by little or no perswading,
Which if you did, it is yet at my pleasure,
I am not bound to you yet, but you must stay my leisure.
I am not, etc.

Then let this heart which in this breast lies panting,
No happiness e're see, but let joys be ever wanting;
If e're I think an evil thought upon thee,
Let mirth be banisht quite, and sorrow wait upon me.
let mirth, etc.

If it be so, quoth she, thou bearest such true affecti[on,]
Hereafter I'll agree to be rul'd by thy direction;
No friend shall sever or break our loves asunder,
For loyal loving hearts will be the worlds wonder[.]
for loyal, etc.

The Time that late was mine to thee shall be prese[nted]
A[l]l that I have is thine then rest thyself contented
Thy gallant wit, thy modesty and carriage,
Hath won my heart, we will be joyn'd in marriage
hath won, etc.

Young-man.
He took her at her word, and modestly replyed,
Short time I will afford, long time shall be denyed
This being the first of May, our hearts being joyn'[d and] w[edded]
Before the fifth day in wedlock we'll be bedded.
before, etc.

Five hundred pound with this maiden he obtaine[d]
On marriage day was pay'd, which by his wit he g[aind,]
Altho' no means he had, she never a whit repented,
He was a gallant Lad, and she was well contented
he was, etc.

Now all you pritty maids that live in Town or C[ity]
The Author you perswades to learn from this his [ditty,]
If a young man you love, look not then for his tr[easure]
For if he honest prove, in him is wealth and pleas[ure.]
for if, etc.

You young-men I'll perswade to hear my m[otion,]
For if you affect a Maid, regard not then her por[tion]
Hang ten pounds, give me the Lass that loves me
If a good wife thou'st found, no joy on earth's above [thee]
if a good, etc.

Young-men and maids that lately went a Maying
Mark the Nightingale, one tune he's always pla[ying,]
Jug, jug, jug, sweet, is all the note she singeth,
as when loyal lovers meet, no double tongues they bri[ngeth.]
as when, etc.

All you pritty Maids that are civil in your carri[age,]
This Song is sent to you to be wary in your marri[age,]
Try before you trust, be careful in consenting,
That when the knot is ty'd there may be no repen[ting,]
that when the knot is ty'd, there may be no repen[ting.]


FINIS.
Printed for W. Thackeray at the Angel in Duck Lane, J.M. and A.M.

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