A New merry Dialogue betweene John and Bessee
The two lusty brave Lovers of the Country.
Or, a couragious way of Wooing.
The Young-man very willing was to marry,
The Maid was loath a longer time to tarrie,
But when this couple were agreed
They married were with all the speed,
Then list and I will plainly tell
How everything in order fell.
The tune is, sweet George I love thee,
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I Am a Batchelour bold and brave,
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sweet Besse now I come to thee,
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Thy love is the thing that I doe crave,
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which makes me thus for to wooe thee:
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My heart is inflamed with Cupids hot fire,
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One drop of thy mercy to coole I desire,
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If thou wilt but grant unto what I require,
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I vow no harme to doe thee.
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Ever since the first time that I did thee see,
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faire Besse now I come to thee,
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My heart and affection was linked to thee,
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which makes me thus for to wooe thee:
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And now I am come for to tell thee my mind,
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As true loves strong fettered chains doth me bind,
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If thou unto me wilt be courteous and kind,
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I vow no harme for to doe thee.
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Ile buy thee silk Ribbons, ile buy the gold Rings
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sweet Besse now I come to thee,
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Black-bag and silk Apron and other rare things,
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see now how I doe wooe thee:
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New gown and new petticoat, new hose & shooes,
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A new beaver Hat the best that I can chuse,
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Prethee Love doe not my proffers refuse,
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all this good will I doe thee.
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Thou shalt have thy servants on thee to atten
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sweet Besse now I come to thee,
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My purse and my person thy life shall defend,
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my suit is still for to wooe thee,
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My goods & my substance my house and my land,
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My mind and my sences my heart and my hand.
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Thou shalt every houre have at thy command.
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all this good I will doe to thee.
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Thou shalt have varieties what thou wilt wish,
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sweet Besse now I come to thee,
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Served in at thy Table of Flesh and of Fish,
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my suit is still for to wooe thee,
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Thou shalt have larks, chickens, hens capon or coney,
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And any fine fare that can be bought for money
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If thoul't be my True-love, my Joy & my Honey,
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all this I will doe for thee.
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More-over a faithfull promise I make,
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sweet Besse now I come to thee,
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Whilst breath's in my body ile not thee forsake,
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as suro as now I doe wooe thee:
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Then prethee faire Besse ease me of my paine,
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And doe not repay my true love with disdain,
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But as I have lov'd thee so love me againe,
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and Ile be faithfull unto thee.
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The second Part, to the same tune
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KInd John I protest thou art welcome to me,
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since thou art come for to wooe me;
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Ten thousand to one but wee two shall agree,
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now thou com'st lovingly to me,
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Thy love and thy labour is not lost in vaine,
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For thus in few words I will tell thee here plain,
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If thou com'st at midnight ile thee entertaine,
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I know no harme thoul't doe me.
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I have kept my maiden-head twenty long yeare,
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before you come to wooe me,
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And many a brave gallant that loved me deare,
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made suite often unto me:
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But I for my own part could love never a man,
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Let them use the chiefest of skill that they can,
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Untill the time came that I met with my John,
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I know no harme thoul't doe me.
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You promis[']d me gold and you promis'd me fee,
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when you came first for to wooe me,
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Because that I your true Lover should be,
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these knacks you proffered unto me:
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You promis'd me scarffs & you promis'd me rings,
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Silk gown and silk apron and many brave things,
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The which to my presence much comfort it brings,
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I know much good you will doe me.
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Gay garments are good sir of which I except,
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now you so lovingly wooe me,
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Your Silver is better I doe it respect,
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both those are welcome unto me,
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But your proper person exceeds all the rest,
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For you are the creature that I doe love best
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I had rather have you then have gold in my chest,
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for I know no harme you[']l doe me.
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To bind up the bargaine and finish the strife,
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seeing you came hither to wooe me,
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I prethee come quickly and make me thy wife,
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I know no harme you'l doe me,
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And when wee art married thou shalt have thy will
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To clip and to kisse and to use thine own will,
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I am thine own true love and so will be still,
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now I come merrily to thee.
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This lusty young couple being joyntly agreed,
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when he came for to wooe her,
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To Church then they went and were married with speed,
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then he bravely came to her:
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Together they went as True-lovers should,
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He gave her gay garments & rings of rich Gold,
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And when they their tales had so pleasantly told,
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he did no harme unto her.
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