The Master-piece of Love-songs:
A Dialogue betwixt a bold KEEPER and a LADY gay,
He woo'd his LORD's Daught[e]r, and carried the day;
But soon after Marriage was forc'd for to fight,
With his Lord and s[i]x Gentl[e]men, for his own Right;
He cut them, and hew'd them, and paid them with blows,
And mad[e] them his Friends, that before were his Foes.
To the Tune of, The Week before Easter, the Day's long and clear, etc.
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IT was a bold Keeper
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that chased the deer,
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Of a stouter bold spirit
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you never did hear,
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And he loved a Lady
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of beauty most clear,
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And now you shall hear of his wooing:
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Keeper.] O pitty fair Lady,
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the suit which I move,
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For I'm deep in affection,
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and tossed in love;
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For you are the Lady,
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the turtle, and dove,
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Whereon I have cast my affection.
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Lady] O Keeper forbear,
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I shall thus answer thee,
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I am a match for a Lord
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of a high degree;
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For my birth and yours
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they not equal be,
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Therefore Keeper forbear your wooing.
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K] This repulse it maketh
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me sadly to grieve;
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And true 'tis we all came
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from Adam and Eve,
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One loving word to my life
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is a reprieve,
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Tho I am linked fast in Cupids prison.
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L.] O why should you say
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you'r a prisoner to me;
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O hold, forbear Keeper,
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for that may not be:
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We both may have matches
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fitter for each degree;
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Then forbear, and take this for an an-swer.
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K.] No, not for an answer,
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that I shall it take,
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And yet this denial,
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makes my heart to ake;
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And I shall lay down
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my iife at the stake,
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T'obtain the favour of my Lady.
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L.] It is a meer madness
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your life to lay down,
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What will people say?
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an end of a clown,
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'That past many dangers
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fortune did frown,
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And now died a petended lover.
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K.] The name of a clown
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in my heart I do scorn,
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Being nobly descended,
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and a gentleman born:
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Yet I am a Keeper
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that must be forlorn,
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Except you can love me fair Lady.
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L.] Well Keeper, I perceive
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thou hast a good heart,
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Well thou art com-
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pacted in every part:
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If my Lord did know,
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we should both suffer smart
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My father would be so offended.
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K.] Lady if you will consent
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to be my bride,
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I will gird my sword
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and buckler by my side,
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And then to the Church
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in private we'll ride,
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Where we will be married fair Lady.
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She then gave consent,
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and away they did ride,
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The valiant bold Keeper,
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and his lovely bride,
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Not fearing of danger
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whatever betide.
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For she was a valliant young Lady.
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Being married, he returned
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back speedily,
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And riding along
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her father did espy:
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Alack, quoth the Lady,
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one or both shall dye.
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Fear nothing, quoth the Keeper, fair Lady.
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The Lord he came posting
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so fast as he could hie;
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And six lusty gentlemen
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for company:
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Quoth he to the Keeper
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Villain thou shalt dye,
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For deluding away my fair daughter.
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Come on, quoth the Keeper,
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no time to prattle,
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I see by your swords
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you'r prepar'd for battle:
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With his sword and buckler
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he made them to rattle:
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The Lady did hold the horse for the Keeper.
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He cut them and hew'd them
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on the place he did stand:
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O then, quoth the Lord,
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bold Keeper hold thy hand.
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If you'll give your daughter
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thirty thousand in land,
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You shall not dye by the hand of the Keeper.
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Keeper, quoth the Lady,
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too small a portion.
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Peace, quoth the Lord, daughter
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let your will be done;
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I will love thy husband,
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and thee ever own.
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Thus a Keeper gained a fair Lady.
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