Curiosities of Street Literature. Various

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СКАЧАТЬ the pleasant groves they walk’d,

      And vallies where the lambs do play,

      Sweet pleasant tales of love they talk’d,

      To pass away the summer day.

      My charming lovely Susan, said he,

      See how the pleasant flowers spring,

      The pretty birds on every tree,

      With melody the groves doth ring.

      I nothing want for to delight

      My soul, but those sweet charms of thine,

      My heart is fix’d, therefore my dear,

      Like the turtle-dove let us combine,

      Let me embrace my heart’s delight,

      Within this pleasant bower here;

      This bank of violets for our bed,

      Shaded with these sweet roses fair,

      She said, what can you mean, I pray,

      I am a farmer’s daughter born.

      What signifies my beauty bright,

      A trifle, when my honour’s gone.

      My parents they will me disdain,

      Young virgins they will me deride,

      Oh! do not prove my overthrow,

      If you love me stay till your bride.

      Sweet angel bright, I here do vow,

      By all the powers that are divine,

      I’ll ne’er forsake my dearest dear,

      The girl that does my soul confine.

      And if that you will me deny,

      This sword shall quickly end my woe,

      Then from her arms he ran straightway

      In fury, out his sword he drew.

      Her hands as white as lilies fair,

      Most dreadfully she then did wring

      She said, my death’s approaching near,

      Would I pity take and comfort him

      It only brings my fatal fall,

      ’Tis I who must receive the wound

      The crimson dye forsook her cheeks,

      At his feet she dropp’d upon the ground.

      Thus innocence he did betray,

      Full sore against her chaste desire;

      True love is a celestial charm,

      The flame of lust a raging fire.

      But when her senses did revive,

      He many vows and oaths did make,

      That he’d for ever true remain,

      Her company would not forsake.

      Now virgins in the second part,

      Observe this maiden’s fatal end,

      When once your virtue is betray’d,

      You’ve nothing young men will commend.

      After the traitor had his will

      He never did come near her more,

      And from her eyes both day and night,

      For his sake the crystal tears did pour,

      Into a mournful valley she crossed,

      Would often wander all alone,

      And for the jewel she had lost

      In the bower would often mourn.

      Oh! that I were some pretty bird,

      That I might fly to hide my shame;

      O silly maid, for to believe

      The fair delusions of a man.

      The harmless lamb that sports and plays,

      The turtle’s constant to his mate,

      Nothing so wretched is as I,

      To love a man that does me hate.

      I will to him a letter send,

      Remind him of the oaths he made

      Within that shady bower, where

      My tender heart he first betray’d.

      Her trembling hand a letter wrote,

      My dearest dear, what must I do?

      Alas! what have I done, that I

      Forsaken am now by you!

      I could have wedded a worthy farmer,

      Who little knows my misery;

      I did forsake a wealthy grazier,

      All for the love I bore to thee.

      And now my little infant dear

      Will quickly spread abroad my shame,

      One line of comfort to me send,

      E’er I am by your cruelty slain.

      This answer he to her did send,

      Your insolence amazes me,

      To think that I should marry one

      With whom, before, I have been free.

      Indeed I’ll not a father be

      Unto a bastard you shall bear,

      So take no further thought of me,

      No more from you pray let me hear.

      When she this letter did receive,

      She СКАЧАТЬ