The Wooing Lasse, and the Way-ward Lad,
Who long had made his Sweet-heart sad,
Because to her hee would not yeeld,
Till Cupid him to Love compeld.
To the tune of The Nightingale.
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UPon a Holy day,
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When the Nimphs had leave to play,
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I sate unseene
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In a Meddow greene,
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where I heard a Lasse in an angry spleene,
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Perswading of a Swaine
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To leave his drudging vaine,
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and sport with her upon the Plaine.
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But the silly Clowne,
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Did sadly sit him downe:
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And regardlesse of her mone,
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He left her all alone.
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then shee cryd,
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Come away bony Boy,
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Come away;
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I cannot come,
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I will not come,
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I dare not come,
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My workes not done,
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and this was all the Clowne would say.
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Quoth shee thou gentle Swaine,
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Doe not my love disdaine,
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Thou shouldst woe me,
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Now I woe thee,
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let not thy heart so froward bee,
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But yeeld to my request,
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In troth I doe not jest,
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tis thee alone that I love best.
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Yet the simple Asse,
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Respected not the Lasse,
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Hard hearted that he was
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With her he would not passe,
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though shee cryd
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Come away bony Boy, etc.
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I prethee Sweet (she said)
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Regard a Love-sicke Maide,
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Tis thee alone
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Must ease my mone,
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or else I comfort can get none
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O be not so obdure,
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O sit not so demure,
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let me thy love (with prayrs) procure.
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But all in vaine
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She wood the surly Swaine,
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For she could not obtaine,
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His love that shee would faine,
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though shee cryd
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Come away bony Boy, etc.
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Yet still the loving Girle
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Besought the clownish Churle,
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And wood him still,
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For his good will,
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but her successe was alwaies ill,
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For all that painefull while,
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She could not see him smile,
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her troubled thoughts to reconcile.
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The home-bred Lad,
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For skill in loving had,
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He gave her answers bad,
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Which made her very sad:
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yet she cryd
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Come away bony Boy,
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Come away;
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I cannot come,
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I will not come,
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I dare not come,
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My workes not done,
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And this was all the Clowne would say.
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The second part, To the same tune.
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YEt sheed not be answerd so,
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Nor from him would she goe,
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So soone away,
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But shee still made stay,
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to heare more what the Swaine would say.
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O courteous Lad she said,
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Reflect upon a Maid,
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and let me thee to love perswade:
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But all this winde
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No comfort yet could finde
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Herein him to her minde,
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For still he was unkinde,
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though she cryd,
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Come away bony Boy,
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Come away;:
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I cannot come,
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I will not come,
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I dare not come,
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My workes not done,
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and this was all the Clowne would say.
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Just as the Paphean Queene,
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Adonis urgd to spleene,
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As he was coy,
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even so this Boy
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could not be woon to kisse and toy.
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Though humbly there besought,
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It no compassion wrought,
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for he to love would not be taught.
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On him she hung,
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From her away he flung,
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He bade her hold her tongue,
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For he would not goe along,
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yet she cryd,
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Come away bony Boy, etc.
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As Salmacis (so bright)
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Did woo young Aphrodite,
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But all in vaine,
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So she this Swaine,
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and could not her request obtaine,
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For he was obstinate,
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And bade her leave her prate,
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thus for her love she purchaste hate.
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Love was so strong,
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In this bonny Lasse so young,
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That she could not hold her tongue,
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Though he had denyd so long:
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yet shee cryd,
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Come away bonny Boy, etc.
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This Maid was grieved sore,
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Great cause she had therefore,
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Sith twas her fate,
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To love for hate,
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which she could not anticipate.
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Such force young Cupid hath,
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Ore them that tread his path,
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the Lad regards not what she saith.
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He doth persist,
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Still to resist,
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To her he will not list,
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But bids her to be whist,
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though shee cryd,
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Come away bonny Boy, etc.
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The Maid was grievd in minde,
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That the Lad was so unkinde:
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Then to Venus she went,
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Sore discontent,
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who chargd her Boy with his Bow ready bent,
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To take a nimble Dart,
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And pierce him to the heart,
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because he did her precept thwart.
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Cupid strong,
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Gave the Lad such a bang,
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That he forcd him to gang,
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With his bonny Lasse along,
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when shee cryd,
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Come away bonny Boy,
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Come thou hither;
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I come, I come,
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I run, I run,
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Now I am won,
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All shall be done,
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And so they went along together.
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By this we well may prove,
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The wonderous power of Love.
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For this young Boy,
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Before so coy,
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now calls the Maid his onely Joy.
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He tooke her by the waste,
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And kindly her embract,
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he payes her love with kisses chaste.
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He grieves in minde,
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That before was unkinde,
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He tells her she shall finde,
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That the best shall come behind,
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and indeed,
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They with speed were agreed
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Each with other:
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With joynt consent,
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And hearts content,
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To Church they went,
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Incontinent,
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and there they marryd were together.
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