THE:
Spanish LADY'S Love to an English Man.
To an Excellent Tune.
|
WILL you hear of a Spanish Lady,
|
How she woo'd an English Man;
|
Garments gay, as rich as may be,
|
Deck'd with Jewels had she on:
|
Of a comely Countenance
|
And Grace was she,
|
Both Birth and Parentage,
|
Of high Degree.
|
As his Prisoner there he kept her,
|
In his Hands her Life did lie:
|
Cupids Bands did tie them faster,
|
By the twinkling of an Eye:
|
In his courteous Company
|
Was all her Joy,
|
To favour him in any Thing
|
She was not coy.
|
But at last there came Command,
|
For to see all Ladies free,
|
With their Jewels still adorn'd,
|
None to do them injury.
|
Oh! then said this Lady gay,
|
Full woe is me;
|
Oh! let me still sustain this kind
|
Captivity.
|
Gallant Captain, take some pity
|
On a Woman in Distress;
|
Leave me not within this City,
|
For to die in Heaviness:
|
Thou hast set this present Day
|
My Body free;
|
But my Heart in Prison still
|
Remains with thee.
|
How shouldst thou fair Lady, love
|
Whom thou know'st thy Country's Foe?
|
Thy fair Words make me suspect thee,
|
Serpents lie where Flowers grow:
|
All the Harm I think on thee,
|
Most courteous Knight,
|
God grant upon my Head the same
|
May fully light.
|
Blessed be the Time and Season,
|
That you came on Spanish Ground;
|
If you may our Foes be termed,
|
Gentle Foes we have you found:
|
With our City you have won
|
Our Hearts each one;
|
Then to your Country bear away
|
What is our own.
|
Rest you still you gallant Lady,
|
Rest you still and weep no more,
|
Of fair Flowers you have plenty,
|
Spain doth yield you wonderous store.
|
Spaniards laugh with Jealousy,
|
We oft doth find,
|
But English Men throughout the World
|
Are counted kind.
|
Leave me not unto a Spaniard,
|
Thou alone enjoys my Heart;
|
I am lovely, young and tender,
|
Love is likewise my desert:
|
Still to serve the Day and Night,
|
My Mind is prest,
|
The Wife of every English Man
|
Is counted blest.
|
It would be a shame fair Lady,
|
For to bear a Woman hence;
|
English Soldiers never carry
|
Any without Offence.
|
I will quickly change myself,
|
If it be so,
|
And like a Page will follow thee
|
Wheree'er you go.
|
I have neither Gold nor Silver
|
To maintain thee in this Case,
|
And to Travel is great Charges,
|
As you know in every Place.
|
My Chains and Jewels every one,
|
Shall be thy own,
|
And eke an hundred Pound in Gold,
|
That lies unknown.
|
On the Seas are many Dangers,
|
Many Storms do there arise,
|
Which will be to Ladies dreadful,
|
And force tears from their Eyes.
|
Well worth I shall endure
|
Extreamly;
|
For I could find in my Heart to lose
|
My Life for thee.
|
Courteous Lady, leave this Folly,
|
Here comes all that breeds the Strife
|
I in England have already
|
A sweet Woman to my Wife:
|
I will not falsify my Vow
|
For Gold nor Gain,
|
Nor yet all the fairest Dames
|
That live in Spain.
|
Oh! how happy is that Woman,
|
That enjoys so true a Friend;
|
Many happy Days God send her
|
And of my Suit I'll make an End:
|
On my Knees I pardon crave
|
For my Offence,
|
Which love and true Affection
|
Did Commence.
|
Commend me to that gallant Lady,
|
Bear to her that Chain of Gold,
|
With these Bracelets for a Token,
|
Grieving that I was so bold:
|
All my Jewels, in like Sort,
|
Take thou with thee:
|
But they are fitting for thy Wife,
|
But not for me.
|
I will spend my Days in Prayer,
|
Love and all her Laws defy,
|
In a Nunnery I'll shroud me,
|
Far from any Company:
|
But e'er my Prayer have an End,
|
Be sure of this,
|
To pray for thee and for thy Love,
|
I will not miss.
|
Thus farewel, most gallant Captain,
|
Farewel to my Heart's content,
|
Count not Spanish Ladies wanton,
|
Though to thee my Mind was bent
|
Joy and true Prosperity,
|
Remain with thee:
|
The like fall unto thy Share,
|
Most fair Lady.
|
|
|
|
|
|