The diseased Maiden Louer. Being a pleasant new court Song:
To an excellent new tune, Or to be sung to the tune of Bonny Nell.
AS I went forth one Summers day,
To view the Meddowes fresh and gay,
A pleasant Bower I espi'd,
Standing hard by a Riuers side:
and in't I heard a Mayden cry,
alas, there's none ere lou'd like I.
I couched close to heare her moane,
With many a heauie groane,
And wisht that I had beene the wight,
That might haue bred her hearts delight,
but these were all the words that she,
did still repeat, none loues like me.
Then round the Meddowes did she walke,
Catching each flower by the stalke,
Such as within the Meddowes grew,
As Dead-mans thumbe, and Hare-bell blue:
and as she pluckt them, still cryde she,
alas, there's none ere lou'd like me.
A bed therein she made to lie:
Of fine greene things that grew fast by,
Of Poplers, and of Willow leaues,
Of Sicamore and Flaggy sheaues:
and as she pluckt them, still cryde she,
alas, there's none ere lou'd like me.
The little Lark-foote shee'd not passe,
Nor yet the flowers of Three-leau'd grasse,
With Milkemayds Honny Succles phraise,
The Crowes foot, nor the yellow Crayse,
and as she pluckt them, still cride she,
alas, there's none ere lou'd like me.
The pretty Dasie which doth show
Her loue to Phoebus, bred her woe,
Who ioyes to see his chéerefull face,
And mournes when he is not in place,
alacke, alacke, alacke, quoth she,
there's none that euer lou'd like me.
The Flowers of the sweetest sent,
She bound them round with knotted Bent,
And as she layd them still in bands,
She wept, she wayl'd, and wrung her hands,
alas, alas, alas, quoth she,
there's none that euer lou'd like me.
False man, quoth she, forgiue thee heauen,
As I doe wish my sinnes forgiuen,
In blest Elizium I shall sleepe,
When thou with periur'd soules shalt weep
who when they liu'd, did like to thee,
that lou'd their Loues as thou dost mee.
When she had fild her Apron full,
Of such sweet Flowers as she could cull,
The greene leaues seru'd her for a Bed,
The Flowers pillowes for her head,
Then down she lay, ne're more did speake,
alas with loue her heart did breake.
FINIS.