Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Charms of melody, or, Siren medley

.%<)% BALLADS ANCIENT and modern, legendaries, &c.
She took me by the hand,
And with a modeft grace,
" Welcome, fweet fjarnwell," tfcen quoth Ih*,
" Unto thishomely place.
** And fince I have thee found
" As good as thy word to be ;
"' A homely fupper ere we part,
" Thou (halt take here with me."
«' O pardon me, quoth I,
" Fair miftrels, I you pray ;
-' For why, out of my mailer's houfe
" So long I dare not ftay.
" Alas, good fit, fhe faid,
" Are you fo ftriiSIy ty'd,
" You may not with your dearfft^friend
'• One hour or tv\ o abide ?
" Faith, then the cafe is hard,
" If it be fo," quoth ftie ;
" I would I were a 'prentice bound,
" To live along with thee :
" Therefore, my deareft George,
" Lift well what I ftiall fay,
'" And do not blame a woman much.,
" Her fancy to betray.
" Let not affection's force
" Be counted lewd defire,
" Nor think it an immodefty,
" I ftiould thy love require."
"With that file turn'd afide.
And with a blufliing red,
A mournful motion fhe bcwray'd
By haaging down her head.
•A handkerchief fhe had.
All wrought with filk and gold :
■Which fhe to ftay her trickling tears
Before her eyes did hold.
This thing unto my fight
Was wond'rous rare and ftrange ;
And in my foul and inward thought.
It wrought a fudden change :
That I fo hardy grew, ■
To take her by the hand :
Saying, " fweet miftrefs, why do you
" So dull and penfive ftand? ^
" Call me no miftrefs now,
" But Sarah, thy true friend,
" Thy fervant, Millwood, honouring thee,
" Until her life hath end."
" If thou \ifouldft here alledgs,
" Thou art in years a boy ;
" So was Adonis, yet was he
" Fair Venus' only joy."
Thus I, who ne'er before
Of woman found fuch grace.
But feeing no-v fo fair a dame
Give me a kind embrace,
I fupp'd with her that night,
With joys that did abound ;
J^nd for the fame paid prefently.
In money, twice three poitnd.
An hundred kiffes then,
For my farewell Hie gave ;
-Crying," fweet Barnwell, when fhall I
" Again thy conipany have .'
" O ftay not/hence too long,
" Sweet George, have me in mind."
Her words bowich'd my childifinefs.
She uttered them fo kind :
So that I made a vow.
Next Sunday without fail,
With my fweet Sarah once again.
To tell fome pleafant tale.
When fhe heard me fay fo,
The tears fell from her eye;
" O George," quoih fhe, " if thou dbfl fail,
" Thy Sarah fure will die."
Though long, yetlo! at lafl:.
The appointed day was come.
That I muft with my Sarah meet :
Having a mighty fum
Of money in my hand.
Unto her houfe went I,
Whereas my love upon her bed,
In faddeft fort did lie.
" What ails my heart's delight ;
" My Sarah dear," quoth I ;
" Let not my love lament Eii'tl grieve,
" Nor fighing, pine and die=
" But tell me, deareft friend,
" What may thy woes amend,
" And thou fhalt lack no means of help,
" Though forty pound I fpend."
With that fhe turn'd her head.
And fickly thus did fay,
" O me, iweet George, my grief is great,
"" Ten pound I have to pay,
" Unto a cruel wretch ;
" And God, he knows," quoth fhe,
" I have it not." " Tufh, rife," I faid,
" And take it here of me.
" Ten pounds, nor ten times ten,
" Shall make my love decay."
Then from my bag into her lap,
I call ten pounds ftraightway.
All blithe and pleafant then.
To banqueting we go;
She profFer'd me to lie with her,
And faid it fhould be fo,
And after that fame time,
I gave her ftore in coin.
Yea, fometimes fifty pounds at once;
All which I did purloin.
And thus I did pafs on ;
Until my maiter then
Did call to have his reck'ning in
Caft up among his men.
The which when as I heard,
1 knew not what to fay :
For well I knew that I was out
Two hundred pounds that day.
Then from my mafter ftraight
I ran in fecret fort ;
And unto Sarah Millwood there
My cafe I did report.
But how fhe us'd this youth,
In this his care and woe.
And all a ftrumpet's wily ways,
Thtfecond part will fhow.
Jhefecondpart in the next Wumhr.