My plaint, ye lases, with this burden aid, 'Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.

Ah! didit thou know what proffers I withstood, 75 When late I met the Squire in yonder wood ! To me he sped, regardless of his game, While all my cheek was glowing red with shame ; My lip he kiss'd, and prais'd my healthful look, Then from his purse of filk a Guinea took,

So Into my hand he forc'd the tempting gold, While I with modest struggling broke his hold. He swore that Dick in liv'ry strip'd with lace, Should wed me foon to keep me from Disgrace.; But I nor footman priz'd, nor golden fee, For what is lace or gold compar'd to thee?

85

My plaint, ye laffes, with this burden aid, Tis hard so true a damfel dies a maid.

Now plain I ken whence Love his rise begun, Sure he was born some bloody butcher's son.

Bred

89. To ken. Scire Chaucero, so ken, and Kende norus A. S. cunnan Gath, Kunnan, Germanis Kennen, Danis Kiende.

Illandis

Bred up in fhambles, where our younglings slain,
Erst taught him mischief and to sport with pain.
The father only filly sheep annoys,
The son the fillier shepherdess destroys,
Does son or father greater mischief do?
The fire is cruel, so the son is too.

1

My plaint, ye laffes, with this burden aid, 'Tis hard so true a damsel dies a maid.

100

Farewel, ye woods, ye meads, ye streams that flow ; A sudden death shall rid me of my woe. This penknife keen my windpipe shall divide, What, shall I fall as squeaking pigs have dy'd! No To fome tree this carcase I'll suspend. But worrying curs find such untimely end !

Ifandis Kunna. Belgis Kennen. This word is of general
ufe, but not very common, though not unknown to the vul.
gar. Ken for prospicere is well known and used to dif-
cover by the eye. Ray. F. R. S.

Nunc fcio quid fit Amor, &c.
Crudelis mater magis en puer improbus ille ?
Improbus ille puer, crudelis tu quoque mater:

Virg.
vivite Sylva.
Preceps aeris Specula de montis in undas
Deferar.

Virg.

99.

I'll

105

I'll speed me to the pond, where the high stool
On the long plank hangs o'er the muddy pool,
That stool, the dread of ev'ry scolding quean ;
Yet, sure a lover should not die so mean!
There plac'd aloft, I'll rave and rail by fits ;
Though all the parish say I've lost my wits ;
And thence, if courage holds, myself I'll throw,
And quench my passion in the lake below.

Ye laffes, cease your burden, cease to moan, And, by my case forewarn’d, go mind your own.

115

The sun was set; the night came on apace,
And falling dews bewet around the place,
The bat takes airy rounds on leathern wings,
And the hoarse owl his woful dirges fings;
The prudent maiden deems it now too late,
And till to-morrow comes defers her fate.

THURSDAY;

THURSDAY;

OR, THE

S P E L L.

HOBNELIA.

OBNELIA, seated in a dreary vale,
In pensive mood rehears'd her piteous tale,
Her piteous tale the winds in fighs bemoan,
And pining Echo answers groan for groan.

I rue the Day, a rueful day I trow, The woful day, a day indeed of woe !

5

When Lubberkin to town his cattle drove,
A maiden fine bedight he hapt to love ;
The maiden fine bedight his love retains,
And for the village he forsakes the plains,
Return, my Lubberkin, these ditties hear ;
Spells will I try, and spells shall ease my care.

With my sharp heel I three times mark the ground, And turn me thrice around, around, around.

15

When first the year, I heard the cuckow sing,
And call with welcome note the budding spring,
I straightway set a running with such hafte,
Deb'rah that won the smock scarce ran so fast.
'Till spent for lack of breath, quite weary grown,
Upon a rising bank I sat adown,
Then doff d my shoe, and by my troth, I swear,
Therein I spy'd this yellow frizled hair,
As like to Lubberkin's in curl and hue,
As if upon his comely pate it grew,

20

Line 8. Dight or bedight, from the Saxon word dightan, wbicb figo

nifies to set in order. 21 Doff and don, contracted from ibe words do off and do on.