T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Distressed Maid
Anonymous(Date unknown) AS I walked out one May morning, | |
Down by a river side, | |
I overheard a couple discoursing, | |
Which filled my heart with pride. | |
May the heavens bless you, fair maid, | 5 |
Sing me another song, | |
I wish you were my bride, he said. | |
Kind sir, I am too young. | |
The younger that you are, my love, | |
The better you are for me, | 10 |
For I vow and do declare, | |
I’ll wed no woman but thee. | |
He took me by the lily white hand | |
He kissed both cheek and chin, | |
Then he took her to his marriage room, | 15 |
To sit awhile with him. | |
It was in the beginning of that night, | |
They had both sport and play, | |
And all the latter part of that night | |
Close in her arms did lay. | 20 |
The night being gone and the day coming on | |
The morning shone so clear, | |
This young man rose, put on his clothes, | |
Saying, fare you well my dear. | |
Is that the promise you made to me, | 25 |
Down by the river side, | |
You promised to marry me, | |
And make me your lawful bride. | |
If I promised to marry you, | |
It’s more than I will do, | 30 |
I never will wed with any one, | |
So easy found as you. | |
Go home to your father’s garden, | |
Sit down and cry your fill, | |
And when you think on what you’ve done, | 35 |
You may blame your own good will. | |
There is an herb in your father’s garden, | |
And some do call it rue, | |
When fishes fly, and swallows dive, | |
Young men they will prove true. | 40 |
I wish I was a maid again, | |
As I was this time last night, | |
I would not change my portion | |
For either lord or knight. | |
There are other farmer’s daughters, | 45 |
To market they do go, | |
But I poor girl must stay at home, | |
To rock the cradle, oh. | |
To rock the cradle, o’er and o’er, | |
And sing the lullaby, | 50 |
Was there e’er a maid in all this town | |
So crossed in love as I. | |