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THIS song is to be found in the Roxburghe Collection of Black-letter Ballads, I. 454, with the title "A well-wishing to a place of pleasure. To an excellent new tune," and with six more lines in each stanza. We quote it here for contrast sake.

A WELL-WISHING TO A PLACE OF PLEASURE.

See the building

To an excellent new Tune.

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Flora springing

Is ever bringing

Dame Venus ease.2

Oh see the Arbour where that she
with melting kisses
distilling blisses
From her true selfe

with joy did ravish me.

The pretty nightingale
did sing melodiously.

Haile to those groves
Where I injoyde those loves
so many dayes.

Let the flowers be springing,
And sweet birds ever singing
their Roundelayes,

2 Many Cupids measures

And cause for true Loves pleasures,
Be dancd around,

Let all contentment

For mirth's presentment

this day be found 2:

And may the grass grow ever green
where we two lying
have oft been trying
More severall wayes

than beauties lovely Queen
When she in bed with Mars
by all the gods was seen.

Jew's Tragedy, act 4, 4to, 1662.-N. B. The marginal corrections are made from this Parody:"-P.

2-2 Not in the Percy Folio copy.-F.

Mr. W. Chappell says that the "excellent new tune of this song was adopted for other songs."

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SEE the building which whilest1 my Mistress liued in

was pleasures asseince 2!

see how it droopeth, & how Nakedly it looketh

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for her being absent, from whence they cheefly1 grow!
the cause that I doe now this greeffe & sorrow showe.

See the garden where oft I had reward in

for my trew loue!

see the places where I enioyed those graces
they goddes might moue!

oft in this arbour, whiles that shee

with melting kisses disstilling blisses
through my frayle lipps, what Ioy did ravish me!
the pretty Nightingale did sing Melodiouslee.

Haile to those groves where wee inioyed our loues
soe many daies!

May the trees be springing, & the pretty burds be

singing

theire Roundelayes!

Oh! may the grasse be euer greene

wheron wee, lying, haue oft beene tryinge

More seuerall wayes of pleasure then loues queene,
which once in bedd with Mars by all the godds was

where once.--P.

seene.

lling

2 With pleasure's essence.-P.

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Walking in a Meadow gren.

[Page 93 of MS.]

PERHAPS the following may have been suggested by the ballad of "The Two Leicestershire Lovers; to the tune of And yet methinks I love thee," a copy of which is in the Roxburghe Collection, I. 412. The subject of each is two lovers; both poems are in nearly the same metre, and begin with the same line. The difference is in the after-treatment. The "Two Leicester

shire Lovers" begins thus:-

Walking in a meadow green

For recreation's sake,

To drive away some sad thoughts
That sorrowful did me make,

I spied two lovely lovers,

Did hear each other's woe,
To 'point a place of meeting
Upon the meadow brow.

This was printed by John Trundle, at the sign of "The Nobody," in Barbican-the ballad-publisher immortalized by Ben Jonson in his "Every Man in his Humour." ("Well, if he read this with patience, I'll go and troll ballads for Master John Trundle yonder, the rest of my mortality.") The printed copy is therefore as old as the manuscript.-W. C.

WALKING in a meadowe greene,
fayre flowers for to gather,

where p[r]imrose rankes did stand on bankes
to welcome comers thither,

Walking out,

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They lay soe close together,

they made me much to wonder; I knew not which was wether,

vntill I saw her vnder.

then off he came, & blusht for shame
soe soone that he had endit;
yet still shee lyes, & to him cryes,
"Once More, & none can mend it."

His lookes were dull & verry sadd,
his courage shee had tamed;
shee bad him play the lusty lad
or else he quite was shamed;
"then stifly thrust, hee hit me iust,
ffeare not, but freely spend it,

& play about at in & out;

once more, & none can mend it."

And then he thought to venter her, thinking the ffitt was on him; but when he came to enter her,

the poynt turnd1 backe vpon him. Yet shee said, "stay! goe not away although the point be bended! but toot againe, & hit the vaine ! once more, & none can Mend it."

Then in her Armes shee did him fold,
& oftentimes shee kist him,
yett still his courage was but cold
for all the good shee wisht him;

There is a tag to the d like an s.-F.

40

44

48

yett with her hand shee made it stand

soe stiffe shee cold not bend it,

& then anon shee cryes come on
once more, & none can mend it ! "

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'Adew, adew, sweet hart," quoth hee,

"for in faith I must be gone."

"nay, then you doe me wronge," quoth shee,

"to leaue me thus alone."

Away he went when all was spent,

wherat shee was offended;

Like a troian true she made a vow
shee wold have one shold mend it.1

and cried

still "Once more."

He declined

and went away.

She declared she'd get

some one else.

ffins.

Qui n'en a qu'un, n'en a point: Prov. (Meant of Cocks, Bulls, &c., and sometimes alledged by lascivious women,) as

good have none as have no more but one. Cotgrave.-F.

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