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Thomas you cannott.

[Page 521 of MS.]

THE very attractive air to which the following ballad was sung is to be found in Popular Music of the Olden Time, i. 337, but the words seem to exist only in this Manuscript. Their date cannot be much later than the commencement of James the First's reign, since one of the ballads against the Roman Catholics, written after the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot, was to be sung "to the tune of Thomas, you cannot;" also because the air bears the same name in several collections of music for the virginals of corresponding, if not earlier, date.-W. C.

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THOMAS: vntyed his points1 apace,

& kindly hee beseeches

that shee wold giue him time & space

ffor to vntye 2 his breeches.

"Content, Content, Content!" shee cryes.

he downe with his breeches imedyatlye,

& ouer her belly he Cast his thye.

But then shee Cryes "Thomas! you Cannott, you

3 Cannott!

O Thomas, O Thomas, you Canott!"

Thomas, like a liuely ladd,

lay close downe by her side:

he had the worst Courage that euer had man1;

in conscience, the pore ffoole Cryed.

1 Point, a tagged lace, used in tying

any part of the dress. Nares.-F.

2 The e has a tag as if for s.-F.

3 MS. camot.-F.

? man had.-W. C.

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But then he gott some Courage againe,

& he crept vpon her belly amaine,

& thought to haue hitt her in the right vaine;

But then shee &c.

This maid was discontented in mind,

& angry was with Thomas,

that he the time soe long had space,1

& cold nott performe his promise.

he promised her a thing, 2 handfull att least,
which made this maid glad of such a ffeast;
but shee Cold not gett an Inch for a tast,
which made her cry &c.

Thomas went to Venus, the goddesse of loue,

& hartily he did pray,

that this ffaire maid might constant proue
till he performed what he did say.

in hart & mind they both wee[r]e content;

but ere he came att her, his courage was spent,
which made this maid grow discontent,

& angry was with Thomas, with Thomas,

& angry was with Thomas.

Vulcan & venus, with Mars & Apollo,

they all 4 swore they wold ayd him ;

Mars lent him his buckler & vulcan h[is hammer,2]

& downe by her side he laid him.3

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& then shee Cryes f.. Tho[mas]

1 so long had time and space.-W. C. 2 MS. torn away.-F.

She got angry.

He prayed to Venus for help.

She and 3 Gods promised to aid him,

and did so effectually,

End of MS. page 521.-F.

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Can any one tell what I ayle?

Come all you wanton wenches

Come in, Tom longtayle, come short hose & round
Come, sitt thee downe by these Coole streames
Cooke Laurell wold needs haue the devill his guest

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Last night I thought my true loue I caught.
Louers: harke! an alarum is sounding; nou loue cryes

Men that more to the yard northe church

Now ffye on dreames & ffond delights

PAGE

. 101

O Holly Robin, hold thy hande

Off all the seas thats cominge

Panders, come away

See the building which whilest my Mistress liued in

That god that dyed for vs all (Fryar and Boye)

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