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A CREATURE FOR FEATURE.

"But woe mee, & woe mee! alas, I cold not raise! itt wold not, nor cold not, doe all I cold to please.1 his inke was run, his pen was done.

Iacke! art thou dead? hold vp thy2 head!

I will litter thee & water thee,

& feed thee with my neet,

& better, if thou wilt lye besyd me.
but all in vaine I did complaine,

his lacke was tyrd, heed not be hyred
for all my prayers & all my teares."

ffins.

One stroke of a word, pared off by the binder, follows.-F.

2 MS. my.-F.

12

16

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CAN any one tell what I ayle 2 ?

3 that I looke soe leane, soe wan, soe pale.

5 if I may be there Iudge, I thinke there is none
that can any longer lye alone.6

Was euer womans 7 case like mine?

att 15 yeeres [I] began to pine;
soe vnto this plight now I am growne,
I can, nor will, noe longer Lye alone.8

9 If dreames be true, then Ride I can;
I lacke nothing but a man,

for tis onlye hee can ease my moane.
I can, nor &c.

10 When daye11 is come, I wish for night;
12 When night is come, I wish for light;
13 thus all my time I sighe & moane.
14 I can, nor &c.

1 The Maidens Complaint. To the tune of, I can nor will, &c. The Readings in Red Ink are from The Golden Garland.-P. See Chappell's Popular Music, ii. 462, for a different "Maiden's sad Complaint for want of a Husband." -F.

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What do I ail?

Why, I can't lie alone,

8 Thus at 15 years to pine;

and I won't.

I want a man,

Were I the judge I'm sure there's

none

That would any longer, &c. [G.G.] -P.

9 [This & the 4th stanza are transposed in the Gold. Garla.] —P.

All that I want is but a man;

Only I for one do make this moan. For I can, &c. [G.G.]-P. 10 When it is day, I wish. [G.G.]—P. "There is a tag, as for s, to the e.--F. 12 And when it is dark. [G.G.]—P. 13 All the night long I, &c. [G.G.]-P. 14 Because that I too long have lain, &c. [G.G.]-P.

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To woe the first, ashamed am I;

2 for & if he aske I will not denye;

3 for the case is such I must needs haue one.
4 I can noe &c.

5 Therfore my prayer, itt shalbe still

that I may haue one that will worke my will;
for itt is only hee can ease me anon,

& therfore Ile noe longer lye alone.

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16

20

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as water from a still;

the heire vpon his head did

as time 2 vpon a hill;

growe

his cherry cheekes as pale as snowe
to testifye his mickle woe;

& all was for the loue of his hy &c.

ffayre shee was to loue, as euer liked swaine;

neuer such a dainty one

shall none enioy againe;

sett a thousand on a rowe, time forbidds that any showe euer the like to her hỹ &c.

faire shee was, [of] comly 3 hew,

her bosome like a swan; backe shee had of bending yew,

her wast was but a span;

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because he

had lost her.

She was one in a thousand.

Her bosom swan-swelling,

3 of comelye.-P.

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