The two Nottinghamshire Lovers, or the Maid of Standon of Nottinghamshire, and the Leicestershire Man, which were linked together contrary to their Friends minds, but she was inflamed in loue, that she requested him from thence to goe; and he resolued her so to doe, appointing the place where they should meet, but it was a heavy meeting as ere was knowne, as in the Ditty shall be showne.
To the tune of,
I feare I shall stay too long.
IN
Nottinghamshire,
As late I did heare,
there liued two Louers true,
Whose heart was linked fast,
Whilst life did last,
but marke what did ensue.
Oh this was all her song,
My Loue, I suffer wrong,
And I feare thou wilt stay too long.
In
Standon she was borne,
That liued thus forlorne,
and her name was called
Anne Hall.
But her owne friends did séeke,
Her mind for to breake,
which caused her great downefall.
And this was, &c.
This Yongman in
Leicestershire,
Was borne as I doe heare,
and his name was called
Iohn Browne,
But in this loue he was
Not so constant as this Lasse,
as hereby shall he plainly found.
But this was, &c.
Her friends would not agree
That married shee should bee,
to him that she best did loue:
Though shee did them intreat,
They her misused and beat,
in hope that her minde would moue.
Oh this was, &c.
Her friends to her would say,
If you will him denay,
and marry some other man,
Then you shall want for nought
That for money can be bought,
take you him that hath house and land.
But this was, &c.
But she was thus resolued,
Till death her dissolued,
not to change like the wauering wind:
Like to the Turtle Doue,
So true shee did proue,
and shee was stedfast in her mind.
Oh but this, &c▪
That when that she did see
Her friends would not agree,
she mone made vnto her Loue
Saying shee would goe,
With him in weale or woe,
and would proue like the Turtle doue.
Oh but this, &c.
Thus hee replied againe,
My mind I will explaine,
and will tell thee what I will doe;
Meet mee in thy fathers Land,
And here's my heart and hand,
to morrow with thee Ile goe.
Oh but this, &c.
To th' same shee did agree,
And appointed presently,
the place where she should him meet,
Then home she went againe,
For money to maintaine
her selfe and her louer sweet▪
Oh but this, &c.
And when the houre came,
Then shee return'd againe,
to the place where he did appoint:
But when that shee came there,
Shee saw him not appeare,
and then she began to faint.
Oh but this, &c.
Then downe she sat her strait,
And thus began to write,
complaining most pittiously,
Of her crosses shee
Had endured patiently,
but then was resolued to dye.
Oh but this, &c.
False-hearted one,
That breedeth my mone,
and doth cause me thus to complaine:
Oh I will neuer trust
To one so vniust,
for I finde that it is in vaine,
But this was all her song,
My loue, I suffer wrong,
And I feare thou wilt stay too long.
The second part.
To the same tune.
HE so swore to mee,
That true he would be,
as the Turtle to her Mate,
Oh but him I finde
Much like to the wind▪
that blowes vncertaine state,
But this is still my song,
My loue I suffer wrong,
And I feare thou wilt stay too long.
His vrging eyes,
Like to the pleasant skies,
that in April oft doe show,
Yet ere that you are aware,
They changed are,
to stormy wind and blow.
Therefore, &c.
Seeing thee here I finde,
To bee so vnkind
to mee which so deare loued thee,
I am resolued in heart,
From the world to depart,
thou againe shalt mee neuer see.
Therefore, &c.
To Father and Mother,
I speake aboue all other,
who are the causers of my woe,
You would not giue consent,
Therefore you may repent,
you haue wrought my ouerthrow.
Therefore, &c.
When I did you intreat,
Then was I sorely beat,
and you said him I should not marry,
You stood for worldly gaine,
Which breedeth now my paine,
for my loue I doe now miscarry.
Therefore, &c.
To you my loue likewise,
Whom I did once surmise,
would haue proued more true to mee:
But you I false doe finde,
And to mee so vnkind,
therefore now I here must dye.
Therefore, &c.
This letter of my woe,
With mee shall bee to show,
in the place where you me shall finde,
For to declare aright,
The causes of my spight,
and the truth of a troubled minde.
Therefore, &c,
Then with her knife,
Shee ended her life,
in the place that appointed was,
Where her loue to see,
Came thither presently,
and found her dead on the grasse.
Therefore, &c.
Then with his Rapier hee,
Himselfe immediately
did kill hard by his loue:
Straight after they were found
Bleeding vpon the ground,
neere to a pleasant Groue.
Therefore, &c.
Her friends when they did heare
Sore grieued they were:
yet vnto the place did come,
And from her pocket they
There pulled out straightway,
this letter of griefe and mone.
Therefore, &c.
When this they read and heare,
They strucken were with feare,
and cryed most pittiously:
Confessing of it true,
But marke what did ensue,
O they after did quickly dye.
Therefore, &c.
Let other Parents now,
Not seeke to breake a vow,
that is made between Louers true▪
Lest all too late I say,
They worke their liues decay,
as this story doth plainly shew.
And now to end my song,
My loue, I suffer wrong,
And I feare thou wilt stay too long.
FINIS.
London, printed for H. Gossen.