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WILLIAM RILEY's COURTSHIP TO COLLIAN BAND, SHEWING How he was persecuted by her Father;—also how she was confined in her chamber until she was crazy; sent to Bedlam, where she was kept in close confinement until Riley came with the Lord Lt. of Ireland, &c rescued her from out of the hands of his enemies, & made her perfectly happy by MARRIAGE. TO WHICH IS ADDED THE SHOEMAKER's FAVORITE. TOGETHER WITH CONTENTMENT.
NEW-HAVEN, PRINTED: SUFFIELD, RE-PRINTED. 1800.
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WILLIAM RILEY's COURTSHIP.
PART FIRST.
RISE up you William Riley and come along with me,
I mean for to go with you and leave this country;
I will leave my Father's dwelling, fine houses & free land,
And away goes Wm. Riley and his dearest Collian Band.
II.
It was over lofty hills & mountains and to its lonesome plain,
Through shady groves and vallies her company to obtain;
But her father followed after with his well armed band,
And so taken was poor Riley & his dearest Collian Band.
III.
And home she was sent and into her closet bound,
So taken was poor Riley and sent to Slago town
To stand the bar of justice before the judge to stand,
And for nothing but for stealing of his dearest Collian Band.
IV.
O now I am confin'd in jail, my hands & feet are bound,
I'm hand-cuff'd like a murderer & chained to the ground,
But for all my toil and slavery I'm willing for to stand,
And still in hopes to be saved by my dearest Collian Band.
V.
O then came the jailer's son to Riley where he lay,
Saying dress yourself young Riley, you must appear this day
Before 'squire Folgier's anger, before the judge to stand,
And for nothing but for stealing of his dearest Collian Band,
VI.
Then he dreft himself in a suit of green most lovely to behold,
His hair hung down his shoulders like yellow links of gold,
He's neat and trim in every limb, most lovely to be seen,
He's a match for Folgier's daughter was she equal to a queen.
VII.
These are the last words Riley, that I have heard them say
The lady's oath will hang you or she will set you free;
If that be so says Riley, with pleasure I will stand,
Still hoping to be saved by my dearest Collian Band.
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VIII.
O then spake her father saying, take pity now on me,
This fellow came among us to disgrace my family;
This impudent inferior I'am not fit to stand,
O I'll have the life of Riley or I'll leave sweet Ireland.
IX.
Then up steps the noble Fox (the table he stood by)
Saying gentlemen of the jury look on his extremity;
To hang a man for love, 'tis murder you may see,
O spare the life of Riley, let him leave his country.
X.
O the lady being sensible, though in her tender youth,
If Riley has deluded her she must declare the truth:
Then like a moving beauty before him she did stand,
You're welcome in my heart's delight, my dearest Collian Band.
XI.
O you gentlemen of the jury look on his extremity,
The blame is not in Riley, the fault is all in me;
I caus'd him thus to leave his place & come along with me,
I lov'd him out of measure, which prov'd my destiny.
XII.
O then spake the noble Fox, and let this prisoner go,
The lady's oath has clear'd him the jury well may know;
The lady's oath has clear'd him, she hath renew'd his name,
Her honor great may raise his estate & always be to fame,
XIII.
'Tis true my Lord he stole from her, her jewels & rings,
Besides her silver watch and many precious things,
Which cost me in bright guineas above five hundred pounds,
O I'll have the life of Riley if I spend ten thousand pounds.
XIV.
'Tis true my Lord I gave them him in token of true love,
And since we are a parting I will them all remove,
If you have got them Riley, pray send them back to me;
I will my lady with many thanks to thee.
XV.
O but there is one among them I allow yourself to wear,
With thirty shining diamonds that's set in silver clear;
And for a token of true love wear it on your right hand,
That you may think on my broken heart when you're in a foreign land.
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PART SECOND.
YOU tender hearted lovers attend unto my theme,
The hardship of William Riley I mean for to explain;
Who for stealing of an heiress a trial he did stand,
And sentenced to be transported into a foreign land.
(XVII.)
The daughter of squire Folgier this lady prov'd to be,
Which caused William Riley this sad calamity,
And maketh him in sorrow to sigh, weep and bewail,
And loaded with cold irons, confin'd in Slago jail.
(XVIII.)
Like to a malefactor, transported he must be,
His lady cries my jewel your face I ne'er shall see;
Cruel hard hearted father, you are the only one
That banish'd Wm. Riley from his dearest Collian Band.
(XIX.)
Her father in a rage thus unto her did say,
For your underhanded dealing I soon will you convey,
Into a lonesome chamber where you'll repent this deed,
Twelve months on bread & water I mean you there shall feed
(XX.)
And then into a chamber his daughter he did hide,
With course sheets and blankets, and straw thereon to lie:
She cries, sweet William Riley, 'tis for my sake alone,
That you in grief and sorrow in Slago jail do mourn.
(XXI.)
Three nights she in her chamber in grief & sorrow spent,
And by her father's cruelty she to distraction went;
She wrung her hands and tore her hair, crying my dearest dear,
You're used by my father most vile, sharp and severe.
(XXII.)
He into Bedlam then did send this lady straight,
Resolving that she never more should see her mate,
But in her chains to rattle, weep, lament and rave,
And cry sweet Wm. Riley, you'll be sold for a slave.
(XXIII.)
She cri'd sweet Wm. Riley, if I could now you see,
I from my father's anger would soon set you free;
I would enclose you in my arms, from me you ne'er should part
Though I lie here in Bedlam, young Riley has my heart.
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(XXIV.)
We now will leave this lady to sigh, weep and bewail,
And turn unto young Riley confin'd in Slago jail;
Who with twenty-seven criminals to Dublin's sent away,
Expecting to be transported into Botany Bay.
(XXV.)
When into Dublin they arrived they all were sent to jail,
Until the transport ship should be prepared for to sail:
Poor Riley cries, 'squire Folgier, cruel hard hearted man,
In Bedlam lies your daughter, my fair Collian Band.
(XXVI.)
But fortune to poor Riley happen'd to prove kind,
As there he lay confin'd a thought came in his mind;
A petition to the Castle he from the new prison sent
Unto the Lord Lieutenant, whose heart it did relent.
(XXVII.)
With him into Bedlam straightway he went off hand,
Likewise releas'd his jewel his fair Collian Band;
As soon as this fair lady her truelove did behold,
She in her snowy arms young Riley did enfold.
(XXVIII.)
Her senses did revive—they for a parson sent,
To marry this young couple to their joy and content;
License from the primate was brought immediately,
And there William Riley was wed to his fair lady.
(XXIX.)
A feast was then prepared which held for three days,
Success attend young Riley and his fair Collian Band;
Soon as her father heard it his heart it did relent
And cried for my offences I sorely do repent.
(XXX.)
There is none that can hinder what heaven does decree,
Then straight off to Dublin he rode immediately;
Soon as he into Dublin to the young couple came,
He said my dearest children I have been to blame.
(XXXI.)
But now you shall live happy with me in Slago Town,
A portion I will give you of thirty thousand pound;
And as it is God's will that I have no child but she,
I'll enjoy you both whilst I live in my own family.
(XXXII.)
And at my death you shall possess my whole estate & land
My blessing on you Riley and your dearest Collian Band.
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THE SHOEMAKER's FAVORITE.—A NEW SONG.
VAIN pleasures of this life & allurements I do slight,
With all their enjoyment, each trifling delight;
Every man to his work where his business does call,
And I to my trade with my bristle and my awl.
While some are on sick beds, & some there are in health,
While many gain learning, in credit and in wealth,
They may fight for this world, they may quarrel, pull & haul,
But a living I can get with my bristle and my awl.
And in the summer time while the weather it is warm,
When farmers are a mowing, or hoeing of their corn,
They being melted down upon the grass will sprawl,
While I all comforts will enjoy with my bristle & my all.
And in the winter time while the weather's very cold,
The farmers are at work their riches to unfold;
And wading through the snow in the midst of it will fall,
While all pleasure I enjoy with my bristle and my awal.
While the farmer does consider his condition incomplete
And the study of his life is mechanics for to cheat;
He that would cheat a shoemaker out of his honest pay,
May the d—l take him on his back and carry him away.
In the glory of my prime from the age of seventeen,
To work upon a farm I will never more be seen;
But my time I will spend where the greatest profits call,
And my days I will end with my bristle and my awl.
To a foolish young girl I will never be confin'd,
It disturbs a free hearted, generous mind;
It surrounds us with sorrow while our joy & pleasure fall
And will end all my pleasures with the bristle & the awl.
We will fill up our glasses and drink a health to those
Who are friends to honest tradesmen, and farmers will oppose
A bowl of punch we'll have, not a drop of it shall fall,
And the praises we will sing to the bristle and the awl.
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CONTENTMENT.
WHY should we at our lot complain,
Or grieve at our distress;
Some think if they should riches gain,
They'd gain true happiness:
Alas how vain is all their gain,
Since life will soon decay,
And since we're here with friends so dear,
Let's drive all cares away.
Why should the rich despise the poor,
Why should the poor repine;
A little time will make us all
In equal friendship join:
We're much to blame, we're all the same;
Alike we're made of clay,
And since we're here with friends so dear;
Let's drive all cares away.
The only circumstance in life
That ever I could find,
To soften care and temper mirth,
Is sweet content of mind;
With such a store we have much more,
Than e'er we can convey,
And since we're here with friends so dear
Let's drive all cares away.
Let's make the best we can of life,
Nor render it a curse,
But take it as you would a wife
For better or for worse:
Life at the best is but a jest,
A dreary winter's day,
And since we're here with friends so dear,
Let's drive all cares away.
Wher age old creeping age comes on,
And we are young no more,
Let's not repine at what we've done,
Nor grieve that youth is o'er;
But cheerfully as formerly,
Be innocently gay,
And since we're here with friend so dear,
Let's drive all cares away.