The Maid of Tottenham
AS I went to Totnam
Upon a Market-day,
There met I with a faire maid
Cloathed all in gray,
Her journey was to London
With Buttermilk and Whay,
To fall down, down, derry down,
down, down, derry down,
derry, derry dina.
God speed faire maid quoth one,
You are well over-took;
With that she cast her head aside,
And gave to him a look.
She was as full of Leachery
As letters in a book.
To fall down, &c.
And as they walk'd together,
Even side by side,
The young man was aware
That her garter was unty'd,
For feare that she should lose it,
Aha, alack he cry'd,
Oh your garter that hangs down!
Down, down, derry down, &c.
Quoth she, I do intreat you
For to take the pain
To do so much for me,
As to tye it up again.
That will I do sweet-heart, quoth he,
When I come on yonder plain.
With a down, down, derry down, &c.
And when they came upon the plain
Upon a pleasant green,
The fair maid spread her legs abroad.
The young man fell between,
Such tying of a Garter
I think was never seen.
To fall down, &c.
When they had done their businesse,
And quickly done the deed,
He gave her kisses plenty,
Aed took her up with speed.
But what they did I know not,
But they were both agreed.
To fall down together, down
Down, down, derry down,
Down, down, derry dina.
She made to him low curtsies
And thankt him for his paine,
The young man is to High-gate gone
The maid to London came
To sell off her commodity
She thought it for no shame.
To fall downe, &c.
When she had done her market,
And all her money told
To think upon the matter
It made her heart full cold:
But that which will away, quoth she,
Is very hard to hold.
To fall down, &c.
This tying of the Garter
Cost her her Maidenhead,
Quoth she it is no matter,
It stood me in small stead,
But often times it troubled me
As I lay in my bed.
To fall down, &c.
From Choyce Drollery: Songs and Sonnets. Being A Collection of Divers Excellent Pieces of Poetry, of Several Eminent Authors. 1656, page 45. (Reprinted by J Woodfall Ebsworth, ed: Boston, Peterborough, 1876). No tune direction given.
|
