Auld Robin Gray (1)/The Two Constant Lovers, Who Died by the Road

by Anne Barnard

The two Conſtant L O V E R S, who
died by the R O A D.

DRaw near you young gallants, while I do enfold,
A tragical ſtory as ever was told,
It's of a young couple, whoſe hearts were linked faſt,
Till death broke aſunder their contract at laſt.

⁠Near Exeter city this couple did dwell,
The laſs was ſo pretty, few could her excel,
Moſt comely in favour, moſt proper and tall,
And conſtant in heart, the beſt virtue of all.

⁠But Cupid, who cunningly fixed his dart,
Had ſhot this fair maid, and wounded her heart,
With his cunning arrows had wounded her ſo,
For love it will creep where it cannot well go.

⁠A briſk young ſhop-keeper who lived hard by,
Would oft on this damſel be caſting an eye,
She often with ſmiles upon him did the ſame,
They both were poſſeſs’d with a ſecret flame.

⁠For love, which could then be no longer conceal’d,
By this loving couple was quickly reveal’d,
As they one evening did meet in a grove,
The young man began to diſcover his love.

⁠Well met, my dear miſtreſs, the joy of my heart,
The height of perfection in every part,
The love which I long in my heart have conceal’d,
Shall here to my deareſt be quickly reveal’d.

⁠If you be ſo cruel, my ſuit to deny,
My amorous lover for thee I muſt die,
My heart is bleeding, and lies at your feet,
Then kill me or cure me, as you think it meet.

⁠This damſel appeared as quite ſtruck dumb,
While bluſhes like flaſhes of lightning did come,
At length ſhe reply'd, there's no truſt in young men,
And what would you have me to anſwer you then.

⁠My heart to my deareſt ſhall conſtant remain,
The thoughts of falſe lovers I freely diſdain,
May I bid all pleaſures forever adieu,
My deareſt when I prove falſe unto you.

⁠This beautiful damſel no longer could hide;
Her tender affection, but freely reply'd,
My heart is your own, and ſhall be till I die,
Then into his arms ſhe like light’ning did fly.

⁠A ring of pure gold from her finger ſhe took,
And juſt in the middle the ſame ſhe did break,
Quoth ſhe, As a token of love you thus take,
And this as a pledge I'll keep for your ſake.

⁠With hugging and kiſſing in each others arms,
They then were poſſeſt with raptures and charms,
From that very minute they conſtant did prove,
As loyal as ever was the turtle dove.

⁠But fortune was cruel and on them did frown,
Her love to her parents was quickly made known
But they to their daughter were ſharp and ſevere,
For an heireſs ſhe was of three hundred a year.

⁠They preſently ſent this young damſel away,
To London, that ſhe with her uncle might ſtay,
Thinking in a ſhort time her love would abate,
But true love ſhould not be ſerv'd at ſuch a rate,

⁠Sometimes with her uncle this danſel did ſtay,
While ſhe did a letter in private convey,
To her loyal lover, the joy of her heart,
Whom covetous parents did cruelly part.

⁠When that true lover the letter had read,
He ſent unto her a letter with ſpeed,
Saying, The whole world ſhall not us divide,
For I will come to you whatever betide.

⁠But her true lover's anſwer ſhe never receiv’d,
For which ſhe lamenting, lay heartily griev'd,
Saying, Hath my love forſaken me quite;
Oh! now all my pleaſures have taken their flight.

⁠Sure he was too loyal his love to deceive,
When here I will ſorrow ev'n down to my grave,
But now for fair Exeter I will repair,
Tho' my ſhadow be here, my heart it is there.

⁠This damſel without any longer delay,
For fair Exeter ſhe then took her way,
And that very minute for London he came,
In hopes for to meet his amorous dame.

⁠But ſtill cruel fortune upon them did frown,
The one coming up, the other coming down,
And then on the road each other they miſs,
Oh! who can diſcover the ſorrow of this.

⁠But when they both found their labour was loſt,
And both their deſigns by misfortune were croſt,
Without any ſtay they returned again,
With tears full of irreconcileable pain.

⁠Thus three times together each other did miſs,
While trouble and ſorrow their hearts did poſſeſs,
This innocent damſel her heart then did break,
And dy'd on the road for her true lover's ſake.

⁠The inn where the damſel that night had deceaſt,
This young man, her lover, came in as a gueſt,
They aſked this young man what news was abroad,
If he knew a young damſel that died by the road.

⁠The corps then he deſired for to ſee,
Which when he beheld, he cry'd woes me,
My long, long travel, now an end ſhall have,
My deareſt and I will be laid in one grave.

⁠Ten thouſand times over her weeping he lay,
He kiſs'd her cold lips that were colder than clay,
And that very minute his heart it did break,
And like a true lover he dy'd for her ſake.

⁠You covetuous parents wherever you be,
Conſider the ſame, and lament you with me,
Let not gold or ſilver true lovers divide,
Leſt dreadful examples unto you betide.