Fair maid in bedlam, or, The deceitful Irish boy/The Happy Stranger

THE HAPPY STRANGER.

AS I was a walking one ev’ning in spring,
To hear the birds whistle & nightingale sing,
I heard a fair maid was making great moan,
Saying, I am a poor stranger and far from my own.

⁠I stept up unto her, I made a low gee,
I asked her pardon for making so free,
Saying, I’ve taken pity on hearing your moan,
As I am a stranger, and far from my own.

⁠Her cheeks blush’d like roses and she shed a tear,
And says, Sir, I wonder at meeting you here,
But I hope you’ll not ill use me in this desert alone,
As I am a poor stranger, and far from my own.

⁠My dear to ill use you indeed I ne’er will,
My heart’s blood, to save you indeed I would spill,
I’d strive for to ease and relieve all your moan,
And wish to convey you safe back to your home.

⁠Therefore my dear jewel, if you would agree,
And if ever you marry to marry with me,
I'd be your guardian thro’ these desarts unknown,
Until with your parents I leave you at home.

⁠Sir, where is your country, I wish for to know,
And what’s the misfortunes you did undergo?
That caus’d you to wander so far from your home,
And made us meet strangers in this desart alone.

⁠He says, my sweet fair one, the truth I will tell,
If I was in my own country, near Newry I dwell,
But yet to misfortunes my love I was prone,
Which made many a hero go far from his home.

⁠Sir the lads of sweet Newry are all roving blades,
And take great delight in courting fair maids,
Tbey kiss them & press them, & call them their own,
And perhaps your darling lies mourning at home.

⁠Believe me my jewel, the case is not so,
I never was married, the truth you must know,
So these strangers agreed as the case it is known,
And I wish them both happy & safe to their home.