John of Badenyon, or, A man in search of a friend/The Young Maid's Praiſe of Her Soldier
The young Maid's praiſe of her Soldier.
LAte on an evening as I was walking,
pleaſant ſhady groves drew near,
There I heard a loving mother,
talking to her daughter dear:
Daughter, I would have you marry
if it be your true lover's will.
No mother dear, I'd rather tarry,
for my loving Soldier ſtill.
Soldiers they're oblig'd to wander,
unto foreign parts you know,
Where they may get ſtore of money,
and, perhaps their fatal blow;
Many a diſmal ſtory and letter,
they will ſend you from abroad,
O my dear daughter take my counſel,
take to the flail, lay by the ſword.
Mother dear, could you fancy a farmer,
give to me my heart's delight,
Yonder he ſtands with his glittering armour,
ſhining like the gold ſo bright,
They are the men ſure of their money,
let them travel where they will;
Mother dear it's folly to be talking,
I will adore my ſoldier ſtill.
Yonder he ſtands with his glittering armour
keeping his way who darecomeon
Would you compare a gentleman ſoldier
to your country ill-bred clown?
Sowr-cream, kail and butter milk,
was never made for ſoldiers drink,
With them I would freely wander,
the world all round about.
Now ſhe is marry'd to a ſoldier,
and abroad with him did go,
Travelling into foreign countries,
dreſt in ſilk from top to toe,
Now ſhe's return'd, lives at her pleaſure,
thouſands of pounds to ſpend at will,
My pretty girls take my counſel,
reſign your charms to a ſoldier ftill.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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