[ 3 ]
Into the pond then they a dabbling went,
so clean that they needed no washing;
But they were all so unluckily bent,
like boys they began to be dashing.
If any should chance to see us says one,
they'd think we are goddess's of evils,
And from the sight of us would quickly run,
to avoid so many white devils.
This put the youth into such a merry pin,
he let go his hold through laughter;
And as it sell out, he tell tumbling in,
and fear'd them all out of the water.
The old man by this time a noise had heard,
and rose out of his bed in a fright, Sir,
And comes to the door with an old rusty sword,
and stood in a posture to fight, Sir.
The daughters they all ran nimbly in,
and over their dad they did founder;
Who cry'd out aloud, Mercy good gentlemen,
and thought they were thieves come to plunder.
The noise by this time the neighbourhood hears,
who came with long clubs to assist him,
He said, Three bloody rogues ran up my stairs,
I dar'd by no means to resist them
For they all three were clothed in buff,
he saw as they shov'd in their shoulders,
And black bandiliers hung before like a ruff,
which made me believe they were soldiers.
The Virgins their clothes in the garden had left,
and keys of their trunks in their pockets,
To roll them in sheets, were fain to make shift,
their chest, they could not get unlockt
