The Irish Dragoons, or, Pretty Peggy of Derby O/Non-performance

NON-PERFORMANCE.

⁠YE injur'd nymphs, and ye beaux who deceive 'em,
Who with paſſion engage, & without reaſon leave 'em;
Draw near and attend, how the hero I ſing,
Was ſoil'd by a girl, though at arms he was king.
⁠Derry down, down, hey derry down.

⁠Creſts, motto's, ſupporters, and bearings knew he,
And deeply was ſtudy'd in old pedigree;
He would ſit a whole e'ening, and not without rapture,
Tell who begot him to the end of the chapter. etc.

⁠In forming his tables, nought griev'd him, but ſolely,
That this man dy'd coelebs, and that fine prole;
At laſt, having trac'd other families down,
He began to have thoughts of encreaſing his own. etc.

⁠A damſel he choſe, not too ſlow of belief,
And fain would be deem'd her admirer in chief;
He blazon'd his ſuit, and the ſum of his tail,
Was his coat and her coat, join'd party par pale. etc.

⁠In different ſtile, to tie faſter the nooſe,
He next would attack her in ſoſt billet doux:
His Argent and Sable were laid aſide quite,
Plain Engliſh he wrote, & in plain black & white, etc.

⁠Againſt ſuch achievements what beauty could fence,
Or who could have thought it was all but pretence?
His pain to relieve, and fulfil his deſire,
The Lady agreed to join hands with the 'Squire. etc,

⁠The 'Squire in a fret that the jeſt went ſo far,
Conſider'd with ſpeed how to put in a bar,
His words bound him not. ſince hers did not confine her:
And this is plain law, becauſe Miſs is a Minor. etc.

⁠Miſs briſkly reply'd that the law was too hard,
If ſhe who is a Minor may not be a Ward:
In law thus confiding, ſhe took it upon her,
By juſtice to mend thoſe foul breaches of honour. etc.

⁠She handled him ſo, that few would, I warrant,
Would been in his coat on ſo ſleeveleſs an errand :
She made him give bond for ſtamp'd Argent and Or,
And fabl'd his Shield with Gules blazon'd before. etc.

⁠Ye heralds, produce, from the time of the Normans,
In all records, ſuch a baſe Non-performance;
Or if without inſtance the cafe as we touch on,
Let this be ſet down as a Blot in his Scutcheon. etc.