Ballads and Catches of the 17th Century

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Ballads and Catches of the 17th Century

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• When first Amyntas su'd for a Kiss,My innocent
  Heart was tenderThat tho' I pushed him away
  from the bliss,
• My Eyes declar'd my Heart was wonI fain an
  artful Coyness wou'd use,Before I the Fort did
  SurrenderBut Love wou'd suffer no more such
  abuse,
• And soon, alas! my cheat was knownHe'd sit all
  day, and laugh and play,A thousand pretty things
  would sayMy hand he'd squeeze, and press my
  knees,Till farther on he got by degrees.
• My Heart, just like a Vessel at Sea,Wou'd toss
  when Amyntas was near meBut ah! so cunning a
  Pilot was he,Thro' Doubts and fears he'd still
  sail onI thought in him no danger cou'd be.
• Too wisely he knows how to steer meAnd soon,
  alas! was brought to agree,To taste of Joys
  before unknownWell might he boast his Pain not
  lost,For soon he found the Golden CoastEnjoy'd
  the Oar, and 'tach'd (Touched) the shore,
• Where never Merchant went before.

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Tis Women makes us Love

• 'Tis Women makes us Love,'Tis Love that makes
  us sad,'Tis sadness makes us Drink,And Drinking
  makes us Mad.

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Celia learning on the Spinnet

• When Celia was learning on the Spinnet to
  play,her Tutor stood by her to show her the
  way.She shook not the note, which anger'd him
  much,and made him cry "Zounds! 'tis a long
  prick,a long prick'd Note you touch," 
   Surpriz'd was the Lady to hear him complain, and
  said, "I will shake it when I come to't again.
• (The act of notating music with a pen was called
  "pricking.)

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My Man John

• Maid Mary having broke the handle of her Hair
  Broom hearing that Man John had a long Stick
  that wou'd fitt it, desir'd him to put it in for
  her.
• My Man John had a thing that was long.My maid
  Mary had a thing that was hairy.My Man John put
  his thing that was Longinto my maid Mary's thing
  that was Hairy.
• My maid Mary then stirr'd it about,till with
  stirring and stirring at length it came out,but
  then my Man John thrust it in once again,and
  knock'd it most stoutly to make it remain
• but John with much knocking so widen'd the
  hole,that his long thing slip'd out still in
  spight of his soul,'till weary'd and vex'd and
  with knocking grown sore,cry'd, "a Pox take the
  Hole for I'll knock it no more!"