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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

There was a wyly Ladde
Language: English 
There was a wyly ladde met with a bonny lasse,
Much pretie sport they had, but I wot not what it was,
Heee woed her for a kisse, she plainely said to him no,
I pray quoth he, nay nay quoth shee,
I pray you let me goe.

Full many lovely tearms did passe in merrie glee,
He col'd(embraced) her in his armes and daunc't her on his knee,
And faine he would have paide such debts as he did owe,
I pray quoth he, nay nay quoth shee,
I pray you let me goe.

Sweete be you not so nice to gratifie a friend,
If kissing be a vice, my sute is at an end.
Noe noe it is the rule to learne a man to woe.
I pray quoth he, nay nay quoth shee,
I pray you let me goe.

For Cupid hath an eye to play a lovers part,
And swift his arrowes flie to leavell at the heart,
Thy beauty was my bane that brought me to his bowe,
I pray quoth he, nay nay quoth shee,
I pray you let me goe.

Good sir alas you feede your fancie with conceit.
Sweete sweet how should we speede if lovers could not speake.
I speake but what I wish, the spirit wils me so,
I pray quoth he, nay nay quoth shee,
I pray you let me goe.

With that shee swore an Oath, and loth ahe was to breake it,
And so to please them both, he gave and shee did take it,
There was no labour lost, stay quoth shee,
Adew quoth he, may stay quoth shee,
Let's kisse before you goe.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Robert Jones (fl. 1597-1615), "There was a wyly Ladde", published 1610, from A Muses Gardin for Delights or the Fifth Booke of Ayres [
     text verified 1 time
    ]

Researcher for this page: Linda Godry

This text was added to the website: 2008-11-09
Line count: 30
Word count: 278

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