Miss Jean she came without delay,
To hear what Dicky had got to say;
‘I s’pose you knaw me, mistress Jean,
I’m honest Richard of Taunton Dean.
‘I’m an honest fellow, although I be poor,
And I never was in love afore;
My mother she bid me come here for to woo,
And I can fancy none but you.’
‘Suppose that I would be your bride,
Pray how would you for me provide?
For I can neither sew nor spin;—
Pray what will your day’s work bring in?’
‘Why, I can plough, and I can zow,
And zometimes to the market go
With Gaffer Johnson’s straw or hay,
And yarn my ninepence every day!’
‘Ninepence a-day will never do,
For I must have silks and satins too!
Ninepence a day won’t buy us meat!’
‘Adzooks!’ says Dick, ‘I’ve a zack of wheat;
‘Besides, I have a house hard by,
’Tis all my awn, when mammy do die;
If thee and I were married now,
Ods! I’d feed thee as fat as my feyther’s old zow.’
Dick’s compliments did so delight,
They made the family laugh outright;
Young Richard took huff, and no more would say,
He kicked up old Dobbin, and trotted away,
Singing, dumble dum deary, &c.
WOOING SONG OF A YEOMAN OF KENT’S SONNE.
[The following song is the original of a well-known and popular Scottish song:—
‘I hae laid a herring in saut;
Lass, ’gin ye lo’e me, tell me now!
I ha’e brewed a forpit o’ maut,
An’ I canna come ilka day to woo.’