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(c. 1800)
A MAID, I dare not tell her name; | |
| For fear I should disgrace her, | |
| Tempted a young man for to come | |
| One night for to embrace her. | |
| When at the door he made a stop, he made a stop, | 5 |
| Then she lay still, and snoring cry’d, | |
| “The latch will up, the latch will up.” | |
| |
| This young man, hearing of her words, | |
| Pull’d up the latch and entered; | |
| But in the room unfortunately | 10 |
| To her mother’s bed he ventured. | |
| When the poor maid was sore afraid, | |
| And almost dead, and almost dead; | |
| Then she lay still, and snoring cry’d, | |
| “To the truckle bed, to the truckle bed.” | 15 |
| |
| Unto the truckle bed he went, | |
| But as this youth was a-going, | |
| The unlucky cradle stood in his way, | |
| Which had almost spoil’d his wooing. | |
| When after this the maid he spy’d, the maid he spy’d, | 20 |
| Here she lay still, and snoring cry’d, | |
| “To th’other side, to th’other side.” | |
| |
| Unto the other side he went, | |
| To show the love he meant her; | |
| Pulled off his clothes courageously, | 25 |
| And fell to the work he was sent for. | |
| When the poor maid made no reply, made no reply, | |
| But she lay still, and snoring cry’d, | |
| “A little too high, a little too high.” | |
| |
| This lusty lover half ashamed, | 30 |
| Of her gentle admonition, | |
| He thought to charge her home again, | |
| As e’er a girl could wish him. | |
| “Why now my love, I’m right I know, I’m right I know,” | |
| Then she lay still, and snoring cry’d, | 35 |
| “A little too low, a little too low.” | |
| |
| But by mistake, at length this youth | |
| His business so well ’tended, | |
| He hit the mark so cunningly, | |
| He defy’d all the world to mend it. | 40 |
| “Well now, my love, I’m right I swear, I’m right I swear.” | |
| Then she lay still, and snoring cry’d, | |
| “Oh there! just there! Oh there! just there!” | |
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