Page:National Ballad and Song (1897), vol. 1.djvu/48

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26
THOMAS YOU CANNOTT

THOMAS YOU CANNOTT

[c. 1603–5]

[Percy Folio Manuscript, page 521 of MS. Music in Chappell’s Popular Music of the Olden Time, i. 337: the words exist only in this MS.].

point = a tagged lace to fasten the dress.Thomas vntyed his points apace,
& kindly hee beseeches
that shee wold giue him time & space
ffor to vntye his breeches.
“Content, Content, Content!” shee cryes.
he downe with his breeches imedyatlye,
& ouer her belly he Cast his thye.
But then shee Cryes “Thomas! you Cannott, you Cannott!
O Thomas, O Thomas, you Cannott!”

Thomas, like a liuely ladd,
lay close downe by her side:
he had the worst Courage that euer had man;
in conscience, the pore ffoole Cryed.