Divider from 'The Black Bird', an undated Scottish chapbook with no printing information
The BETRAYED DAMSEL.
Down in this town there lives a sweet lovely creature,For wit and parentage, few can exceed her;She is just in her prime, both brisk and airy,Is at this very time the flower of many.
When first to her I came, I said fair creature,My heart is so inflam'd with your sweet feature,That I can take no rest my dearest jewel,For love torments my breast, so pray don't be cruel.
O fy, young man, he said, you should give over,And don't depend on me to be your lover;Fer since my heart is free from Cupid's motions,I pray don't trouble me with no such notions.
If I young man should give way to love you,Your parents would say that you are above me;Then your regard to me would be as a rover,And I shall find it hard for to recover.
Talk not of parentage, nor of relation,My dear, I have for you such veneration,Was I Lord, Duke or Earl, Cupid direct me,In rich diamonds and apparel, love I would deck ye.
Was I but King myself for to rule this nation,And had I all the world in my possession,And you as poor as Job, I would ne'er forsake you,But Mistress of the globe I would make you.
On hearing what he said, she stood amazed,She nothing to him said, but on him gazed,But when her silence broke, Cupid directed her,You'd thought an angel spoke if you had heard her.
Witness ye Pot'rs above who first created us;There's nothing else but death shall separate us ;This heart which once was mine, to you I'll deliver,So take it in exchange, and keep it for ever.
When of her heart he had bereav'd her,He play'd a traitors part, and went and left her;He left her for to cry, false man i find you,But since he is gone, farewel, i no more will mind you.
