The Injured fair/The roving maids of Edinburgh

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The Roving MAIDS of Edinburgh.

THE roving maids of Edinburgh,
they are both briſk and airy,
They make young men to laugh at them,
their heads ſo high they carry.
Fal der lal, der ral lal,

Now behold theſe pretty maids,
as they walk on the cauſway,
With ruffl'd cuffs and capuchines,
and wow but they be ſaucy.

With fine net hoods upon their heads,
each flame a buckling comb O,
Which mounted is with ſilver bright,
and ſet with Briſtol ſtone O.

Their lockets fine that bright do ſhine,
a glancing broach below it,
Their brevitie full well we ſee,
how proud they are to ſhow it.

With new faſhion'd caps of diff'rent ſets,
that are ſo monſtrous high O,
Such fliry-gigs upon their heads,
are frightful to the eye O.

The other night I got ſuch a fright,
I bleſt me from all evil,
When a Lady came in ſhining robes,
I thought it was the devil.

With a cap more high than grenadiers,
and hair dreſt in ſuch order,
She appeared like to Marg'ret's ghoſt,
come from the Stygian border.

With ſilken hoſe and fine pink ſhoes,
they are all trim'd and ready,
It is not eaſy for to know,
the ſcogie by the Lady.

There's Ladies bright ſet out at night,
their ſign is a white apron,
All in the dark to ſeek a ſpark,
and wha' but our Miſs Katharine.

Some laſſes then I do offend,
in telling of their knavery,
For that's the way I'm bold to ſay,
that they've won all their bravery.

The Roving maids of Edinburgh,
when they go to the dancing,
The young men all admire the ſport,
they are ſo neat and handſome.

It is well kent their face they paint,
they are ſo vain and idle,
To buſk and dreſs more time they paſs,
than they do on their Bible.

With muffs and furls and cardinals,
made of the fineſt ſcarlet,
They worn are, I do declare,
by many a common harlot.

Their qualitie come ſhow to me,
you'll know them by their cleiding;
Dear neighbours then, I'll tell you plain,
you'll find it by their breeding.

They curſe and ſwear and domineer,
and ſwear like any randy,
Their morning drink, I really think,
is whiſky, gin, or brandy.

And if they chance to prove with child,
or loſe their reputation,
O then ſets up a baudy houſe,
and that's their occupation.

Such bawds and bullies now turn'd thus,
oberve the diſmal ſtory,
By hangy's hands their lives they end,
and that's call'd Tyburn's Glory.