Page:Married man's lament, or, Fairly shot of her.pdf/6

(6) Aſſizes and Seſſions drawing near,

We poor priſoners muſt appear,

By a ſtrange Jury for to be try'd,

To ſee if we ſhould live or die.

Aſſizes and Seſſions being paſt,

And we poor priſoners were all caſt,

Down on our bended knees did fall,

For tranſportation we begg'd all.

When tranſportation we did get,

Alake! our hearts how they did leap,

To think we had got ſuch a ſafe return,

To eſcape the gallows call’d Old Tyburn.

When we came to a foreign land,

Like flocks of ſheep there we did ſtand,

Some did hallow and ſome did cry,

Is there ne'er a rich planter that will us all buy.

I am a ſmugler ſtout and bold,

And many a pound of good tea I have ſold,

But now to Virginia boys I muſt go,

Tobacco there for to plant and ſow.

I am a weaver to my trade,

I being a wild and extravagant blade,

Now I muſt quit my ſhuttle and loom,

Since over the herring-pond is my doom.

I am a ſhoe-maker to my trade,

And many a fine ſtitch'd ſhoe I have made,

But now I muſt pack up my auls and my ends,

And away to Virginia to ſee my old friends.

I am a butcher to my trade,

And many a fine beaſt in my time have I ſlay'd,

But now I muſt pack up my knife and my ſteel,

And over the herring-pond I muſt wheel.

I am a mercer to my trade,

I was a wild and extravagant blade,

I hope the young ladies won't take it amiſs,

It was their fair faces that brought me to this.