Page:Taylor's garland.pdf/6

 If thou with child love shall happen to be,

Say nothing of marriage, say nothing of me.

Take courage and suffer the shame for a while,

Thy father and thy mother I’ll soon reconcile,

They’ll grant I shall have thee without all dispute

So shall we have love ay and money to boot;

Within four or five months she begins for to show

So large in the waist that her coats they did grow,

Nay too short before and her apron too;

Her friend cried cousin what’s the matter wi’ you

Alas! in the city thou hast done amiss,

Your parents we must make acquainted with this

I fear that they quickly distracted will turn,

When that we inform them of what ye have done.

Come tell with whom you the wanton have plaid,

For ye are with child, but still nothing she said,

But shew’d by her visage some small discontent,

Where to her friends these sad tidings they sent.

Her father by reading it bit his two thumbs,

And cry’d, oh my daughter; her mother she comes

And says what’s the matter? quoth he she’s wi’ child

My honoured family now is defiled.

Some spark in the city has led her astray,

And now to my sorrow, I rue this sad day,

That ever I sent her away from this place,

Dear wife, she has brought us to shame and disgrace

I wish the poor Taylor had her he said,

Nay if he be willing her folly to hide,