<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2009-01-06</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>tcpstaff</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B081112.pdcc.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B00486">
<STC T="S">19224.5</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99884196</BIBNO>
<VID>182949</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="ballad">
<PB N="52" REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 11 -->
<HEAD>The Countrey La&s;se.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<L>To a daintie new Note, which if you can hit,</L>
<L>There's another tune will as well fit.</L>
</ARGUMENT>
<OPENER>To the tune of, <HI>The mother beguild daughter.</HI></OPENER>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<LG>
<L>ALthough I am a Countrey La&s;&s;e,</L>
<L>a loftie minde I beare a,</L>
<L>I thinke my &s;elfe as good as tho&s;e</L>
<L>that gay apparrell weare a:</L>
<L>My coate is made of comely Gray,</L>
<L>yet is my &s;kin as &s;oft a,</L>
<L>As tho&s;e that with the chiefe&s;t Wines,</L>
<L>do bathe their bodies oft a.</L>
<L><HI>Downe, downe dery, dery downe,</HI></L>
<L><HI>heigh downe a downe a downe a,</HI></L>
<L><HI>a dery dery dery dery downe,</HI></L>
<L><HI>heigh downe a downe a dery.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>What though I keepe my Fathers &s;h&eacute;ep,</L>
<L>a thing that mu&s;t be done a,</L>
<L>A garland of the faire&s;t flowers</L>
<L>&s;hall &s;hrewd me from the Sunne a:</L>
<L>And when I &s;ee them feeding be,</L>
<L>where gra&s;&s;e and flowers &s;pring a</L>
<L>Clo&s;e by a Cry&s;tall fountaine &s;ide</L>
<L>I &s;it me downe, and &s;ing a,</L>
<L><HI>Downe &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Dame nature crownes us with delight,</L>
<L>&s;urpa&s;&s;ing Court or Citie,</L>
<L>We plea&s;ures take from morne to night</L>
<L>in Sports and pa&s;times pretty:</L>
<L>Your City Dames in Coaches ride</L>
<L>abroad for recreation,</L>
<L>We Countrey La&s;&s;es hate their pride,</L>
<L>and keepe the Countrey fa&s;hion.</L>
<L><HI>Downe &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Your City Wiues lead wanton liues,</L>
<L>and if they come i'th Countrey,</L>
<L>They are &s;o proud, that each one &s;triues</L>
<L>for to outbraue our Gentry</L>
<L>We countrey la&s;&s;es homely be</L>
<L>for &s;eat nor wall we &s;triue not,</L>
<L>We are content with our degree,</L>
<L>our debtors we depriue not,</L>
<L><HI>Downe &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I care not for the fane or Maske,</L>
<L>when <HI>Titans</HI> heat reflecteth,</L>
<L>A homely Hat is all I aske,</L>
<L>which well my face protecteth:</L>
<L>Yet am I in my Countrey gui&s;e,</L>
<L>e&s;t&eacute;em'd La&s;&s;e as pretty</L>
<L>As tho&s;e that euery day deui&s;e</L>
<L>new &s;hapes in Court or City.</L>
<L><HI>Downe &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>In euery &s;ea&s;on of the yeare</L>
<L>I vnder-goe my labour</L>
<L>No Showre nor Winde at all I feare,</L>
<L>my Limbes I do not fauour:</L>
<L>If Summers heat my beauty &s;taine,</L>
<L>it makes me nere the &s;icker,</L>
<L>Sith I can wa&s;h it off againe</L>
<L>with a Cup of Chri&s;tmas Liquor.</L>
<L><HI>Downe, downe dery, dery downe,</HI></L>
<L><HI>heigh downe a downe a downe a,</HI></L>
<L><HI>a dery dery dery dery downe,</HI></L>
<L><HI>heigh downe a downe a dery.</HI></L>
</LG>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="part">
<PB N="53" REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 11 -->
<HEAD>The &s;econd part.</HEAD>
<OPENER>To the &s;ame tune,</OPENER>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<LG>
<L>AT Chri&s;tmas time in mirth and glee,</L>
<L>I dance with young men neatly,</L>
<L>And who i'the City like to me,</L>
<L>&s;hall &s;urely ta&s;te compleately:</L>
<L>No Sport, but Pride and Luxury</L>
<L>i'th city can be found then,</L>
<L>But bounteous Ho&s;pitality</L>
<L>i'th Countrey doth abound then,</L>
<L><HI>Downe &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I'the Spring my labour yeelds delight,</L>
<L>to walke i'the merry Morning,</L>
<L>When <HI>Flora</HI> is (to plea&s;e my &s;ight)</L>
<L>the ground with flowres adorning:</L>
<L>With merry Lads to make the Hay</L>
<L>I goe, and doe not grumble,</L>
<L>My worke doth &s;eeme to be but play,</L>
<L>when with young men I tumble.</L>
<L><HI>Downe &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The Larke &amp; Thru&s;h from Bryar to Bu&s;h</L>
<L>do leape, and &s;kip, and &s;ing a,</L>
<L>And all this then to welcome in</L>
<L>the long-and lookt for Spring a&punc;</L>
<L>We feare not <HI>Cupids</HI> arrowes keene,</L>
<L>Dame <HI>Venus</HI> we defie a,</L>
<L><HI>Diana</HI> is our honored Queene,</L>
<L>and her we magnifie a.</L>
<L><HI>Downe &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>That which your City-Dam&s;els &s;corne,</L>
<L>we hold our chiefe&s;t Iewell,</L>
<L>Without, to worke at Hay and Corne,</L>
<L>within to Bake and Brew well,</L>
<L>To keepe the Dayrie decently,</L>
<L>and all things cleane and neatly,</L>
<L>Your Citie-Minions do defie,</L>
<L>their &s;corne we weigh not greatly.</L>
<L><HI>Downe &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>When we together a milking go,</L>
<L>with pailes upon our heads a,</L>
<L>And walking ouer Woods and Fields,</L>
<L>where Gra&s;&s;e and Flowers &s;preds a,</L>
<L>In hone&s;t plea&s;ure we delight,</L>
<L>which makes our labour &s;weet a,</L>
<L>And Mirth exceeds on euery &s;ide,</L>
<L>when Lads and La&s;&s;es meete a.</L>
<L><HI>Downe &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Then do not &s;corne a Countrey La&s;&s;e,</L>
<L>though &s;he be plaine and meanely:</L>
<L>Who takes the Countrey Wench to Wife,</L>
<L>(that goeth neat and cleanely)</L>
<L>Is better &s;ped, then if he wed</L>
<L>a fine one from the Citty,</L>
<L>For then they are &s;o nicely bred,</L>
<L>they mu&s;t not worke for pitie.</L>
<L><HI>Downe &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I &s;peake not this to that intent,</L>
<L>(as &s;ome may well coniecture)</L>
<L>As though to Wooing I were bent,</L>
<L>nor I nere learn'd Louers Lectuue:</L>
<L>But what I &s;ing is in defence</L>
<L>of all plaine Countrey La&s;&s;es,</L>
<L>Who&s;e mode&s;t hone&s;t innocence</L>
<L>all City Girles &s;urpa&s;&s;es.</L>
<L><HI>Downe, downe dery, dery downe, &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P>Printed by the A&s;&s;ignes of Thomas Symcocke.</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
