NELLY THE MILK MAID
        
        Young Nelly the Milk-Maid brisk buxom and gay,
        Of't times with young Roger she'd watonly play,                              [sic; sic]
        One evening of late at a dancing they met,
        And she asked her Dame leave to go the wake.
        She said she might go, but wo'd have her take care
        For Roger she knew was but a flatterer.
        Least you should have reson my counsel to take                     [sic
        And remember the day that you went to the wake.
        She put on her best clothes & away she did steer,
        She went to meet Roger, when she came he was there.
        They danc'd at the feast, & had good beer & cake,
        And the best of fine dainties found out at the wake.
        The pastime being over then we went away,
        They went till they came to some new cocks of hay,
        There he learned her a dance she did entreat,
        I'll remember the dance coming home form the Wake.
        Next morning her dame says to her Nell,
        What sort of pastime had you yesterday tell?
        She laught till her sides began for to shake,
        'Twas a delicate dance coming home from the wake.
        She kept it a secret till her strength it did fail,
        And her red Rosy cheeks began to look pale,
        She oftentimes sigh'd till her heart it did ach                            [sic
        When she thought of the dance coming home from the Wake.
        Her dame quickly spy'd it, and said to her Nell,
        I pray what's the matter, I think you do swell.
        The truth I cannot tell you if my life was at stake,        
        But it was done by the fall coming home from the Wake.
        Your credit is blasted, your glory is gone.
        You surely will have a young daughter or son;
        So Milk-Maids by Nelly pray warning take,
        And remember the dance coming home from the Wake.
        
                          Kenilworth, Printed by Thornton.


This is the broadside that the Ballad Index dates (above) to before 1830.