WILLIAM AND DIANA

Printed between 1789 and 1820 by G. Thompson of Liverpool

It's of a Liquor Merchant in London did dwell
He had but one daughter, a beautiful girl
Her name was call'd Diana scarce 14 years old
But she had a large portion in silver and gold

Besides a large portion when her mother did die
Which caus'd many sweethearts to ride & draw nigh
As Dinia was walking in the garden one day
Upstep't her old father & thus to her did say

Diana go and dress yourself up fine and gay
For I've met with a young man gallant and gay
I've met a young man worth 10,000 a year
And he says he make you his bride & his dear

Dear honoured father I am but a child
And to marry so early I cannot abide
Dear honoured father, your will I adore
But let me live single for three years or more

Begone you bold strumpet, her father replied
Since you've denied to be this young man's bride
I'll give thy Portion to the next of thy kin
You shall ne'er reap the benefit of one single pin

She went to sweet William with all haste indeed
And told to her true love what her father had said
And their parting that night was mournful to tell
Fare you well, dearest William, forever farewell

Early next morning he search'd the groves round
And found his dear Diana laid dead on the ground
With a cup of strong poison & a note laying near
It was my cruel father caus'd my death here

Then he kissed her cold lips above once twice o'er
And he called her his Jewel 10,000 time more
He drank of the poison like a true lover brave
So Diana and William were laid in one grave
NHJ

Apparently the earliest version of the song on which Villikins and Dinah was based.
(I have included the spelling mistake Dinia from the original text)