Subject: LYR ADD: Nightingale's Song (original)
From:
Bruce O.
Date: 22 Feb 98 - 05:06 PM
The Nightingales Song; Or The Souldiers rare Musick,
and Maides Recreation
The Song adviseth Maidens have a care,
And of a Souldiers knap-sack to beware,
To the Tune of, No, No, No, not I, Or, Peggy and the Souldier.
As I went forth one Sun-shining Day,
A dainty young Couple were gathering May;
The one a fair Damosel of beauty most clear,
The other a Souldier, as it doth appear. [folk version - a brave volunteer]
With kisses and compliments, to her he said
Good morrow sweet honey thou well favour'd Maid,
I think my self happy, I met with you here
As you are a Virgin, and I a Souldier.
And now if you pleased be, I will you bring,
Wheras you shall hear the sweet nightingale sing:
With other rare pastimes, my skill shall be try'd
If you will walk with me, to the merry green-wood side.
Sweet Sir (said the Damosel) If you will do so,
Then hand in hand with you, along I will go,
It is recreation for maids in the Spring,
To see Flowers grow, and hear the Nightingale sing.
And having thus spoken, together they went,
Unto the merry green-wood, where some time they spent,
In walking and talking, of many an odd thing,
But yet could not hear the Nightingale sing.
A danty clear river, was running them by,
A Bank of sweet Violets, and Primroses nigh:
Then said the young Gallant, sit down by this spring,
We'l here take our pleasure till the Nightingale sing.
The Maid seem'd unwilling, and said she'd be gone,
And yet she was loath for to leave him alone,
At last she resolved her self to the thing,
To stay till they heard, the sweet Nightingale sing.
Amongst the sweet flowers they Straightway sat down,
The young-man in kindness, gave her a green Gown,
He also presented to her a Gold Ring,
'Cause she should stay there, till the Nightingale sing.
And having thus done, he took her about the middle,
And forth of his Knap-sack, he pull'd a fare Fiddle,
And plaid her a fit, made the Vallies to ring,
Oh now (quoth she) I hear the Nightingale sing.
Then now said the Souldier 'tis time to give ore,
Nay prithee (quoth she) play me one Lesson more:
I like both the setting, and tuning the string,
Far better than hearing the Nightingale sing.'
He struck up his musick, unto a high strain,
And plaid the tune over again and again:
Gramercy brave Souldier (quoth she) that did bring
Me hither to hear the rare Nightingale sing.
Their sport being ended, then homeward they went,
Each one thought the time to be very well spent:
It was quoth the Damosel, a very rare thing,
Whilst thou play'd thy part, to hear the Nightingale sing.
At last with a deep sigh, these words spake she,
I pray thee good Souldier wilt thou marry me:
Else my hasty pleasure, sweet Sorrows will bring,
And I may repent I heard the Nightingale sing.
Oh no, quoth the Souldier, I may not do so,
Along with my Captain, to morrow I must go,
But if I come this way, again the next Spring,
We'll walk once more to hear the sweet Nightingale sing.
You Maides of the City, and Country that be,
Addicted to pleasure, take warning by me,
Let no flattering Young-man tempt ye to this thing,
To go to the wood to hear the Nightingale sing.
Make bargain before hand, for fear you miscarry,
Know whether or no they are minded to marry:
If I had been wise, and I had done such a thing,
I need not repent I heard the Nightingale sing.
Traditional as "Nightingales Song" and several other titles.
This late issue, c 1682-45, seems to be the only one extant, but the tunes cited were long out of fashion by the 1680's are of c 1625 and 1635, respectively. The ballad was probably that entered in the Stationers' Register entered in Nov. 1639 under a different title, "The Souldier and his knapsack." Late reissues sometimes changed titles rather drastically.
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