Wit and Mirth: or Pills to Purge Melancholy Volume V Part 4

'Twas this Extasie brave, that the great Courage gave, If your Eyes were but ope'd and would see; To great _Alexander_, that mighty Commander, As Mad a Fellow as could be.

_Then be thou Mad_, &c.

Then around goes a Health to the Lady o'th' House, If any Man here does forsake it; For a Fool let him go, we know better Manners, And so we mean to take it.

_Then be thou Mad_, &c.

There's no Night Mirth's going, nor any Lad wooing, But Mad-men are privy unto it; For the Stars so peep, into every such thing, And wink upon us as you do it.

_Then be thou Mad_, &c.

When the Frost, Ice and Snow, do benumb things below, We Chirp as merry as Larks; Our Sack and our Madness, consumes cold and sadness, And we are the Jovial Sparks.

_Then be thou Mad_, &c.

Has thy Mistress frown'd on thee, or thy Rival out-gone thee?

Let Sober and Wise Fellows pine; Whilst bright _Miralind_ and goodly _Dulcind_, And the rest of the Fairies are thine.

_Then be thou Mad_, &c.

A Mad-man needs baulk no manner of talk, His Tongues never guilty with Treason; But a Wise Knave would suffer, if the same he should utter, For a wise Man's Guilt is his Reason.

_Then be thou Mad_, &c.

_A_ SONG.

[Music]

A Shepherd kept Sheep on a Hill so high, _fa, la, la_, &c.

And there came a pretty Maid pa.s.sing by, _fa, la_, &c.

Shepherd, quoth she, dost thou want e'er a Wife, No by my troth I'm not weary of my Life, _fa, la, la_, &c.

Shepherd for thee I care not a Fly, _fa, la, la_, For thou'st not the Face with a fair Maid to lie, _fa, la_, How now my Damsel, say'st thou me so, Thou shalt tast of my bottle before thou dost go, _fa, la_.

Then he took her and laid her upon the Ground, _fa, la_, And made her believe that the World went round, _fa, la_, Look yonder my Shepherd, look yonder I spy, There are fine pretty Babies that dance in the Sky, _fa, la_.

And now they are vanisht, and now they appear, _fa, la_, Sure they will tell Stories of what we do here, _fa, la, la_, Lie still my dear _Chloris_, enjoy thy Conceit, For the Babes are too young and too little to prate, _fa, la, la_.

See how the Heavens fly swifter than Day, _fa, la, la_, Rise quickly, or they will all run away, _fa, la, la_, Rise quickly my Shepherd, quickly I tell ye, For the Sun, Moon and Stars are got all in my Belly, _fa, la_.

O dear, where am I? pray shew me the way, _fa, la, la_, Unto my Father's House hard by, _fa, la, la_, If he chance to Chide me for staying so long, I'll tell him the fumes of your Bottle were strong, _fa, la, la_.

And now thou hast brought my Body to shame, _fa, la_, I prithee now tell me what is thy Name, _fa, la, la_, Why _Robin_ in the Rushes my Name is, quoth he, But I think I told her quite contrary, _fa, la, la_.

Then for _Robin_ in the Rushes, she did enquire, _fa, la, la_, But he hung down his Head, and he would not come nigh her, _fa, la, la_, He wink'd with one Eye, as if he had been Blind, And he drew one Leg after a great way behind, _fa, la, la_.

_A_ SONG.

[Music]

As I was a walking under a Grove, Within my self, as I suppos'd; My Mind did oftentimes remove, And by no means could be disclosed: At length by chance a Friend I met, Which caused me long time to tarry; And thus of me she did intreat, To tell her when I meant to Marry.

Sweet-heart, quoth I, if you would know, Then hear the Words, and I'll reveal it; Since in your Mind you bear it so, And in your Heart you will conceal it: She promis'd me she'd make no Words, But of such things she would be wary; And thus in brief I did begin, To tell her when I meant to Marry.

When _Shrove-tide_ falls in _Easter_ week, And _Christmas_ in the midst of _July_; When Lawyers for no Fees will Plead, And Taylors they prove Just and Truly: When all Deceits are quite put down, And Truth by all Men is preferred; And _Indigo_ dies Red and Brown, O then my Love and I'll be Married.

When Men and Beasts in the Ocean flow, And Fishes in green Fields are feeding; When Muscle-sh.e.l.ls in the Streets grow, And Swans upon dry Rocks be breeding: When c.o.c.kle-sh.e.l.ls are Diamond Rings, And Gla.s.s to Pearl may be compared; Gold is made of a Grey-goose Wings, Oh then my Love and I'll be Married.

When hostesses do reckon true, And _Dutchmen_ leave off drinking Brandy; When Cats do bark, and Dogs do Mew, And Brimstone is took for Sugar-candy: Or when that _Whitsontide_ do fall, Within the Month of _January_; And a Cobler works without an Awl, O then my, _&c._

When Women know not how to Scold, And Maids on Sweet-hearts ne'er are thinking; When Men in the Fire complain of Cold, And Ships on _Salisbury_ Plain fear sinking: Or when Horse-Coursers turn honest Men, And _London_ into _York_ is carried; And out of One you can take Ten, Oh then, _&c._

When Candlesticks do serve for Bells, And Frying-pans they do use for Ladles; When in the Sea they dig for Wells, And Porridge-pots they use for Cradles: When Maids forget to go a _Maying_, And a Man on his Back an Ox can carry; Or when the Mice with the Cat be playing, Oh then, _&c._

Good Sir, since you have told me when, That you're resolv'd for to Marry; I wish with all my Heart till then, That for a Wife you still may tarry: But if all young Men were of your mind, And Maids no better were preferred; I think it were when the D----l were blind, That we and our Lovers should be Married.

Gilderoys _last Farewel. To a New Tune._

[Music]

_Gilderoy_ was a bonny Boy, Had Roses tull his shun, His Stockings were made of the finest Silk, His Garters hanging down: It was a comely sight to see, He was so trim a Boy; He was my Joy and Heart's Delight, _My Handsom_ Gilderoy.

Oh sike a charming Eye he had, A Breath as sweet as a Rose, He never wore a Hiland plad, But costly silken Cloaths: He gain'd the Love of Ladies gay, There's none to him was Coy; Ah, wa's me, Ise mourn this Day, _For my Dear_ Gilderoy.

My _Gilderoy_ and I was born, Both in one Town together; Not past Seven years of Age, Since one did Love each other: Our Daddies and our Mammies both, Were cloath'd with mickle Joy, To think upon the Bridal Day, _Betwixt I and my_ Gilderoy.

For _Gilderoy_, that Love of mine, Geud faith Ise freely bought: A Wedding-sark of Holland fine, With Silk in Flowers wrought: And he gave me a Wedding Ring, Which I receiv'd with Joy; No Lads or La.s.ses e'er could Sing, _Like my sweet_ Gilderoy.

In mickle Joy we spent our time, Till we was both Fifteen; Then gently he did lay me down, Amongst the leaves so green: When he had done what he could do, He rose and he gang'd his way; But ever since I lov'd the Man, _My Handsome_ Gilderoy.

While we did both together play, He kiss'd me o'er and o'er; Geud faith it was as blith a Day, As e'er I saw before: He fill'd my Heart in every Vein, With Love and mickle Joy; Who was my Love and Hearts delight, _Mine own sweet_ Gilderoy.

Oh never, never shall I see, The cause of past Delight; Or sike a lovely Lad as he, Transport my Ravish'd sight: The Law forbids what Love enjoyns, And does prevent our Joy; Though just and fair were the Designs, _Of me and_ Gilderoy.

'Cause _Gilderoy_ had done amiss, Must he be punish'd then; What kind of Cruelty is this To hang such Handsom Men?

The Flower of the _Scotish_ land, A sweet and lovely Boy; He likewise had a Lady's Hand, _My Handsom_ Gilderoy.

At _Leith_ they took my _Gilderoy_, And there G.o.d wot they bang'd him: Carry'd him to fair _Edenburgh_, And there G.o.d wot they hang'd him: They hang'd him up above the rest, He was so trim a Boy; My only Love and Heart's Delight, _My Handsom_ Gilderoy.

Thus having yielded up his Breath, In _Cypress_ he was laid; Then for my dearest, after Death, A Funeral I made: Over his Grave a Marble-stone, I fixed for my Joy; Now I am left to weep alone, _For my dear_ Gilderoy.