“A wooing Song of a Yeoman of Kent ’s Sonn”

I have a house and land in Kent,
And if you’l love me, love me now;
Two-pence halfe-peny is my rent,—
I cannot come every day to woo.

—Two-pence halfe-peny is his rent,—
And he cannot come every day to woo.

Ich am my vather’s eldest zonne,
My mother eke doth love me well;
For ich can bravely clout my shoone,
And ich full well can ring a bell.

—For he can bravely clout my shoone,
And he full well can ring a bell.

My vather he gave me a hogge,
My mouther she gave me a zow;
I have a God-vather dwels there by.
And he on me bestowed a plow.

—He has a God-vather dwels there by.
And he on him bestowed a plow.

One time I gave thee a paper of pins,
Anoder time a taudry lace;
And if thou wilt not grant me love,
In truth ich die bevore thy vace.

—And if thou wilt not grant his love,
In truth hee’le die bevore thy vace.

Ich have beene twise our Whitson lord,
Ich have had ladies many vare;
And eke thou hast my heart in hold,
And in my mind seemes passing rare.

—And eke thou hast his hart in hold,
And in his mind seemes passing rare.

Ich will put on my best white sloppe,
And ich will weare my yellow hose;
And on my head a good gray hat,
And in’t ich sticke a lovely rose.

—And on his head a good gray hat,
And in’t heele sticke a lovely rose.

Wherefore cease off, make no delay,
And if you’l love me, love me now;
Or els ich zeeke zome other oder where—
For I cannot come every day to woo.

Or els hee’le zeeke zome other oder where—
For he cannot come every day to woo.

—Thomas Ravenscroft, Meslismata: Musicall Phansies, fitting the court, citie, and countrey humours : to 3, 4, and 5. voyces. London: Thomas Adams, 1611.