Frolicsome lady, or, The happy footman/The Frolicsome Lady, or, The Happy Footman

The frolicsome Lady; or, happy Footman.

YOU gallant young creatures delighting in sport.
⁠I’d have you to linen a while to this joke,
It is of a young Lady both gallant and fair,
A noble lords daughter whole name I’ll forbear.

⁠She must have a frolic one night as, ’tis said,
There's nothing would serve her but the masquerade,
She gees to her mother, and to her the cry’d,
A masqueradc dress I beg you’ll provide.

⁠That I may go fee the fine pastime that’s there,
I will have the dress of a shepherdess fair,
The gallant young lady’s go there as it is said,
So I will go dress and to the masquerade.

⁠Dear mother according to what I’ve heard talk,
I'm sure masquerading is very good sport,
Young lords in their coaches come rattling there,
The king, and the prince, and the princes so fair.

⁠Dear mother there must be rich pastime, she said,
This night I’m resolved for the masquerade:
Miss called her chair, and away she did go,
With her nimble footman to follow her too.

⁠She hir’d the dress of a shepherdess fair,
And entered the room where the quality ware
The footman, he said, I have guineas l know.
So I will be one of the quality too.

⁠He dress’d like a shepherd,and when he came there,
He led up a dance with his shepherdess fair,
But little she thought it was her man John,
Who danc’d with her there and so well did perform.

⁠But took him to be some great Lord of renown.
When dancing was o'er, they together sat down,
He su’d her with him to the tavern to go,
Both in their disguise, that none might them know.

⁠Now the shepherdess fair she soon did agree,
So the Sports being o’er to the tavern went they,
He there learn’d her a dance, and said lovely mistress,
I hope you will not forget the masquerade dress.

⁠She gave him a fine ring both costly and rare,
The which he might shew her when he did come there
So taking her leave, she call’d for her chair,
John whips off his dress and soon follows his dear.

⁠O-have you been careful her mother the said,
Now of your young Mistress at the masquerade,
Yes, madam, replied young John with a smile,
Being pleased to think what he’d done all the while.

⁠For in a little time her visage grew pale,
Her belly grew big and her strength it did fail,
Come tell the father, the mother then said,
Why, mother, i got this at the masquerade.

⁠What! cannot ye tell me, ye strumpet so wild,
Who was the man that got you with child,
Why, mother,there was both the devil and turk,
Both friars and nuns, but the man did the work,

⁠That was dress’d iike a shepherd, dear mother, she said,
I must find the father at the masquerade ;
Do you know the man if again you him see ?
No, mother, for he was a strangcr to me.

⁠He perform’d his part in dancing so well,
I could net deny him the truth for to tell,
Where must I now find a father to my babe,
I’m ruin’d by going to the masquerade.

⁠The father and mother being struck with surprize,
They sent for the footman with tears in their eyes,
Saying, John, if you’ll marry my daughter so fair,
Take her with a fault, and i’ll make you my heir.

⁠To tell you the truth she the wanton has play'd,
She’s got up her belly at the masquerade,
John quickly accepted her to be his bride,
And now in his chariot in splendor does ride.

⁠He discover'd the matter, and how it was done,
He father’s the babe, which indeed was his own,
It was well on his side that the frolic was play’d,
By kissing his mistress at the masquerade.