Page:Wandering shepherdess, or, the betrayed damsel (3).pdf/5

When two long years were finiſh’d and gone,
The ’ſquire to Oxford ſtraight did return,
Her parents, accus’d him of wronging their child,
He ſaid, She was fickle and falſe as the wind.

But now, ſaid her father, I fear ſhe is dead,
So we can add nothing to what we have ſaid
But ſure ſhe was honeſt and virtuous to all,
And you are the man that cauſed her fall.

Now we will leave her parents to mourn,
And unto the Shepherdeſs let us return,
Who was the talk of folk far and near,
At length her lover the fame came to hear.

He muſt ſee this beauty whatever betide,
Then he got his coach and away he did ride;
And juſt as bright Phoebus was going down,
He came to she valley where ſhe lay alone.

The lambs were ſporting in innocent ſort,
And ſhe was pleaſed with their harmleſs ſport;
Her fine ſilver hair ſweet breezes did wave,
On a bank of ſweet lilies ſhe careleſsly laid.

O gods! ſaid the ’ſquire ſure ſhe is divine,
But if ſhe is mortal, oh! let her be mine,
He little thought it was his love ſo true,
Men ſo much admire each beauty they view.

The charming Shepherdeſs turning her eyes,
Soon did know him to her great ſurprize,
But yet who ſhe was he did not know
At length to her cottage ſhe homeward did go.