The Poetical Works of William Drummond of Hawthornden ::

A country Maid amazon-like did ryde,
To sit more sure with legge on either syde;
Her Mother who her spyed, sayd that ere long
Shee might due pennance suffer for that wrong;
For when tyme should more yeeres on her bestow,
That Horses haire between her thighes would grow.
Scarce winter twice was come, as was her told,
When shee found all to frizell there with gold,
Which first her made affraid, then turnd her sicke,
And keept her in her bed almost a weeke.
At last her mother calls, who scarce for laughter
Could heare the pleasant storie of her daughter;
But that this thought no longer should her vex
Shee said that barded thus was all the sex;
And to proue true that now shee did not scorne,
Reueald to her the gate where shee was borne.
The girle, that seeing, cryed, now freed of paine,
Ah! Mother, yee haue ridden on the maine.

University of Virginia Library

xii. The country Maid.