University of Virginia Library

MAGGYS REPENTANCE

Twas sunday eve the sun was out of sight
& left the west sky with a yellow light
While that small wind that ushers night apace
Was fluttering cool on summers burning face
& that sweet light had blest each lovers eye
That brings one star to glimmer in the sky
When maggy dreaming tween regrets & doubt
Took up her hat & pale & soodld out
To the high elms that spread their hanging boughs
Oer the low hovel were she milkd her cows
Nigh to the house but not as one coud hear
& yet so nigh that night brought little fear
For in eves sunbeams ere the last was oer
There longest shadows nearly reachd the door
A favourd spot were memorey fondly dwelt
Were simple love first wisperd what it felt
The spot were robin met her void of guile
& told his vows & often milkd the while
Were still hed met had he not found it vain
When maggys folly urgd him to refrain
There past her usual hour to shun the talk
Of gay companions on their sunday walk
She drove her milking oft to be alone
& make an hour of Solitude her own
Care urgd the lonly comforts which she sought
& thus for ease she mutterd what she thought
‘I well may hate the dancing & the night
‘That brought a coxcomb in my silly sight
‘Whose dress & follys lur'd my heart about
‘& made me fancy man was nought with out
‘I hate the night I met wi footman Tim
‘& turnd of[f] robin to take up with him
‘I shoud be crazy in that luckless hour
‘To let white stockings have such foolish power
‘& lapell coats in fashion with the squire
‘I shoud be crazd such tinsel to admire
‘& those vile monkey methods in the dance
‘Which he would wisper “master learnd in france”
‘I stood astounded at the mongrel pride
‘& smiles of wonder hadnt power to hide
‘Which made him caper twenty times the more
‘& like parchd peas he jumpd about the floor
‘& such quere names his foreign dances had
‘A downright puzzle were the memorys bad
‘Waltzes we did like punches dolls efeth
‘& jumpd & hugd till I was out of breath
‘& he stept figures poor conscieted fool
‘Which he pretended fashion learns at school
‘& sure enough ere half the night was oer
‘I had my surfeit & coud smile no more
‘Such foolish tricks so fussy to repeat
‘I realy felt as sickend with consciet
‘Hed beg girls poseys as he bugd along
‘To let them hear how he coud use his tongue
‘& oft unbidden out his watch was taen
‘To show the hour but more the watch & chain
‘& while he stood his cash was chinkd about
‘To let folks know his pockets want without
‘& hed pull off his gloves his nails to bite
‘Wi mere excuse to show his hand was white
‘& kept his waiscoat open at the chin
‘To show a frilld shirt & a golden pin
‘& hed take snuff & folks to pinch were bid
‘To see his picture in the boxes lid
‘Curse such consciet—when robin calld him fool
‘I wish Id taen a lesson from his school
‘For Id told robin I would dance with him
‘Till curst misfortune brought me footman Tim
‘A coxcomb knave & time has soon explaind
‘The worth I shund when robin was disdaind
‘A Squires attendant daubd about wi lace
‘Who lookd on ploughmen as a vulgar race
‘That night like witchcraft he my eyes decievd
‘& all he sed gen ploughmen I believd
‘He calld 'em “raws” & mutterd as he star'd
‘To see them shuffle down the dance so hard
‘& then hed say & take up foolish airs
‘“Id sooner chuse a beggars life then theirs”
‘Curse such a fool he did chuse beggars pride
‘In guarding lap dogs by a ladys side
‘& nick nack jobs as follys might require
‘Which were not betterd tho he servd a squire
‘Folly may think as follys whim may please
‘Mites are but mites tho fed on stilton cheese
‘How robins memory on the past appears
‘& when it comes I cannot stop my tears
‘Past pleasures lost ones senses overwhelms
‘Ah robin robin neath these spreading elms
‘How have we loiterd sunday eves away
‘& talkd for hours & still left more to say
‘Till dewey boughs gun dropping on our heads
‘& wooping owlets warnd us to our beds
‘Ah little birds yere perchd upon the tree
‘As warm & happy as ye usd to be
‘& bats enjoy their ditty short & shill
‘& evening reels the moths are dancing still
‘The same as then each pleasing thing is seen
‘& all is blest save her that might have been
‘Had I been wise still robin here had met
‘& talkd & smild & made me happy yet
‘& milkd to save me as he usd to do
‘When Id on gown or apron that was new
‘Not like proud Tim a poor conscieted strutt
‘Who calld it “dunghill” & disdaind to do't
‘Be gowns or aprons new or clean or how
‘Spoilt they may be Ive none regards me now
‘Ive none to free me from my sunday toil
‘So I may milk & sunday gowns may spoil
‘On winter sundays wholl at milking meet
‘& bear my burthen down the dirty street
‘Wholl help me forward when night comes so soon
‘& homward guide me when there is no moon
‘No one will do as gentle robin did
‘Who went each sunday & was never bid
‘Who milkd my cows & took it home when done
‘& pickd the road that I the dirt might shun
‘& laid fresh stones when ere the brook was high
‘That I might step in saftey & be dry
‘& every night when toil has set him free
‘He always met me upon faireys lea
‘He knew of what was seen & judgd my fear
‘& always whistld when he heard me near
‘But lord protect all joys I did resign
‘On that sad night & all the fault is mine
‘My heart may quake when winter evenings gloom
‘Ive none to call if fearful things shoud come
‘Bad dismal nights are waiting to be mine
‘When I must lonley oer my lot repine
‘None loves me now nor favour cares to court
‘None then will milk & guide me thro the dirt
‘None stones will lay that I the floods may cross
‘Drownd I may be & few will mourn the loss
‘But surely hopes have not forsook me quite
‘If robins careless he coud love but light
‘For surely love has too much pity yet
‘To bear that malice which will not forget
‘& he must hear Ive turnd off footman Tim
‘& he may judge Ive some regard for him
‘I feign woud tell him what I wish woud be
‘But Im ashamd to make my self too free
‘I told his mother journeying to the mill
‘How I repented using robin ill
‘& that to guess was giving morts of room
‘The hint was plenty if he wishd to come—
‘Sure hopes are faith[f]ull for that dogs gruff bark
‘Is robins rover if I rightly hark
‘Dear what a terror of suspence Im in
‘My heart een heaves ones bosom to my chin
‘& swelld wi throbs how hopes & fears may be
‘Unpins ones 'kerchief as it would be free
‘There claps the gate—it surely must be him
‘& if it is farewell to grief & Tim
‘But rest my heart false hopes have often sinnd
‘Nor thrust agen my hankerchief unpinnd
‘Cold is the air & dripping is the bough
‘No loves embraces warms my bosom now
‘But hark the cows are running startld bye
‘They always ran when robins dog was nigh
‘The hour is cheating when the light is dim
‘But eyes & hopes assure me this is him
‘Ill say “good night” as harmless right or wrong
‘& if its robin he will know my tongue’
‘She stopt & sighd—then kindly calld “good night”
‘& doubted robin soon was provd the right
‘For when he heard how chances had returnd
‘His malice coold & love as keenly burnd
‘& glad she was when questiond what she meant
‘To have the chance to answer her consent
‘So all was well & nothing seemd amiss
‘Save that theyd acted other wise then this
‘& robin vowd revenge on footman Tim
‘To give him trouble as hed troubld him
‘But footman Tim coud ape deciet too well
‘To own the conquerers triumph were he fell
‘As fashions lacquey he had learnd its pride
‘& when twas humbld hed disguise to hide
‘When rob & mag ere met him in the street
‘He never shund but sooner seemd to meet
‘& always careless passd & often sung
‘& leerd as happy tho his pride was stung