Here was a Lass in Cumberland,
A bonny Lass of high Degree: There was a Lass, her Name was Nell, The blithest Lass that e'er you see:
Oh! to Bed to me, to Bed to me,
The Lass that comes to Bed to me:
Blith and bonny may she be,
The Lass that comes to Bed to me.
Her Father lov'd her passing well,
So did her Brother fancy Nell:
But all their Loves came short of mine,
As far as Tweed is from the Tyne,
Oh! to Bed to me, to Bed to me, &c.
She had five Dollars in a Chest,
Four of them she gave to me;
She cut her Mother's Winding-Sheet,
And all to make a Sark for me,
Oh! to Bed to me, to Bed to me, &c.
She pluck'd a Box out of her Purse,
Of four Gold Rings she gave me three;
She thought herself no whit the worse,
She was so very kind to me,
Oh! to Bed to me, to Bed to me, &c.
If I were Lord of all the North,
To Bed and Board she should be free,
For why, she is the bonniest Lass,
That is in all her own Country,
Oh! to Bed to me, &c.
Her Cherry-Cheeks and Ruby Lips,
Doth with the Damask Rose agree,
With other Parts which I'll not Name,
Which are so pleasing unto me :
Oh! to Bed to me, &c.
For I have rid both East and West,
And been in many a strange Country,
Yet never met with so kind a Lass,
Compared with Cumberland Nelly.
Oh to Bed to me, &c.
When I embrace her in my Arms,
She takes it kind and courteously,
And hath such pretty winning Charms,
The like whereof you ne'er did see :
Oh! to Bed to me, &c.
There's not a Lass in Cumberland
To be compar'd to smiling Nell,
She hath so soft and white a Hand,
And something more that I'll not tell,
Oh! to Bed to me, &c.
Up to my Chamber I her got,
There I did treat her courteously, I told her, I thought it was her Lot To stay all Night and Lig with me, Oh! to Bed to me, &c.
She, pretty Rogue, could not say nay,
But by consent we did agree,
That she for a fancy, there should stay,
And come at night to Bed to me:"
Oh! to Bed to me, &c.
She made the Bed both broad and wide,
And with her Hand she smooth'd it down;
She kiss'd me thrice, and smiling said,
My Love, I fear thou wilt sleep to soon:
Oh! to Bed to me, &c..
Into my Bed I hasted strait,
And presently she follow'd me,
It was in vain to make her wait,
For a Bargain must a Bargain be,
O! to Bed to me, &c.
Then I embrac'd this lovely Lass,
And strok'd her Wem so bonnily,
But for the rest we'll let it pass,
For she afterward sung Lulaby;
Oh! to Bed to me, to Bed to me,
The Lass that came to Bed to me,
Blith and Bonny sure was she,
The Lass that came to Bed to me.
Shepherd set him under a Thorn,
He pull❜d out his Pipe and began for to play,
It was on a Midsummers-day in the Morn,
For Honour of that Holy-day:
A Ditty he did chant along,
That goes to the Tune of Cater-Bordee
And this was the burthen of his Song,
If thou wilt Pipe Lad I'll dance to thee,
to thee, to thee, derry, derry, to thee, &c.
And whilst this Harmony he did make,
A Country Damsel from the Town,
A Basket on her Arm she had,
A gathering Rushes on the Down;
Her Bongrace of Wended Straw;
From the Sun's hot Beams her Face is free, And thus she began when she him saw,
If thou wilt Pipe Lad, I'll dance to thee, &c.
Then he pull'd out his Pipe, and began to sound,
Whilst tempting on her Back she lay,
But when his quavering Note she found,
How sweetly then this Lass could Play:
She stopp'd all Jumps, and she reveal'd,
She kept all Time with Harmony,
And looking on him, sighing said,
If thou wilt Pipe Lad, I'll Dance to thee, &c.
She never so much as blush'd at all,
The Musick was so charming sweet, But e'er anon to him she'd call,
And bid him active, turn and meet; As thou art a boon Shepherd's Swain,
I am a Lass am come to Wooe thee, To play me another double Strain,
And doubt not but I will Dance to thee, &c.
Altho' I am but a silly Maid,
Who ne'er was brought up at Dancing-School,
But yet to the Jig that thou hast plaid,
You find that I can keep Time and Rule!
Now see that you keep your Stops aright,
For Shepherd, I am resolv'd to view thee,
And play me the Damsel's chief Delight,
Then never doubt but I'll Dance to thee, &c.
The Shepherd again did Tune his Pipe,
And plaid her a Lesson loud and shrill,
The Damsel his Face did often wipe,
With many a Thank for his Good Will;
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