“Retoure My Dear Dell” [Notes]
I
[From The New Canting Dictionary]
Each darkmans I pass in an old shady grove, [1]
And live not the lightmans I toute not my love, [2]
I surtoute every walk, which we used to pass, [3]
And couch me down weeping, and kiss the cold grass: [4]
I cry out on my mort to pity my pain,
And all our vagaries remember again.
II
Didst thou know, my dear doxy, but half of the smart [5]
Which has seized on my panter, since thou didst depart; [6]
Didst thou hear but my sighs, my complaining and groans,
Thou’dst surely retoure, and pity my moans: [7]
Thou’dst give me new pleasure for all my past pain,
And I should rejoice in thy glaziers again. [8]
III
But alas! ’tis my fear that the false Patri-coe [9]
Is reaping those transports are only my due:
Retoure, my dear doxy, oh, once more retoure,
And I’ll do all to please thee that lies in my power:
Then be kind, my dear dell, and pity my pain,
And let me once more toute thy glaziers again
IV
On redshanks and tibs thou shalt every day dine, [10]
And if it should e’er be my hard fate to trine, [11]
I never will whiddle, I never will squeek, [12]
Nor to save my colquarron endanger thy neck, [13]
Then once more, my doxy, be kind and retoure,
And thou shalt want nothing that lies in my power.
[1: night] [2: day; see] [3: know well] [4: lie] [5: mistress] [6: heart] [7: return] [8: eyes] [9: hedge-priest] [10: turkey; geese] [11: hang] [12: speak] [13: neck]