The Maid's Tragedy- (Lon) St. Bride's PL c.1790
[From broadside "The Maid's Tragedy," a broadside from St. Bride's Printing Library London 5447 (Gardham ref BS 1900), c1790. Cf. "A New Love Song" a broadside: Gil, No. 6, printed by Bart. Corcoran, Inn's Quay, Dublin c. 1774.
This broadside begins with the "Foolish Young Girl/Irish Boy" stanza and is so categorized. One of the locations in the ballad text, Fenchurch Street, is in London (see a similar stanza in the Irish broadside, "A New Love Song." The chorus "O hone! O hone! my heart's uneasy" is similar to the chorus in Irish Boy's Lamentation, another obscure broadside which appears to be an "answer" to this ballad.
See also: 7J. I Know My Love (by His Way of Walking); Died for Love G- Queen of Hearts for text similar stanzas/chorus.
R. Matteson 2017]
The Maid's Tragedy- broadside dated c1790, from St. Bride's Printing Library, London.
1. What a foolish girl was I,
to fall in love with an Irish boy?
What tho' he's false and wicked to me
The thought of my love will quite undo me.
CHORUS: O hone! O hone! my heart's uneasy[1]
In parting with my dearest honey,
He's gone to Ireland and long will tarry
Some other girl I fear he'll marry.
2. My love knows I can wash and wring
My love knows I can card and spin
All for to keep his clothing fine
Why did he go and leave me behind.
3. As I was walking up Fenchurch Street,
My apron spread like a sheet,
My belly up to my chin,
My love passed by and said nothing.
4. I'd lov'd you better than father or mother
I'd lov'd you better than sister or brother
I'd lov'd you better than all my kin
If you was without, love, I wou'd let you in.
5. As I was walking up Francis-Street,
My true love with a letter I chanced to meet,
And in this letter these lines was written,
I am often seen but soon forgotten[2].
6. Her father coming home late at night,
Calling for his heart's delight
He ran upstairs the door he broke,
And found her hanging by a rope.
7. In her bosom a note he found,
For an Irish boy my heart was bound,
To all young maids let his a warning be,
Lest young men should prove your misery.
8. Now dig my grave both wide and deep,
With a marble stone to cover it,
In the middle thereof a turtle-dove,
to shew the world I dy'd for love.
1. Usually "Ochone!" which is an exclamation of great despair
2. Also, "Seldom seen and soon forgotten."