Nursery Rhyme. CCCCLIX. Love And Matrimony.

    Saw ye aught of my love a coming from ye market!
        A peck of meal upon her back,
        A babby in her basket;
    Saw ye aught of my love a coming from the market?

    Curly locks! curly locks! wilt thou be mine?
    Thou shalt not wash dishes, nor yet feed the swine;
    But sit on a cushion and sow a fine seam,
    And feed upon strawberries, sugar, and cream!

    Did you see my wife, did you see, did you see,
        Did you see my wife looking for me?
    She wears a straw bonnet, with white ribbands on it,
        And dimity petticoats over her knee.

    As I was going up Pippen-hill,
        Pippen-hill was dirty,
    There I met a pretty miss,
        And she dropt me a curtsey.

    Little miss, pretty miss,
        Blessings light upon you!
    If I had half-a-crown a day,
        I'd spend it all on you.

    Blue eye beauty,
    Grey eye greedy,
    Black eye blackie,
    Brown eye brownie.

    Bessy Bell and Mary Gray,[*]
        They were two bonny lasses:
    They built their house upon the lea,
        And covered it with rashes.

    Bessy kept the garden gate,
        And Mary kept the pantry:
    Bessy always had to wait,
        While Mary lived in plenty.