Τρίτη 20 Νοεμβρίου 2012

The Bone-Lace Weaver’s Song













The Bone-Lace Weaver’s Song was written by Wheatcroft about 1650 and celebrates the independence of the professional English lacemaker. Roy Palmer published Whitecroft’s Bonelace Weaver poem in the “Ballad History of England” (1979) from a manuscript in the Ashover Parish Records, D253A/PZ11, Derbyshire Records Office. The words were also published in Bedfordshire County Life magazine, issues 18 and 43.


THE BONELACE WEAVERS SONG
(Here is myrthe and melody)

I am a maid new com to towne,
But lounge I will not tarry.
I have but two years for to stay,
and then I thinke to marry.
But if a briske younge man com in,
and that is no decever,
to corte him then I will begin,
Like a bone-lace weaver.
If that he be a gentellman,
and vowes he’ll love me kindly,
then for him I’le doe what I can,
and strive to please him finely.
Of if he be a yoman good,
and to me no decever,
then I will strive to pleas his mood,
Like a bone-lace weaver.
We get our living with our handes,
having our wits about us.
We hope to purches hous & lands,
tho young men the doe flout us.
But let them all say what y can,
Wee’l trust no decever,
Wee’l sing you songs of peg and nan,
Like a bone-lace weaver.
We keepe out hands both whit and neat,
our pritty lace to handle.
We sing our sonits all compleat,
By daylight or a candell.
And when out Task we ended have,
Our Mistris shews such fancy,
We sport ans sing, that all doth ring,
O Brave Bone-lace weaver.
And thus we leade most merry lives,
We heed no young mens saying.
We scorne for to be married wives,
Wee’l keepe our fingers playing.
Wee’l weare brave laces on our heads,
We scorne as yeat a beaver,
Wee’l worke a pace, Brave flanders lace,
O Brave Bone-lace weaver.







http://lacenews.net/page/4/ http://posy.typepad.com/posy/2006/03/lace_making.html