The Very Pretty Maid of this Town
- Posted in:
- song
- free score
This part-song for lower men's voices was found in the Gonville & Caius Music Library, and does not appear in the Cambridge University Library catalogue, nor the Classified Handlist of Peter Tranchell's works.
PAT's source of the lyrics was the following page, though we do not at present know what book this is:
The lyrics are given below.
Scores
We are able to make available a poor-quality scan of Tranchell's manuscript, and a typeset edition.
Typeset score: Tranchell_The_Very_Pretty_Maid_of_this_Town_1.0.pdf
The lyrics
The Very Pretty Maid of this Town, and the Amorous ’Squire, not One Hundred Miles from the Place.
“I do not seek to quench your love’s hot fire, but qualify the fire’s extreme rage, lest it should burn above the bounds of reason.” Shakespeare.
A pretty maid both kind and fair,
Dwells in this very town.
Her pleasant smiles and easy air,
Engages fop and clown.
She was accosted t’other day
By a clumsy ’squire
Who ask’d her if she knew the way
To quench a raging fire.
Water, Sir! replied the maid,
Will quench it in a trice.
O no, said he, you little jade,
I’ve tried it once or twice.
Then Sir, said she, ’tis past my skill
To tell you what will do;
I’m sure, said he, you know what will!
There’s nothing can but you!
Alack-a-day! what do you mean?
Replied the pretty fair;
With water you must try again,
You never should despair!
Despair I cannot, cried the ’squire,
While you are in my sight,
’Tis you must quench the burning fire,
You set it first alight.
Then straight he clasp'd her round the waist,
And forced from her a kiss;
Ah… Ah…
Ho ho, said she, is that your tale?
Then pray you, Sir, take this!
And with a pail, placed at the door,
She sluic’d the am’rous ’squire;
You’re welcome, Sir, to this and more,
To quench your raging fire!
Carey, George Saville. The flights of fancy: being a collection of original pieces, in verse and prose, never before publish'd. London: printed for the author, and sold by J. Williams; W. Flexney, Holbourn; T. Toft and R. Lobb, also L. Hassall, Chelmsford, 1766.
The Golden Cabinet of True Treasure. London: John Crosley, 1612. Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership, 2011,
The flights of fancy: being a collection of original pieces, in verse and prose, never before publish'd. Carey, George Saville, 1743-1807.
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/004778300.0001.000 accessed 09 December 2023.