Classic Poem

In a may morning I mett a sweet nursse
with a babe in her armes, sweetly cold busse
I wold to god itt were mine! I shold be glad ont!
ffor it was a merry mumping thing, who ere was dad ont.

I saluted her kindlye, & to her I sayd,
" god morrow, sweet honye, and you be a mayd;
or if you wold shew to me, I shold be glad ont;
or if you wold tell me who is the right dad ont. "

" The dad of my child, Sir, I doe not well know,
ffor all tha t lay w i th mee refuseth me now
from one to the other; still I wold be rid ont. "
" but whosoeuer gott the Child, Ile be the dad ont. "

" Ile take itt in mine armes, & wislye Ile worke,
Ile lay itt in the hye way as men come from kirke,
& eu er ye one tha t comes by shall haue a glegge ont,
vntill I haue ffound out a man, the right dad ont. "

There came a kind Scot[c]hman whose name is not knowne,
sayes hee to this sweet hart, " this babye is mine owne;
come bind it vpon my backe; Ione shall be rid ont;
for whosoeu er gott the child, Ile be the dad ont. "

" Now, nay! now, nay! " shee sayes, " soe itt may not bee!
yo u r looke & his countenance doe not agree;
for had hee beene sike a swayne, I had neere been great ont;
for hee was a blythe young man tha t was the right dad ont.

" his lippes like the rubye, his cheekes like the rose,
he tempteth all ffayre mayds where-euer he goes:
first he did salute mee; then was I right glad ont;
O hee was a blythe younge man tha t was the right dad ont

" Ile trauell through England & Scottland soe wyde,
& a-ffoote I will ffollow him to be his bryde;
Ile bind itt vpon my backe, Ile not be ryd ont
vntill I haue found out the man tha ts the right dad ont

" Ile husse itt, Ile busse itt, Ile lapp itt in say;
Ile rocke itt, Ile lull itt, by night & by day;
Ile bind itt vpon my backe, Ile not be ridde ont
vntill I haue found out the man tha ts the right dad ont

" And thus to conclude, thoe itt ffall to my Lott
to ffind a dad ffor my barne tha t I cannott;
if an englishman gett a child, & wold be ridd ont,
let him bring it to Scot[c]hman, & heele be the dad ont. "