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Here's the song from Roy Palmer's *Ballad History Of England* *THE BONELACE WEAVERS SONG* /Here is myrthe and melody/ /(Leonard Wheatcroft)/ 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[y] 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. (I have left all spelling as printed by Palmer, except that all the letter /v/s in the abover were printed as /u/. I think this orthographic change makes it slightly easier to read while not obliterating the original). Palmer writes: /"The song was written in about 1650 by Leonard Wheatcroft, of Ashover in Derbyshire. Apart from writing songs he was village publican, tailor, parish clerk and a combatant in the Civil War - on both sides. No tune was indicated, but there is a modern recording with a tune by Roy Harris (Muckram Wakes, A Map of Derbyshire, Leader LER 2085)."/ Palmer's source is given as: /MS in the Ashover Parish Records, D253A/PZ11, Derbyshire Records Office/ - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://community.webshots.com/user/arachne2003
