Anonimo (XVII secolo): Blew-cap for me. Ellen Hargis, soprano; Paul O’Dette, cittern.
Il testo fu pubblicato per la prima volta intorno al 1634 con il titolo Blew cap for me. Or, A Scottish lasse her resolute chusing shee’l have bonny blew-cap, all other refusing. To a curious new Scottish tune called Blew-cap.
There lives a blithe Lasse in Faukeland towne,
and shee had some suitors, I wot not how many;
But her resolution she had set down,
that shee’d have a Blew-cap gif e’re she had any:
An English man,
when our good king was there,
Came often unto her,
and loved her deere:
But still she replide, «Sir,
I pray let me be,
Gif ever I have a man,
Blew-cap for me.»
A Frenchman, that largely was booted and spur’d,
long lock’t, with a Ribon, long points and breeches,
Hee’s ready to kisse her at every word,
and for further exercise his fingers itches:
«You be pritty wench,
Mistris, par ma foy;
Be gar, me doe love you,
then be not you coy.»
But still she replide, «Sir,
I pray let me be;
Gif ever I have a man,
Blew-cap for me.»
An Irishman, with a long skeane in his hose,
did tinke to obtaine her it was no great matter;
Up stayres to her chamber so lightly he goes,
that she ne’re heard him until he came at her.
Quoth he, «I do love you,
by fate and by trote,
And if you will have me,
experience shall shote.»
But still she replide, «Sir,
I pray let me be;
Gif ever I have a man,
Blew-cap for me.»
A Dainty spruce Spanyard, with haire black as jett,
long cloak with round cape, a long Rapier and Ponyard;
Hee told her if that shee could Scotland forget,
hee’d shew her the Vines as they grow in the Vineyard.
«If thou wilt abandon
this Country so cold,
Ile shew thee faire Spaine,
and much Indian gold.»
But stil she replide, «Sir,
I pray let me be;
Gif ever I have a man,
Blew-cap for me.»
A haughty high German of Hamborough towne,
a proper tall gallant, with mighty mustachoes;
He weepes if the Lasse upon him doe but frowne,
yet he’s a great Fencer that comes to ore-match us.
But yet all his fine fencing
could not get the Lasse;
She deny’d him so oft,
that he wearyed was;
For still she replide, «Sir,
I pray let me be;
Gif ever I have a man,
Blew-cap for me.»
At last came a Scottish-man (with a blew-cap),
and he was the party for whom she had tarry’d;
To get this blithe bonny Lasse ‘twas his gude hap,–
they gang’d to the Kirk, & were presently marry’d.
I ken not weele whether
it were Lord or Leard;
They caude him some sike
a like name as I heard;
To chuse him from au
she did gladly agree,–
And still she cride, «Blew-cap,
th’art welcome to mee.»
La melodia è presente nella prima edizione (1651) della raccolta The English Dancing Master, curata da John Playford, con il titolo Blew Cap (n. 2). Qui è eseguita dai City Waites diretti da Lucie Skeaping:
la regina gioiosa 