The Valiant Damsel:

Giving An Account Of A Maid At Westminster, Who Put Her Self In Mans Apparel, And Listed Her Self For A Soldier For The Wars Of Flanders

Good People attend,
I bring a Relation,
Of Girls in this Nation,
Who fought to defend
the Kingdom and Crown:
In this present Reign,
They fought on the Main,
like strangers to Fate,
And now here’s another,
And now here’s another
was listed of late.

At fair Ireland,
In Souldier’s Attire,
A Woman did Fire,
And valiantly stand
at the Siege of Cork;
While the Shot did rebound,
She received a Wound,
yet fear’d not the foe;
And now here’s another
And now here’s another
for Flanders would go.

A generous Maid,
Both youthful and pritty,
In westminster City,
Her self she array’d,
in Robes like a Youth,
To a Captain she came,
Where her sweet Maiden name
she chang’d and conceal’d,
Then listed for Flanders,
Then listed for Flanders,
to fight in the field.

The Captain when he
Did look on this Beauty,
Contrary to Duty,
Was troubled to see
so pleasant a Youth
To go out of this Land,
Under Martial command,
to face a proud foe;
But yet this young Stripling,
But yet this young stripling
resolved to go.

My Parents are dead,
Both Father and Mother,
And therefore no other
Thoughts run in my head,
but a Soldiers Life:
If I happen to dye,
There is no one to cry
for me, Sir, I know;
And therefore a Soldier,
And therefore a Soldier
to Flanders I’ll go.

Immediately then,
The Youth being willing,
Recieved a shilling,
With other new men,
Thus listed was she.
Lest they should change their mind,
They were straitways confin’d
from running away;
At length her dear Parents,
At length her dear Parents,
was told where she lay.

Her mother strait went,
Where she did behold her,
The Damsel she told her,
There’s none should prevent
her noble design:
For in brisk Armour bright,
She resolved to fight,
and ofen reply’d:
There’s Captains and Coll’nels,
There’s Captains and Coll’nels
to stand by our side.

Dear Daughter forbear,
You never shall merrit,
True fame by that Spirit,
For I have took care
to get your Discharge.
When she found it was so,
And that home she must go,
her grief did excell.
In Westminster City,
In Westminster City
this Damsel does dwell.

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ESTC Citation Number: T193134