LOB's COURTSHIP. Elizabeth Hands (née Herbert) Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T141063 Hands, Elizabeth, 1746-1815. The death of Amnon. A poem. With an appendix: containing pastorals, and other poetical pieces. By Elizabeth Hands. [Coventry] Printed for the author, by N. Rollason, Coventry, M,DCCLXXXIX. 1789 pp. 86-87. [40],127,[1]p.; 8⁰.

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LOB's COURTSHIP . As Lob among his cows one day , Was filling of their cribs with hay ; As he to th' crib the hay did carry , It came into his head to marry ; Says he , there's little merry Nell , I think I like her very well ; But she , perhaps , at me will scoff , Besides , she lives a great way off : He mus'd a while , then judg'd it better , The courtship to begin by letter ; So he a bit of paper found , 'Twas neither long , nor square , nor round ; It was the best that he could find , And on it thus , he wrote his mind : Dear Nelly , I make bold to send My love to you , and am your friend ; I think you are a pretty maid , And wonder much that you don't wed ; If you can like a country man , I'll come and see you , if I can , When roads are good , and weather fine , But first I hope you'll send a line . Then he in haste this letter sent , Also two apples did present , Which Nell receiv'd , and read the letter , ( But she lik'd the apples better ) ; When read she into the fire threw it , And never sent an answer to it . When spring drew on , the cuckow sung , The roads were dry , and days were long , The cows were all turn'd out to grass , Then Lob set out to see his lass ; He oil'd his shoes , and comb'd his hair , As if a going to a fair : He was a very clever clown , His frock was of the sustian brown , His stick was bended like a bow , His handkerchief too made a show , His hat stood like the pot-lid round , So on he went , and Nell he found . What Nelly ! how dost do ? says he , Come , will you go along with me O'er yonder stile , a little way Along that close ; Nell , what dost say ? Me go with you o'er yonder stile ? Says Nell , indeed I can't a-while ; So she stept in , and shut the door , And he shabb'd off , and said no more .