A Virgin's Meditation
A Virgin's Meditation is a song written by Thomas D'Urfey (1653-1723) for the musical farce The Two Queens of Bedford.
Original lyrics
A Virgins Life who would be leaving,
Free from Care and fond Desire;
Ne'er deceiv'd, nor e'er deceiving,
Loving none, yet all inspire.
We sit above and Knot the live-long Day,
A thousand pretty harmless things we say;
But not one Word of Wedlock's frightful Noose,
For fear we chance to think what we must lose.
Our Souls are free from dire Revenges,
Bosom's Mischief never owns;
Our Wit's employ'd in making Fringes,
Or embroidering our Gowns.
If any Lover comes to play the Thief,
Our natural dear Cunning gives Relief.
We dance, we sing the tedious Hours away,
And when we've nothing else to do — we pray.
Other lyrics
Other versions are traditionally sung. The version from The Mangy Mongol songbook changes the last two lines in the first verse to "But not one word of wedlocks frightful news / Lest we may chance to think what we must lose." Another modification is to change the second to last line to "We sing and dance" rather than "We dance, we sing". Ed McCurdy used the latter modification when performing the song on the 1958 Elektra album When Dalliance Was in Flower (and Maidens Lost Their Heads) vol. 2.
References
- D'Urfey, Thomas. The Two Queens of Brentford: or, Bayes no Poetaster.
- The Mangy Mongol songbook, page 99, AS XLIII.
- Ed McCurdy, When Dalliance was in Flower (and Maidens Lost Their Heads) vol. 2, Elektra Records (1958).
External links
- Audio clip of this song as performed by Ed McCurdy.
