If the Heart of a Man be depress'd with Care

Sung by Mr.Braham, in the Beggar's Opera.

The tune occurs regularly since appearing in Thomas D'Urfey's play Modern Prophets in 1709, where even then it was described as 'an old tune'. In D'Urfrey's play the tune carried the title Wou'd You Have a Young Virgin but it's earlier name was Poor Robin's Maggot.

Playford published it in 1718 and John Walsh Senior in 1711 and 1719.

This version is as printed in The Minstrel sometime at the end of the 18thC

The tune is found as far afield as the Faroe Islands, where it is called 'La Fille' (PB)