MALL

Father, here I am I cannot tell, heaven must appoint for me. This question is too hard for bash ulnes, And Father, now you pose my modesty, I am a maid, and when you ask me thus, I Like a maid must blush look pale and won, And then look pale again, for we change colour, As our thoughts change, with true faced passion, Of modest maidenhead, I could adorn me, And to your question, make a sober curtsy, And with clo e clipped civility be silent, Or else say no forsooth, or I forsooth, If I said no forsooth, I lied forsooth, To lie upon my self were deadly sin, Therefore I will speak truth and shame the devil, Father, when first I herd you name a husband, At that same very name, my spirits quickened, Dispa e before had killed them, they were dead, Because it was my hap so long to tarry, I was persuaded I should never marry. And sitting sowing thus upon the ground, I fell in trance of meditation, But coming to my self, Oh Lord said I, Shall it be so, must I unmarried die? And being angry Father, farther said, Now by saint Anne, I will not die a maid, Good faith before I came to this ripe groat, I did accuse the labouring time of sloth, Me thought the year did run but slow about, For I thought each year ten I was without, Being fourteen, and towards the other year: Good Lord thought I, fifteen will never be here, For I have herd my mother say, that then Pretty maids, were fit for handsome men, Fifteen passed, S xeteene and seventeen too, What, thought I, will not this husband do? Will no man marry me, have men forsworn, Such beauty and such youth? shall youth be worn As rich men's gowns, more with age then use? Why the I'let restain fancy lose, And bade it gaze for pleasure: then love swore me To do what ere my mother did before me, Yet in good faith, I was very loath, But now it lies in you to save my oath: If I shall have a husband, get him quickly, For m aides that wears Cork shoes, may step awry. Good father do, Oh God me thinks I should Wife it as fine as any woman could: I could carry a port to he obeyed, Carry a mastering eye upon my maid, With minion do your business or I'll make ye, And to all house authority be take me. Oh God would I were married, be my troth, But if I be not, I swear I'll keep my oath. Forsooth my father called me forth to him. Nothing forsooth. I something, that as good as nothing was. Nay faith I know not mother, would I did. Hasty mother, why how old am I? Do you hear mother, would you stay from ̄ pleasure When you have mind to it? go to, there's no wrong Like this, to let maids lie alone so long Lying alone they muse but in their beds, How they might lose their long kept maiden heads, This is the cause there is so many escapes, For women that are wise, will ot led Apes In hell, I tell ye mother I say true, Therefore come husband, maiden head adieu. It is a man, his big voice tells me so, Much am I not acquainted with it though, And yet mine ear sounds true distinguisher, Boys that I have been more familiar, With it then now I am, well, I do judge, It is not envies felon not of grudge, Therefore I'll plead acquaintance, higher his guiding, And buy of him some place of close abiding, Till that my mother's malice be expired, And we may joy in that is long desired, whoses there? You'll never strike rascal? No sir, it fits not maids to fight with men. Why you may find it in the Christcrosse row. No faith, I care not greatly if I tell it, My name is Marry Ba nes. He shall not seek me, I will seek him out, Since of my mother's grant I needs not doubt. I saw her not forsooth, since you and she Went walking both together to the garden. Father the question then must not be would worser, For I am very weak in argument. And this say I, 'tis not good to marry. Marry not all, but it is good to marry. Why it is good to them that marry well, To them that marry ill, no greater hell. Nothing but of a husband for me mother. Nay by the mass you lie Mother, how old were you when you did marry. How now, whose there? 'Tis I, who I? I quoth the dog, or what? A christ cross rowel? Oh is't you wild oats? Well said scapethrift. How now? Whose that brother, whose that with you? Belady he hath a pure wit. Oh well put in sir. Well climde Gentleman, I pray sir tell me, do you cart the queen of love? I but me thinks you speak without the book, To place a Sour wheel wagon in my look, Where will you have room to have the coachman fit? But are you cunning in the Carmans lash? And can you whistle well? Ah cruel carter, would you whip a dove? Nay, but hark you brother? Whose white boy is that same? know you his mother? Why is his house of gold, is it not made of lime andS stone Like this? God be thanked. Did he descend some steeple or some ladder? Nay not all, some sing another note, My mother will say no, I hold a groat. But I thought it somewhat, he would be a carter, He hath been whipping la ely some blind bear, And now he would fe ke the blind boy here with us. Kiss him I pray? Nun, votary, stale maidenhead, seventeen and up ward, Here be names, what nothing else? Steeple good people, nay another cast. Fie not so big sir, by one partly of four. Oh well road wit, but whats your fare I pray? Nay, and you be so deer, I'll choose another. Vow love? who would not love such a comely fea ture? Nor high nor low, but of the middle stature, A middle man thats the best syze indeed, I Like him well, Love grant us well to speed. Frank, Frank, I come through dangers, death and harms To make Loves patient with thy seal of arms. Hush then, um, mouse in cheese, cat is near. Whist brother whist, my mother herd me tread, And asked whose there? I would not answer her, She called a light, and up she's gone to seek me, There when she finds me not, sheel hither come, Therefore dispatch, let it be quickly done, Francis, my l ves lease I do let to thee, Date of my life and thine, what sayest thou to me? The entering, fine, or income thou must pay, Are kisses and embrace every day, And quarterly I must receive my rend, You know my mind. I do I do, Here is the place where Philip bid me stay, Till Francis came, but wherefore did my bother, Appoint I here? why in the Cunny borough? He had some meaning in't I warrant you, Well here isle set me down under this tree, And think upon the matter all alone, Good Lord what pretty things these Cunnies are, How finely they do feed till they be fat, And then what a sweet meat a Cunny is, And what smooth skins they have, both black and grey, They say they run more in the night then day, What is the reason? mark, why in the light, They see more passengers then in the night, For harmful men many a hay do set. And laugh to see them tumble in the net, And they put ferrets in the holes, fie, fie, And they go up and down where connies lie, And they lie still, they have so little wit, I marvel the Warriner will suffer it, Nay, nay, they are so bade, that they themselves, Do give consent to catch these pretty elves, How if the Warriner should spy me here? He would take me for a conny I dare swear, But when that Francis comes, what will he say? Look boy there lies a conney in my way: But soft, a light, whose that? should my mother, Nay then all hid, I faith she shall not see me, I'll play bo peep with her behind this tree. Belike my mother took me for a Thrush, Close as a rabbet sucker from and old conney. I so you might, if your daughter had no wit. A murren take that dissembling tongue, Ere your calves teeth were out you thought it long. I theres the spite, What trick shall I now have to escape her light? No indeed mother, this is my best way. No by Lady no. Nay then trip and go. Yes faith. Mal. sweet heart, Mal ? what not a word? Hark you true man, if true, I tell you no, I cannot see at all which way I go. No, no, such block till now came in my way. Why if he had been your height I meant to jump? Nimble as a Do. Of you. What take you? Will you strike me. The very same. I pray sir whats oh ure name? What sir Ralph Smith, nay then I will disclose, All the hold cause to him, in him repose, My Hope's, my love, God him I hope did send, Our loves and both our mother's hates to end, Gentle sir Ralph if you my blush might see, You then would say I am ashamed to be Found Like a wandering stray by such a knight, So far from home at such a time of night, But my excuse is good, love first by fate Is crossed, controlled, and sundered by fell hate, Frank Goursey is my love, and he loves me, But both our mother's hate and disagree, Our father's Like the match, and wish it done, And so it had, had not our mother's come, To Oxford we concluded both to go, Going to me to, they came, we parted so, My mother followed me, but I ran fast, Thinking who went from hate had needs make hast, Take me she cannot though she still pursue, But now sweet knight, I do repose on you. Be you my Orator and plead my right, And get me one good day for this bade night. O I am sick. Father and mother if you needs would know, He nam a Goose, which is my stomachs foe. Aiest quoth you? well brother if it be, I fear 'twill prove and earnest unto me, Goose said you sir? o that same very name, Hath in it much variety of shame, Of all the birds that ever yet was seen, I would not have them graze upon this green, I hope they will not, for this, crop is poor, And they may pasture upon greater store. But yet 'tis pity that they let them pass, And Like a Common bite the Muses grass, Yet this I fear if Frank and I should kiss, Some creeking goose would chide us with a hiss, I mean not that goose sings it knows not what. 'Tis not that hiss when one says hist come hither, Nor that same hiss that sets dogs together, Nor that same hiss that by a fire does stand, And hisseth TO. or F. upon the hand, But 'tis a hiss, and I'll unlace my coat, For I should found sure if I herd that note, And then green Ginger for the green goose cries, Serves not the turn, I turned the white of eyes, The Rosasolis yet that makes me live, Is favours that these Gentlemen may give, But if they be displeased, then pleased am I, To yield my self a hissing death to die, Yet I hope heeres none consents to kill, But kindly take the favour of good will. If any thing be in the pen to blame, Then here stand I to blush the writers shame. If this be bade, he promises a better. Trust him, and he will prove a right true debtor. My Hope's & duty, wish your thoughts good speed Then the worse for me, hark Mother hark, The Priest forgets that ere he was a Clarke, When you were at my years, I'll hold my life, Your mind was to change maidenhead for wife, Pardon me mother, I am of your mind, And by my troth I take it but by kind. To save a lie mother, say if you can. No you would catch me mother, oh I smell you. You hunt sometime. Why then sweet Francis I am only thine, Brother bear witness. Mother, good mother, hear me Oh good God, Now we are even what would you make us odd? Now I beseech you for the love of Christ, To give me leave once to do what I list. I am as you were when you were a maid, Guess by your self, how long you would have stayed, Might you have had your will, as good begin, At first as last, it saves us from much sin, Lying alone, we muse on things and things, And in our minds, one thought another brings, This maids life mother is and idle life, Therefore I'll be, I, I will be wife, And mother do not mistrust my age or power, I am sufficient, I lack never and How e, I had both wit to grant when he did woe me, And strength to bear what ere he can do to me. Faith mother then I'll try how you can run, Fair man not so, no I had none at all. The place is void, will you provide me one? The grounds too hard, a featherbed, not I.