<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2008-03-07</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>John Pas</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B080213.pdcc.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B06192">
<STC T="W">T2222</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99887231</BIBNO>
<VID>182039</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<HEAD><PB REF="1"><!-- PDF PAGE 19 -->A Tryal of skill, performed by a poor decayed Gentlewoman,</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">Who cheated a rich Gra&s;ier of Seven&s;core pound, and left him a Child to keep. If you will know, then li&s;ten a while, &verbar; And you shall know that which will make you &s;mile.</HEAD>
<P>The Tune is, <HI>Ragged-and Torn.</HI></P>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<LG>
<L>Kind Country-men lift to my Ditty,</L>
<L>I pray you what ever you be,</L>
<L>I know that my ca&s;e you will pitty,</L>
<L>I pray then take warning by me:</L>
<L>Seven&s;core pounds I did lo&s;e,</L>
<L>be&s;ides a fine Babe at Nur&s;e:</L>
<L>My Sweet-heart &s;he did me abu&s;e,</L>
<L>and left me no Coin in my Pur&s;e:</L>
<L><HI>Take heed of bad women therefore,</HI></L>
<L><HI>by women are men overthrown,</HI></L>
<L><HI>And rich men are often made Poor,</HI></L>
<L><HI>when as they keep more then their own.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I brought &s;ome Cattel to Town,</L>
<L>and &s;old them for Seven&s;core pound;</L>
<L>But money-le&s;s then I went home,</L>
<L>with &s;orrow encompa&s;&s;ed round:</L>
<L>A dainty fine Cloak-bag I had,</L>
<L>within it my trea&s;ure I laid,</L>
<L>My fortune now maketh me &s;ad,</L>
<L>to think how that I was betray'd</L>
<L><HI>Take heed</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>As through <HI>Cheap&s;ide</HI> I did pa&s;s,</L>
<L>mi&s;tru&s;ting no manner of harm,</L>
<L>I met with a proud decay'd La&s;s,</L>
<L>with a pretty fine Child in her arm:</L>
<L>She &s;eemed in habit, to be</L>
<L>a Gentlewoman that was made poor,</L>
<L>She asked releif then of me,</L>
<L>then I thought to have made her my whore</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Quoth &s;he, pray yield &s;ome releif,</L>
<L>the&s;e words then unto me &s;he &s;aid,</L>
<L>Unto a poor wretch full of grief,</L>
<L>a poor Gentlewoman decay'd:</L>
<L>Fair Mi&s;tris quoth I, I do grieve,</L>
<L>to &s;ee you &s;o di&s;tre&s;&s;ed be,</L>
<L>But I all your wants will relieve.</L>
<L>if you will be ruled by me;</L>
<L><HI>Take heed,</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Go with me unto my Inn,</L>
<L>and there you &s;hall lye at your ea&s;e,</L>
<L>You never was brought up to Spin,</L>
<L>but Gentlemens humours to plea&s;e:</L>
<L>I'le tell them that you are my wife,</L>
<L>and this is my Child that you have,</L>
<L>'Twas I that did bleed all the &s;trife,</L>
<L>and with my &s;elf plaid the Knave.</L>
<L><HI>Take heed,</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>She &s;eemed to be over-joyd,</L>
<L>and ca&s;t a Sheeps eye upon me,</L>
<L>She could not be better imploy'd,</L>
<L>and &s;o we did quickly agree:</L>
<L>When unto the Inn I did come,</L>
<L>her fingers did itch at my Pelf,</L>
<L>I call'd for a large fair Room,</L>
<L>for my Wife my Child and my &s;elf:</L>
<L><HI>Take heed of bad women therefore,</HI></L>
<L><HI>by women are men overthrown,</HI></L>
<L><HI>And rich men are often made poor,</HI></L>
<L><HI>when as they keep more then their own.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>A Dainty fine Supper we had,</L>
<L>and brought up unto us with &s;peed</L>
<L>But all the charge lay upon me,</L>
<L>I paid for it &s;oundly indeed:</L>
<L>Now when &s;he had &s;up'd I ki&s;t her,</L>
<L>and &s;he was as willing as I,</L>
<L>But would to God that I had mi&s;t her,</L>
<L>and her decay'd Gentility:</L>
<L><HI>Take heed of bad women therefore,</HI></L>
<L><HI>by women are men overthrown,</HI></L>
<L><HI>And rich men are often made Poor,</HI></L>
<L><HI>when as they keep more then their own.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Down &s;tairs then &s;oftly &s;he went,</L>
<L>and call'for my Cloack-bag with &s;peed</L>
<L>This Harlot was &s;urely bent,</L>
<L>for to undoe me with &s;peed,</L>
<L>My night-cloaths are in it quoth &s;he,</L>
<L>&s;uch mi&s;chief in Harlots are rife,</L>
<L>He gave her my Cloak-bag mo&s;t free,</L>
<L>as thinking &s;he had been my wife:</L>
<L><HI>Take heed,</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>She cunningly &s;lunk out of doors,</L>
<L>when no body did her mind,</L>
<L>I may bid a pot of all Whores,</L>
<L>for leaving her Ba&s;tard behind:</L>
<L>Now farewell my &s;even&s;core pound,</L>
<L>Lul-a-by mu&s;t be my Song,</L>
<L>I'me left like a Hor&s;e in the pound,</L>
<L>'tis I that mu&s;t &s;uffer the wrong:</L>
<L><HI>Take heed,</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I call'd her to come unto bed,</L>
<L>not thinking I had been undone,</L>
<L>I lookt like a man had been dead,</L>
<L>when as I perceiv'd &s;he was gone:</L>
<L>I fretted, I fum'd, and &s;wore,</L>
<L>the Child had got a new Dad'</L>
<L>And when I began for to rore,</L>
<L>the people did think I was mad:</L>
<L><HI>Take heed,</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The Chamberlain run up amain,</L>
<L>&s;ir, what is the matter, quoth he,</L>
<L>O call back that woman again,</L>
<L>for &s;he hath quite ruined me:</L>
<L>She leaveth her Ba&s;tard behind her,</L>
<L>on purpo&s;e to &s;horten my life,</L>
<L>O prithee &s;ee if thou can&s;t find her,</L>
<L>for why: &s;he is none of my wife:</L>
<L><HI>Take heed,</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But where is my Cloak-bag I pray,</L>
<L>for their in lies all my gains:</L>
<L>I gave it your wife by my fay,</L>
<L>then would you were hang'd for your pains</L>
<L>You called your wife and your honey,</L>
<L>why &s;hould not your wife then be bold,</L>
<L>To have the command of your money,</L>
<L>your Cloak-bag, your Silver and Gold:</L>
<L><HI>Take heed,</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The Child lay crying apace,</L>
<L>and I lay &s;wearing as fa&s;t,</L>
<L>To under&s;tand rightly my ca&s;e,</L>
<L>the Inn keeper came at the la&s;t:</L>
<L>When he under&s;tood the matter,</L>
<L>he &s;aid he was glad 'twas no wor&s;e,</L>
<L>He told me that he would not flatter,</L>
<L>for I mu&s;t provide me a nur&s;e:</L>
<L><HI>Take heed,</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I'm &s;orry you met with this Varlet,</L>
<L>the cau&s;e of your &s;orrow and grief,</L>
<L>But you would have made her your Harlot,</L>
<L>if &s;he had not proved a Chief:</L>
<L>You wanted a bit for your Cat,</L>
<L>to purge out your mad mallencholly,</L>
<L>I pray you think wi&s;ely of that,</L>
<L>for you have paid well for your folly:</L>
<L><HI>Take heed,</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>This was all the comfort he gave,</L>
<L>I was never &s;o beguil'd,</L>
<L>The folks in the hou&s;e did out-brave me,</L>
<L>and bid me provide for my Child:</L>
<L>I carried my Child unto Nur&s;e,</L>
<L>to end all the trouble and &s;trife,</L>
<L>With never a groat in my Pur&s;e,</L>
<L>I went unto my Wife:</L>
<L><HI>Take heed,</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>No wonder that meat is &s;o dear,</L>
<L>the Gra&s;ier &s;o pincheth the Poor,</L>
<L>But now it doth it doth plainly appear,</L>
<L>the Gra&s;ier maintaineth a Whore:</L>
<L>Since Wenches &s;o chargable are,</L>
<L>the Gra&s;ier had need to be witty,</L>
<L>If ever it &s;hould be his care,</L>
<L>to fetch his lo&s;s out of the City.</L>
<L><HI>Take heed of bad women therefore,</HI> &amp;c.</L>
</LG>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P>Printed for I. Wright, I. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Pa&s;&s;inger.</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
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