<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2009-06-02</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>John Pas</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B080846.pdcc.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B04378">
<STC T="W">M240</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99887835</BIBNO>
<VID>183492</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="ballad">
<PB REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 1 -->
<HEAD>A Mad MARRIAGE; Or, <HI>The Female Fancy of</HI> Debtford.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P><HI>Being an Account of one</HI> Margaret <HI>a Carpenters Wife, (who to &s;alve up the Credit of a &s;ervant named</HI> Mary, <HI>who had been dabling with <HI>Ch<GAP DESC="blank"> Par&s;ons</HI> a Seaman, who &s;oon after left her and went to Sea) dre&s;&s;ed her &s;elf in Mans Cloaths and was Married to the &s;aid</HI> Mary <HI>to prevent the &s;hame of a crackt Maiden-head.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<OPENER><HI>To the Tune of, <HI>Moggies Jealou&s;ie.</HI></HI></OPENER>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<LG>
<L>YOu La&s;&s;es of <HI>London</HI> attend me,</L>
<L>whil&s;t I a true Project &s;hall tell,</L>
<L>Which lately was acted in <HI>Debtford,</HI></L>
<L>and known by the Neighbourhood well:</L>
<L>Such things were ne'r heard of before,</L>
<L>as will by my ditty be &s;hown,</L>
<L>Nor Womens inventions to more</L>
<L>like to this will for ever be known.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>A Maiden who&s;e name it was <HI>Mary,</HI></L>
<L>at the Sign of the Kings-Head did dwell,</L>
<L>Who lately we hear did mi&s;carry,</L>
<L>for her belly began for to &s;well:</L>
<L>Her Mi&s;tris &s;oon &s;melt out the matter,</L>
<L>and took her to task for the &s;ame,</L>
<L>When after &s;ome fullen denyals</L>
<L>&s;he freely confe&s;&s;ed her &s;hame.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And &s;aid that <HI>Ch<GAP DESC="blank"> Par&s;ons</HI> a Seaman,</L>
<L>had been with her &s;omething too bold,</L>
<L>Who Courted and promi&s;'d her Marriage,</L>
<L>and by con&s;ent rummidg'd her hald:</L>
<L>And how he had left her dejected,</L>
<L>and unto the <HI>Indies</HI> was gone</L>
<L>And &s;he by her Mi&s;tris neglected,</L>
<L>who gave her no ea&s;e to her moan.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>She therefore repair'd to the Mother,</L>
<L>of him that had tru&s;t up her Wem</L>
<L>And pray'd her to look up &s;ome Linnen,</L>
<L>to &s;waddle the Bantling in:</L>
<L>Her Son &s;he prote&s;ted was Father,</L>
<L>and married they were in the Church,</L>
<L>But &s;ince he is gone to the <HI>Indies,</HI></L>
<L>and leaveth me here in the Lurch.</L>
</LG>
<P><PB REF="2"><!-- PDF PAGE 2 -->
<FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<LG>
<L>THe Old woman hereat amazed,</L>
<L>to find a new Daughter in-Law,</L>
<L>De&s;ir'd to know when they marry'd,</L>
<L>whereby her affections to draw:</L>
<L>And al&s;o the Certificate</L>
<L>&s;he then did de&s;ire to &s;ee,</L>
<L>For if that you tell a fal&s;e Story,</L>
<L>you lodge not your Ba&s;tard with me.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The&s;e words did &s;o nettle our <HI>Mary</HI></L>
<L>&s;he could not what to devi&s;e,</L>
<L>She &s;aw the Old women was careful</L>
<L>and would not be put off with lyes:</L>
<L>She on the Rack &s;tretch'd her invention,</L>
<L>and unto a Neighbour did go,</L>
<L>And opened all her intention,</L>
<L>and pray'd her &s;ome favour to &s;how.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Says &s;he Neighbour <HI>Marget,</HI> a&s;&s;i&s;t me,</L>
<L>and hear this my pittiful ca&s;e,</L>
<L>I know that you may much befriend me,</L>
<L>and &s;mother my woful di&s;grace:</L>
<L>If you in Mans habit will dre&s;s ye,</L>
<L>and take up <HI>Ch<GAP DESC="blank"> Par&s;ons</HI> his name,</L>
<L>We then in the Church will be married</L>
<L>and neither of us &s;hall have blame.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The Carpenters wife &s;oon con&s;ented,</L>
<L>a Suit of her Hu&s;bands &s;he got</L>
<L>The Wedding-day al&s;o appointed,</L>
<L>when &s;he was to act in the Plot:</L>
<L>To Saint <HI>Georges Church</HI> they repaired,</L>
<L>and thereof the Clerk did inform,</L>
<L>Who &s;oon had procured the Par&s;on,</L>
<L>that they might be married that morn.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>So &s;oon as the&s;e Females were wedded,</L>
<L>the Clerk he was called a&s;ide,</L>
<L>Then <HI>Margaret</HI> whi&s;per'd unto him,</L>
<L>and &s;aid &s;he had wronged the Bride:</L>
<L>By dabling with her before hand</L>
<L>and therefo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">e the Certificate,</L>
<L>Abundance of kindne&s;s you'l do me,</L>
<L>if that you will it Antedate.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>What is it that money won't do,</L>
<L>&s;oon an&s;wered was the reque&s;t,</L>
<L>Then homeward they &s;traight way did go,</L>
<L>a great deal of my they expre&s;t:</L>
<L>The Mother of <HI>Par&s;ons</HI> was joyed,</L>
<L>a Daughter-in-Law for to find</L>
<L>The Certificate being produced,</L>
<L>the Mother was loving and kind.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Providing all things that were needful,</L>
<L>her Grand-child when't came to receive,</L>
<L>And thought her &s;elf ble&s;t in her Daughter,</L>
<L>and did all her &s;tories believe:</L>
<L>Till on a time <HI>Marget</HI> and <HI>Mary</HI></L>
<L>with &s;ome other Neighbours did meet,</L>
<L>Carrou&s;ing full Bumpers of Brandy,</L>
<L>them&s;elves did di&s;cover the Cheat.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The which being noi&s;ed through <HI>Debtford.</HI></L>
<L>the Par&s;on &s;oon of it did hear,</L>
<L>Who &s;traightway acquainted the Iu&s;tice</L>
<L>and cau&s;ed them both to appear:</L>
<L>Who having examin'd the matter,</L>
<L>and found in 'um nothing but lies,</L>
<L>He unto the <HI>Round-Hou&s;e</HI> did &s;end 'unt</L>
<L>to remain there till the next A&s;&s;ize.</L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P><HI>Printed for <HI>I. Deacon,</HI> at the Angel in <HI>Guilt-&s;pur-&s;treet,</HI> without <HI>Newgate.</HI></HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
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