<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2014-09-24</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>TCP Staff (Michigan)</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B140518.apex.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B26804">
<STC T="W">M1868</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">[ocm]18473899</BIBNO>
<VID>206537</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="song">
<PB REF="1">
<HEAD>THE Merry MILK-MAID: Being, Her Longing-De&s;ire after Matrimony: That &s;he might be one of the Honourable Society of Go&s;&s;ips.</HEAD>
<OPENER>To the Tune of, <HI>Tan Tivee.</HI></OPENER>
<P>Licen&s;ed according to Order.</P>
<P><FIGURE>
<FIGDESC>a woman milking a cow</FIGDESC>
</FIGURE>
<FIGURE>
<FIGDESC>a man</FIGDESC>
</FIGURE></P>
<LG>
<L>AS I through a Meadow one morning did pa&s;s,</L>
<L>when Flowers and Blo&s;&s;oms were &s;pringing;</L>
<L>I hapned to hear a young Beautiful La&s;s,</L>
<L>as &s;he this new Ditty &s;at &s;inging:</L>
<L>Here's Beauty without any manner of Pride,</L>
<L>I'd give forty &s;hillings I might be a Bride,</L>
<L>To have a kind Husband to lye by my &s;ide,</L>
<L><HI>It is a fine thing to be Marry'd.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Ala&s;s, I have u&s;ed all manner of means,</L>
<L>for tempting young Batchelors to me,</L>
<L>For two or three Year I have been in the Teens,</L>
<L>yet there is no Gallant will Wooe me:</L>
<L>My pa&s;&s;ion with <HI>Cupid</HI> is daily at &s;trife,</L>
<L>So that I am weary of a &s;ingle Life,</L>
<L>I wi&s;h that young <HI>Robin</HI> would make me his Wife:</L>
<L><HI>it is a fine thing to be Marry'd.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I now am a Servant and Drudge like a &s;lave,</L>
<L>expos'd to all manner of Weather;</L>
<L>But had I a Husband it then would be brave,</L>
<L>then we might both Cuddle together:</L>
<L>The Charms of my Beauty would &s;urely invite</L>
<L>My Husband, to ta&s;te of the plea&s;ant delight,</L>
<L>In-plea&s;ure we'l &s;pin out the long Winters night:</L>
<L><HI>it is a fine thing to be Marry'd.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<PB REF="1">
<L>The La&s;s that is Marry'd, her Husband and &s;he,</L>
<L>enjoys plea&s;ant Charms out of mea&s;ure,</L>
<L>Yet I am not certain what &s;port it might be,</L>
<L>but &s;ure it is &s;ome &s;ort of Plea&s;ure:</L>
<L>But e're it be long I'm re&s;olved to know,</L>
<L>If any Good-Fellow &s;ome kindne&s;s will &s;how,</L>
<L>What cau&s;es this Itching, above and below:</L>
<L><HI>it is I dare &s;wear to be Marry'd.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The good Man he dotes on the Charms of her Eyes,</L>
<L>and daily endeavours to plea&s;e her,</L>
<L>Nay, every M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rning before he doth ri&s;e,</L>
<L>he'l hugg her, nay, ki&s;s her, and &s;quoeze her:</L>
<L>Now when &s;he doth find him thus frolick and free,</L>
<L>In Love and Affection they both do agree,</L>
<L>It makes her as blith as a Bird in a Tree:</L>
<L><HI>it is a fine thing to be Marry'd.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Nay, when a young Woman is Breeding, you know</L>
<L>the Husband with Dainties will feed her:</L>
<L>And as it to higher perfection doth grow,</L>
<L>abroad he will carefully lead her:</L>
<L>And then what&s;oever &s;he'll covet or crave,</L>
<L>The hone&s;t good Man he endeavours to have,</L>
<L>Whereby he her timerous Longing may &s;ave,</L>
<L><HI>it is a fine thing to be Marry'd.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And when the young Women do chance to Cry out,</L>
<L>they &s;traightways are call'd to their Labours,</L>
<L>And then after this comes a Go&s;&s;iping buot,</L>
<L>to do as the re&s;t of their Neighbours:</L>
<L>They in their Apparel are Deck'd neat and fine,</L>
<L>To prattle and likewi&s;e to tipple in Wine,</L>
<L>Vntil all their No&s;es with Claret does &s;hine:</L>
<L><HI>O 'tis a fine thing to be Marry'd.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I hope in good time it will come to my turn,</L>
<L>to be at that &s;weet Recreation;</L>
<L>All Per&s;ons mu&s;t own it a weighty con&s;ern,</L>
<L>it being for Multiplication:</L>
<L>And therefore if now I could light of a Friend,</L>
<L>On whom I might here for a Husband depend,</L>
<L>I would not delay it a Week to an end:</L>
<L><HI>it is a fine thing to be Marry'd.</HI></L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P>Printed for <HI>P. Brooksby, J. Deacon, J. Blare,</HI> and <HI>J. Back.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
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