The Cucking of a Scould.

To the tune of, The Merchant of [...].
[figure]
A Wedded wife there was,
[...] of yeers but yong,
[...] she wanted wit,
[...] she lackt no tongue.
[...] yeeres of age,
[...] was no more,
[...] would scold with any one,
From twenty to threescore.
The cucking of a Scold,
The cucking of a Scold,
Which i [...] you will but stay to heare,
The cucking of a Scold.
[...]
[...] tongue did wag,
[...] haue it runne,
[...] Nag.
[...] wrong,
[...] shew her skill.
[...] moued once
[...] not so ill.
The [...]uc [...]ing &c.
[...] know
[...] begun.
[...] tell you for his life,
[...] would have done.
[...] a famous Scould,
[...] Scould in graine,
[...] Scould was neuer bred
Nor borne in Turne-gaine Lane
The cucking, &c.
Upon a [...] it chanc'd
And she did thus alledge
A neig [...]bours maid had taken halfe
Her [...] from the hedge:
For [...] great trespasse done,
This wrong for to requite,
She scolded very hansomely,
[...] and one whole night.
The cucking, &c.
[...] did mol [...]st
The neighbours round about:
But this was nothing to the fits
That she would thunder out.
But once, the truth to tell,
Worse scolding did she kéepe,
For waking of her little Dog,
That in the Sun did sléepe.
The cucking, &c.
Six winter dayes together,
From morning eight a clocke,
Untill the euening that each one
Their doores began to lock:
She scolded for this wrong.
Which she accounted great.
And vnto peace and quietnesse
No man could her intreat.
The cucking &c.
So that this little Deuill,
With her vnquiet tongue,
Continually both far and néere,
Molested old and yong.
But yet soone after this,
She made a greater brawle,
Against the Constable, that did
But pisse against her wall.
The cucking, &c.
She cal'd him beastly knau [...],
And filthy Iacke for this,
And said that euery Cuckold now
Against her wall must pisse:
And in must raging sort,
She rail'd at him so long.
He made a [...]ow he would reuenge
This most outragious worng.
The cucking, &c.
And first of all behold,
He clapt her in the Cage,
Thinking thereby her deuillish tongue,
He would full well asswage.
But now worse then before,
She did to brawling fall.
The Constable and all the rest
She vildly did miscall.
The cucking, &c.
Thus night and day she sent
Such brawling from her drist.
That [...] neighbour in the towne
Could take one houres rest.
Which when the [...]ustice knew,
This [...]udgement than gaue he,
That she vpon a cucking stoole
Should iustly punisht be.
The cucking, &c.
Upon three market dayes,
This penance she should hide.
And euery thing fit for the same.
The Officers did prouide:
An hundred Archers good,
Did first before her goe,
A hundred and fiue nimble shot
Went next vnto the Roe.
The cucking &c.
An hundred armed men
Did also follow there:
The which did guard the gallant Scould
With piercing Pikes and Speare:
And trumptes sounding sweet [...]
In order with them comes
A company most orderly,
With pleasant [...]
The cucking, &c.
And forty Parrats then.
On sundry pearches hie,
Were carried eke before the scould,
Most fine and orderly
And last of all a mighty wispe
Was borne before her face.
The perfect taken of a Scould
Well browne in euery place.
The cucking, &c.
Then was the Scould her selfe.
In a wheele-barrow brought.
Stripped naked to the smocke,
As in that case she ought:
Neats tongues about her necke
Were bung to open show;
And thus vnto the cucking stoole
This famous Scould did goe,
The cucking, &c.
Then fast within the chaire
She was most finely bound,
Which made her scold excessiuely,
And said she should be drown'd.
But euery time that she
Was in the [...],
The drums & trumpets sounded, braue
For [...]
The cucking, &c.
S [...]x [...] when she was duckt
Within the water cleare.
That like vnto a drowned Rat,
She did in sight appeare.
The Iustice thinking then
[...] send her straight away.
The Constable she called knaue.
And knau'd him all the day.
The cucking &c.
Upon which words, I wot,
They duckt her straight againe
A dozen times ore head and eares:
Yet she would not refraime,
But still reuil'd them all.
[...]en [...] againe they goe,
Till she at last held vp her hands,
Saying, Ile no more doe so.
The cucking &c.
Then was she brought away,
And after for her life,
She neuer [...] begin to scould
With either man or wife.
And if that euery Scould
Might haue so good a diet,
Then should their neighbours euery day
Be sure to liue in quiet,
The cucking of a Scould,
The cucking of a Scould
Which if you will but stay to heare
The cucking of a Scould.
FINIS

Printed at London by G. P.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.