The English Fortune-Teller.
Being a brief direction how to shun all strife,
A brief instruction how to chuse a wife,
VVhereby a man may lead a happy life:
It shews difference in womens qualities,
By colour of their hair, both face and eyes,
The tune is, Ragged and Torn, &c.
YOu young-men that want skill in wooing
and if you desire to be wed,
Take counsell of me in your doing
for fear that you should be missed.
Do not my kind proffer refuse,
for it will never you deceive:
I will shew what women to chuse,
and what creature you's best for to leave,
But chiefly i'd wish you beware,
of a wench with a rowling eye:
For she that will cozen and swear,
will also dissemble and lie.
I'th first place I do you advise,
take one not too high nor too low,
But according to your own size,
that you may her qualities know,
Take one not too young nor too old,
nor one that's too fat nor too lean;
'Tis a bad thing to méet with a scold,
tis a worse thing to méet with a Quean.
But chiefly, &c.
Take one that is not too proud,
nor one that's a dirty foul slut,
The one may babble too loud,
the other may poyson the gut,
'Tis better to wed an honest maid,
although she be never so poor,
Then to wed a rich Gossip 'tis said,
if afterwards she should turn whore,
But chejfly, &c.
A widow whose wealth doth surmount,
if that you do marry for gain,
Shóe'l call you to double account,
and your pleasures will turn to your pain:
Besides she is apt to be jealous,
which is the fore-runner of strife:
As good to be hang'd at the Gallows,
as marry with such a crose wife,
But chiefly, &c.
And now in the second place I
am purposed for to recite,
My skill in Phystognomy,
wherein I will shew you alight:
By'th colour of hair on the head,
or else by the favor or face,
You may know with whom for to wed;
and who you were best to imbrace.
But chiefly, &c.
The man that will chuse him a mate,
by color of Hair or complexion,
Must use many ways intricate,
lest he be brought under subjection,
He must veiw both her fore-head and brow
her Cheeks, Eyes, Nose, and her-Chin.
Good
Cupid those things doth allow,
when you first to wooe her begin,
But chiefly, &c.
All is not gold which Glisters,
nor is it all lead that looks dull,
Fair
Venus the chief of the Sisters,
made
Vulcan her husband a Gull,
So many times beautifull Lasses,
will jeer their poor husbands in scorn,
And cunningly break all their Glasses.
and make them drink out of the Horn.
But chiefly, &c.
She that hath her hair of bright yellow,
and traces the wyers of Gold,
If she meet with some pretty fellow
her husband may chance to be Cuckold,
And she that by nature's compos'd,
of round Cherry-chéeks and red hair,
If she be pink-ey'd and long nos'd,
believe me tis dangerous ware,
But chiefly, &c.
The brown hair with witty discourse,
but commonly for her own ends;
I like her a great deal the worse,
because shée'l dissemble with her friends.
A Wench with an ash coloured face,
her actions are often uncivil;
Her tongue will her husband disgrace,
just like the second She-devil.
But chiefly, &c.
The bonny Wench with the black-brow,
oh she is a good one indéed:
For she will be true to her vow:
I would we had more of her breed:
And thus I have told you my mind,
concerning Phystognomy,
I mean no wrong to women kind,
I swear by my honesty.
Lest I should some female offend,
I'le lay by my pen and rest,
What ever in this Ditty is pen'd,
let young men take where they love best.
Yet thus much i'le speak, in regard,
and i'le maintain my words in a trice,
Some women may well be compar'd,
to the best chance or worst of the Dice,
Suppose a young-man goes to Dice,
and do venture his goods and his store,
If he can throw Cinque or a Size,
the games his own for evermore:
But if that his fortune be crost,
that he throws but a Dewee or an Ace,
His goods and his substance is lost,
and hee's left in a pitiful case,
Suppose in like case, if a Lad,
can get him a provident wife,
His fortune can never be bad,
he's made all the dayes of his life:
But if that dame-fortune do frown,
that his wife and he cannot agree,
He is quite for ever cast down,
by wofull experience we see.
And now noble Young-men adieu,
remember the words which I say:
This songs like to prove to be true,
then buy it and bear it away.
London Printed for W. Thackeray, T. Passenger, and W. Whitwood.