The Debtford Frollick; OR, A Hue and Cry after the Shag-Breeches.
Young VVomen all, both great and small,
That handleth Pot or Pail,
For some I hear, and greatly fear,
Do oft play with their Tayl.
Tune of,
The fair One let me in.
ONe night when blustering winds blew
and dusky was the Sky
Tho' I was feeble weak and old,
a watching then went I:
But cruel fate did prove unkind.
my grief did then begin;
And quite contrary to my mind,
a stranger he got in.
Two Keys unto my door I had,
as I did think it fit.
But now it makes me almost mad
I had so little wit;
For when a watching I was gone
my sorrow did begin;
A wanton and a lascivious man
unknown to me got in.
Into the bed straightway he went,
and hugg'd my loving Wife,
Who us'd to give me hearts content,
I lov'd her as my life,
And grieve to think she should commit
so foul and grosse a sin,
And let him do what was not fit,
when she had let him in.
As they in sweet imbraces lay
I chanced to return,
And spoil'd the Game which they did play,
for which my wife did mourn
She told me she was wondrous ill,
and thus she did begin
With shrieks & groans she made her moans
cause she had let him in.
I willing was to go to bed
and off my breeches threw
She told me she was almost dead,
and knew not what to do:
Dear love (quoth she) a Cordial get,
my pains, my pains afresh begin:
I little thought she was so naught
to let another in.
Away went I most willingly
for my dear Spouses sake,
A pair of breeches on put I
which proved a mistake;
I to the Apothecaries went
thinking her love to win.
A Cordial brave I ask'd to have,
not thinking who got in.
A Cordial was prepar'd for me
then thus I did reply:
At present I cannot pay thee,
but yet assuredly
To morrow I will come and pay;
my Pocket I felt in,
And there behold was store of Gold
the youngster had brought in.
The Apothecary he did view
the Breeches I had on,
And them he said full well he knew
then him I star'd upon
How I by these Shag-Breeches came
to pause then did begin
At last thought I assuredly
she let some Gallant in.
Away went I most furiously
this trick to think upon,
But when I came with grief and sham
[...]
the youngster he was gone
I had his Watch and money too,
and I the horns did win;
But I am mad and monstruous sad
that she had let him in.
Take warning, all both great and small
in women ne'r confide,
For some pretend to their lives end
they constant will abide
Past all relief unto my grief,
I know they are prone to sin
And when you'r gone some other
men[?]
sometimes may happen in.
Printed for P. Brooksby at the Golden Ball in Pye-corner.