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32

The Italyan, in her hye shapines,1
Scot[c]h lasse, & louely ffroe2 tooe;
the Spanish don-a,3 ffrench Madam,4
too :

he will not ffeare to goe

nothing soe ffull of hazards dread,4

nought liues aboue the center,

noe health, noe ffashyon, wine, nor wench,
your English dare not venter." 6

ffins.

and there's

no woman that he daren't try.

1 Chapeene.-B.M. Choppines.-P. "A high sooled Shoe, v. Chapin. Sp. Chapin de mugér, a woman's shooes, such as they vse in Spaine, mules, or high cork shooes." Percivale, by Minsheu. Chopines, says Mr. Fairholt, were shoes elevated" as high as a man's leg." Raymond's Voyage through Italy, 1648. They are mentioned by Shakspere (Hamlet, act ii. scene 2), and were occasionally worn in England, but not of so great an altitude. See Douce's Пlustrations of Shakspere.-F.

Come wanton wenches.

An old courtezan's advice to younger ones to grant their favours coyly; not to be forward, except at first, and so whet their hirers' desire.

12

16

[Page 404 of MS.]

COME: all you wanton wenches
that longs to be in tradinge,
come learne of me, loues Mistris,

to keepe your selues ffrom Iadeinge!
when you expose your ffaces,

all baytes ffor to entrapp men,
then haue a care to husband your ware,
that you proue not bankrout chapmen.
be not att ffirst to nice nor coye

when gamsters you are courtinge,
nor fforward to be sportinge;
in speeches ffree, not in action bee,
for feare of lesse resortinge.

Let not your outward iesture

b[e]rawy your inward passyon;

but seeme to neglect, when most you doe affect, in a cunning scornefull ffashyon.

be sparing of your favors

when mens loue grow most Eagare;

20 yett keepe good guard, or else all is mared.
when they your ffort beleaugar;

grant but a touch or a kisse ffor a tast,

28

with a tuch or a pinch, or a nipp or a wrenche,

disapont their hopes ffullfillinge.

If once you growe to lauish,

and all your wealth discouer,

you cast of hope; for then with too much scope

you doe dull your Egar louer.

36

that tho men do tast, their loues may neuer wast,

but they still may hope for more.

& if by chance, beinge wrapt in a trance,
you yeeld them full ffruityon

won by strong opposityon,

yett nipp & teare, & with poutinge sweare
'twas against your disposityon.

40 Thus seeminge much displeased

with that2 did most content,

you whett desire, & daylye add fire

to a spiritt almost spent.

44 be sure att the next encounter

48

you put your loue to striue;

yett be not rude, if need he will intrude,

soe shall your trading thriue,

soe shall you still be ffreshlye woed,

like to a perfect mayd.

Don't be always billing.

Let men

taste and

hope for

more.

If you yield,

struggle and say you didn't mean it,

and next time, make more fuss

over it:

but don't be too rude.

Thus you'll always be wooed like a maiden.

52

& doe as I haue sayd,

your ffaininge seemes true,

& like venus euer new,

and your trading is not betrayd.

ffinis.

A note of Percy's here, of five lines, rubbed or scratched out.-F.

2 that which, what.-F.

As it beffell on a Day:

[Page 443 of MS.]

AS: itt beffell on a sumers day,
when Phebus in his glorye,
he was suited in his best array,

as heere records my storye,

2 London damsells fforth they wold ryde,
they were decked in their pompe & their pryde,
they said they wold goe ffarr & wyde

but they wold goe gather Codlyngs.

Sisters they were, exceeding ffine,

& macheless in their bewtye;

happy was the wight cold giue them wine

to expresse his loue and dutye.

soe fine, so ffeate, so sweet, soe neate, so delicate; O, itt wold doe you good ffor to heare them prate! but yett intruth they haue a ffault,

to fill their belly ffull of Codlings.

Then to an orchard straight they went,
intending ffor to enter.

the younger with a bold attempt

ffirst did intend to enter:

"nay, softly!" quoth the Elder wench,
"I pray thee lett vs goe ffrom hence;
ffor heare I am in some suspence

that heare I shall not gett no Codlings."

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32

36

40

44

"Art thou soe ffond? canst thou not see

what good Lucke doth abode vs ? yonder lyes a youngman vnder a tree

that with his ffruite can loade vs.

then to the Orchard straight wee will stray;
weele devise with him to sport & to play;
& then Ile warrant you without delay

heele ffill our belly ffull of codlings."

Then shee did leape ouer the ditch
as light as any ffether;

her sister after her did Leape,

now begins to ffeare no whether.

with a merry hart & a ioyffull cheere,

setting aside all care & ffeare,

seeing her sister scape soe cleere,

[page 444]

shee wold not Loose her share o CODLINGS;

Then shee did leape ouer the dich

as light as any arrow;

& in her leape, “ah! ah!" shee cryes,

ffeeling her smocke was narrowe,

as maydens doe that newly wedd

being taken ffrom her true louers bedd;

& with a sigh her mayden-head

"Can't you

see a

young man there who'll load us?"

The young one then leaps the ditch,

the elder follows,

cries Ah,

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52

were worne away with eating CODLINGS.

and gets her codlings.

Her sister, on the Other side where shee attended,
bidd her haue a care, her smocke was too wyde.
with what shee was offended;

with that a nettle stonge her by the knee;

a pox

of all strait smockes!" quoth shee. seeing itt wold no better bee,

Then the young one lies down

shee Layd her downe to gether CODLINGS.

and gets hers too.

ffinis.