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.

[Page 404 of MS.]

Wenches,

I'll tell you how to manage.

Husband your ware.

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 ;
12 in speeches ffree, not in action bee,

for feare of lesse resortinge.

8

Be freer of speech than act.

Conceal your passion;

16

spare your favours when men are eager.

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 ffavors

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,

1

24

& seeme not to bee willinge

allwayes ffor to be billinge.
with a tuch or a pinch, or a nipp or a wrenche,

disapont their hopes ffullfillinge.

Don't be always billing.

28

32

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.
then order soe your treasure,

& soe dispend your store,
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.

hope for more.

36

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.

40 Thus seeminge much displeased

with that? did most content,
you whett desire, & daylye add fire

to a spiritt almost spent.
44 be sure att the next encounter

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.

& doe as I haue sayd,

your ffaininge seemes true,
52 & like venus euer new,
and your trading is not betrayd.

ffinis.

Thus you'll always be wooed like a maiden.

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

As it beffell on a Day:

[Page 443 of MS.]

One summer's day

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.

two London damsels went out to

gather codlings.

They were very beautiful

12

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 ffrom hence;
ffor heare I am in some suspence

that heare I shall not gett no Codlings.”

vs goe

24

“ Can't you

see a

young man there who'll load us?”

28

" Art thou soe ffond ? canst thou not see (page 444]

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."

32

36

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,

shee wold not Loose her share o CODLINGS;

40

cries Ah,

44

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

were worne away with eating CODLINGS.

48

and gets her codlings.

52

a

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,
shee Layd her downe to gether CODLINGS.

Then the young one lies down