The Constant Wife of Sussex,
Unto you here I will declare,
A story wonderfull and rare,
Of a wife to prevent her husbands shame,
Upon her selfe tooke all the blame.
To the tune of, I have for all good wives a song.
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LIst to my dity Country men,
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I will decipher with my pen,
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A story strange and yet most true
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give eare to that which will insue,
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No forraigne newes I have to tell,
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but of a jest which late befell.
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A wealthy Yeoman liv'd of late,
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a man that was of good estate:
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Within the County of Sussex faire
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his wife and he had never an heire
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Yet at the last as may appeare
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they got two Children in one yeare.
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As on a day the good mans wife,
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whom he did love as his owne life
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Unto her husband thus spake she,
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I must a neighbours wife goe see.
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That lies in Child-bed, therefore John,
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I meane to visit her anon.
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The good wife being parted so,
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the man unto his maid did goe:
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These words in curtesie he said
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unto Elizabeth his maid,
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You labour hard and take great paine,
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but other follies have all the gaine.
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Now note the words that I shall say,
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thy Dame is gone out of the way
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Therefore to helpe thee worke Ile do
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Ile dresse the house and sweepe it too,
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To make the bed I will not faile,
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milke thou the Cow ile hold the paile.
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Unto the same the maid agreed
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and so to worke they went with speed
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Before her Dame that she came home,
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they never a chare had left undone
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How blest am I the good wife said,
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that have so good a working maid,
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But time that tempereth every thing,
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did to this house contentment bring,
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Ere fortie weekes were gone and past
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the man had his desire at last
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Then marke the sequell while I tell
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how every thing in order fell.
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For first of all the good wife mild
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was safe delivered of a child
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Old mother midnight and the rest
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their duties every one exprest
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And by the fire with Cakes and Ale,
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each neighbour told a merry tale.
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One told a tale of John-a-Ree.
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another of great Cloudeslee,
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The third spake much of Robbin-hood
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all this did Besse the maid no good:
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For though poore soule her belly did ake
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yet never a word she durst to speake.
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The midwife brought to good effect
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the thing that she did most expect,
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Each neighbour went unto her home
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and left the midwife there alone,
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To dresse & trim the good mans daugh-ter
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but note the jest that followes after
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Poore Besse bewailes her desteny
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within a Cock-loft grievously
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Which in her Masters eare did sound,
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her griefe that time did so abound
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That he desired the mid-wifes love,
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so much that then she would go prove
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The second part. To the same tune.
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HOw al things stood with Besse the maid,
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who came with speed and to her said,
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What cheare my girle how'ist with thee
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the truth of all declare to me:
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Who answered her with speeches mild
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I by my Master am with Child.
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But to be short the mid-wife kind,
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began to ponder in her mind
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How to contrive there businesses so,
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no partie of the same should know,
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Save onely foure which here is said,
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her selfe, the master, dame, and maid.
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Lucina lent a helping hand,
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as you may plainly understand
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Who brought to light a chopping boy,
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judge was not this a happie day,
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The man in the morning had a daughter,
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by chance ere night a sonne came after.
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Which by the midwife was brought downe,
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the strangest thing that hath beene knowne
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This hundred yeare, is brought to light
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said she performed is this night:
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And b[ei]ng of most gentle speech,
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shee did the woman then besech.
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To take this boy as for her owne
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quoth she if this thing should be showne
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T'will be to your discredit both
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therefore sweet neighbour be not loth
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To nurse this child and keepe it warme
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poore boy it thinkes no creature harme.
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The good wife seemed well content
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and furthermore she gave free consent
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To find it meat and drinke and cloth
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and therewithall she made an oath,
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The Infant it should never lacke
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when she a coat had to her backe
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This done the midwife tooke her way,
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pointing to come oth Christning day
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And spend in mirth an hower or two,
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and so should all her neighbours doe,
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The time being come the gossips all
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together met both great and smal.
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Then said the midwife to the rest
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give eare and you shal heare exprest,
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When you were gone what hap befel,
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unto you I will briefly tel:
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A girle you know came first in sight,
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but God sent us a boy ere night.
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This made the people wonder sore,
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as wel they might, for never before
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They heard the like: so now in hast
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one thing ile speake and end my Jest,
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Each creatures heart did leap for joy,
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they cried Lord love this little boy.
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This Besse was then to London sent,
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her Dame and Master wel content,
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Where she had but a smal time stayed,
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but to a gallant she was mary'd:
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The proverbe is fulfilld therby,
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the blind oft time doth eat the flie.
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But for the woman which did save,
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her husbands credit I do crave,
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Good fortune on her may attend
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and guide her to her later end:
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And unto every constant wife
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I wish long dayes and happie life.
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