THE
Winchester Wedding:
OR,
Ralph of Reading, with Black Bess of the Green,
Did together resort,
And caused such sport,
As before scarce ever was seen.
To the Tune of, The King's Jigg.
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AT Winchester was a wedding,
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the like was never seen,
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Twixt lusty Ralph of Reading,
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and bonny black Bess of the Green;
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The Fidlers were crowding before,
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each Lass was as fine as a Queen
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There was an hundred and more,
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for all the whole Country came in;
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Brick Robin led Rose so fair,
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she look'd like a Lilly o'th vale,
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And Ruddy fac'd Harry led Mary,
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and Roger led bouncing Nell.
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With Tommy came smiling Katy,
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he help'd her over the stile,
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And swore there was none so pritty,
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in forty and forty long mile;
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Kit gave a green Gown to Betty,
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and lent her his hand to rise.
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But Jenny was jeer'd by Watty,
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for looking blew under the eyes:
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Thus merrily chatting all day,
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they past to the Biide-house along;
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With Johnny and pritty fac'd Nanny,
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the fairest in all the throng.
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The Bridegroom came out to meet 'em,
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afraid the Dinner was spoyl'd,
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And usherd 'em in to treat 'em,
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with bak'd and Roast and boyl'd
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The Lads were frolick and jolly,
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for each had a Lass by his side:
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But Willy was Melancholly,
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for he had a mind to the Bride:
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Then Phillip began her health,
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and turn'd a beer Glass on his thumb,
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But Jenkin was recon'd for drinking,
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the best in Christendom.
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And now they had din'd, advancing
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into the midst of the Hall,
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The Fidlers struck up for dancing,
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and Jeremy led up the brawl;
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But Margery kept a quarter,
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a Lass that was proud of her pelf,
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'Cause Arthur had stolen her Garter,
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and swore he would tye it himself:
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She strugled, she blusht, and frown'd,
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and ready with anger to cry,
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'Cause Arthur with tying her Garter,
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had slipt up his hand too high.
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And now for throwing and stocking,
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the Bride away was led,
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The Bridegroom got drunk was knocking
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for Candles to light 'em to bed;
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But Robin that found him silly,
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most frindly took him aside,
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While that his Wife with Willy,
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was playing at Whoopers-hide:
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And now the warm Game begins,
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the Crittical minute was come,
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And chatting, and billing, and kissing,
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went merrily round the room.
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Poor Stephen was kind to Betty,
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as blith as a Bird in the Spring,
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And Tommy was so to Katy,
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and wedded her with a rush Ring;
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Sakey that danc'd with the Cushion,
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an hour from the room had been gone,
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And Barnaby knew by her blushing,
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that some other Dance had been done:
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And thus of fifty fair Maids,
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that went to the Wedding with men,
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Scarce five of the fifty was left ye,
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that so did return agen.
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For when the drink got in their noddles
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to kissing they all did incline,
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Like Mad-men they broke the Bottles,
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and foolishly wasted the wine:
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Each Lad got his Lass in a corner,
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the candles they all blew out,
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But Willy he was the Horner,
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for he with the Bride had a bout:
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And never was there such a Wedding,
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e're known in the age of man,
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At Winchester, no nor at Reading,
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disprove what I say if yot can.
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There twenty great bellys were gotte[n]
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all on one Wedding night.
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Which will not in hast be forgotten,
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the Damosels found such delight,
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But Roger and bouncing Nelly,
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that happen'd to be in their prime,
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If you will believe what I tell ye,
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did get two Twins at a time:
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But Christopher was somewhat feeble,
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and could do no feats at all
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So all of them laught at him stoutly,
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and did him a fumbler call.
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You youngsters that go to a Wedding,
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to your Lasses be loving and kind,
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And tumble them well on the Bedding,
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for it pleasing is to their mind,
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It grieves them to see that another,
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enjoys what themselves is deny'd,
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Tho' they their passion do smother,
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in their hearts they are terrify'd;
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And will steal a good turn if they can,
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so earnest they are in desire,
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No Treasure is like a Young-Man,
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to extinguish their amorous fire.
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