The Debtford Frolick,
OR,
A Hue-and-Cry after Shag-Breeches
Young women all, both great and small,
That handleth Pot or Paile;
For some I hear, and greatly fear,
Do oft play with their Tayl.
Tune of, the fair one let me in.
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ONe Night when blustring winds blew cold,
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and dusky was the Sky,
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Tho I was feeble, weak, and old,
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a watching then went I:
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But cruel fate did prove unkind,
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my grief did then begin;
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And quite contrary to my mind
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a Stranger he got in.
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Two Keys unto my Door I had,
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as I did think it fit;
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But now it makes me almost mad
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I had so little wit;
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For when a watching I was gone
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my sorrow did begin:
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A wanton and lascivious man
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unknown to me got in.
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Into the Bed straitway he went
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and hugd my loving Wife,
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Who usd to give me hearts content;
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I lovd her as my Life,
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And grieve to thin[k] she should commit
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so foule and grosse a Sin,
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And let him do what was not fit
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when she had let him in.
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AS they in sweet imbraces lay
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I chanced to return,
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And spoild the Game which they did play
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for which my Wife did mourn;
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She told me she was monstrous ill,
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and thus she did begin,
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With shrieks & groans she made her moans
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cause she had let him in.
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I willing was to go to Bed,
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and off my Breeches threw;
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She told me she was almost dead,
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and knew not what to do:
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Dear Love (quoth she) a Cordial get,
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my pains afresh begin:
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I little thought she was so naught
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to let another in
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Away went I most willingly
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for my dear Spouses sake,
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A pair of Breeches on put I,
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which proved a mistake;
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I to the Apothecaries went,
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thinking her love to win,
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A Cordial brave I askd to have,
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not thinking who got in.
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A Cordial was prepard for me,
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then thus I did reply:
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At present I cannot pay thee,
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but yet assuredly
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To morrow I will come and pay:
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my Pocket I felt in,
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And there behold was store of Gold
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the Youngster had brought in.
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The Apothecary he did view
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the Breeches I had on,
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And them he said full well he knew,
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then him I stard upon;
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How I by these Shag-Breeches came,
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to pause I did begin
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At last thought I assuredly
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she let some Gallant in.
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Away went I most furiously
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this trick to think upon,
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But when I came with grief and shame,
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the Youngster he was gone:
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I had his Watch and Money too,
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and I the Horns did win;
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But I am mad and monstrous sad,
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that she did let him in.
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Take warning all, both great and small,
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in women ner confide,
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For some pretend to their lives end
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they constant will abide.
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Past all Relief unto my grief,
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I know they are prone to Sin;
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And when your gone, some other Man
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sometimes may happen in.
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