The Wanton WIFE of BATH.
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IN BATH a WANTON WIFE did dwell,
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As CHAUCER he did write,
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Who did in Pleasure spend her Days
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In many a fond Delight.
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Upon a Time sore sick she was,
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And at the length did die;
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Her Soul arrivd at Heavens Gate,
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And there knockd heartily.
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Then ADAM came unto the Gate,
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Who knocketh there? quoth he,
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I am the Wife of BATH, she said,
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And fain would come to thee.
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Thou art a Sinner, ADAM said,
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And here no Place shall have;
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Alas! for you, good sir, she said,
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Now trip thou doating Knave.
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I will come in spite she said,
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Of all such Churls as thee;
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Thou wert the Cause of all our Woe,
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Our Pain and Misery.
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And first broke Gods Commandment,
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In Pleasure with thy Wife,
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When ADAM heard her tell that Tale,
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Then down came JACOB to the Gate,
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Who bid her pack to Hell:
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You false Deceiver, why, said she,
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You might be there as well:
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For you deceivd your Father dear,
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And your own Brother too;
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So away went JACOB presently,
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And made no more ado.
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She knockd again with Might and Main,
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And LOT came to the Gate,
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How now, quoth she, thou doubting Ass,
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Who bid thee here to wait?
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With thy two Daughters thou didst lie,
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On them two Bastards got:
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And thus most tauntingly she chast
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Against poor silly LOT.
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Who knocketh there? quoth JUDITH then,
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With such shrill sounding Notes?
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This Noise, fine Minx, thou canst not bear,
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Quoth she, for cutting Throats.
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Good Lord, how JUDITH blushd for shame
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When she heard her say so,
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King DAVID hearing of the same,
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Unto the Gate did go.
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Quoth DAVID who knocks there so loud?
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And causeth all this strife:
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You were more kind, good Sir, said she,
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Unto URIAHS Wife;
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When thou didst cause thy Servant
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In Battle to be slain;
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Thou causest then more Strife than I;
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Who would come here so fain.
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The Womans mad, quoth SOLOMON,
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Thus for to taunt a King:
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Not half so mad as you, she said,
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I know in many Things;
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You had seven Hundred Wives he said,
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For whom thou didst provide;
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Yet for all this three Hundred Whores
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Thou didst maintain beside;
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And these made thee forsake thy God,
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And worship Stocks and Stones;
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Besides the Charge they put thee to
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In breeding of young Bones:
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Hadst thou not been beside thy Wits,
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Thou wouldst not thus have venturd,
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And therefore I do marvel much
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How thou this Place hast enterd.
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I never heard, quoth Jonas then,
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So vile a Scold as this:
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You Whoreson, run away said she,
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For thou did more amiss
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I think, quoth THOMAS, Womens Tongues
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Of Aspen Leaves are made:
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You misbelieving Wretch, said she,
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All is not true thats said.
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When MARY MAGDALEN heard her chafe,
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She came unto the Gate;
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Quoth she, good Woman you must think
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Upon your former State;
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No Sinners enter in this Place,
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Quoth MARY MAGDALEN:
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Twere ill for you, fair Mistress mild,
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She answerd her again.
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You for you Honesty, said she,
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Should once been stond to Death,
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Had not our Saviour CHRIST came by,
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And wrote upon the Earth:
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It is not thro your Occupation,
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You are become divine;
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My Soul in Christs passion,
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Will be as safe as thine.
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Then rose the good Apostle PAUL,
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Unto the Wife he cryd.
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Except you shake your Sins away,
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Thou here must be denyd.
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Remember PAUL what thou hast done,
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All thro a leud Desire;
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How thou didst persecute Gods church
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With Wrath as hot as Fire.
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Then up starts PETER at the last,
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And to the Gate he hies;
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Fond fool, said he, knock not so fast,
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Thou weariest CHRIST with Cries.
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PETER she cries, content thyself,
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For Mercy may be won.
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I never did deny my Lord,
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As thou thyself hast done.
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When as our Saviour CHRIST heard this,
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With heavenly Angels bright.
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He came unto this sinful Soul,
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Who trembled at the sight.
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Of him for Mercy she did crave,
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Quoth he thou hast refusd
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My profferd Grace and Mercy too,
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And much my Name abusd.
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Sure I have sinnd O Lord, said she,
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And spent my Time in vain,
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But bring me like a wandering Sheep
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Into thy Fold again.
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O Lord my God I will amend,
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My former wicked Vice;
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The Thief at these repentant Words
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Past into Paradise.
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My Laws and my Commandments
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Said Christ were known too thee
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But not the same in any wise,
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Not yet a wit did ye.
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I grant the same, My Lord she said,
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Most leudly I did live;
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But yet the loving Father did,
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The Prodigal forgive.
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So I forgive thy soul, he said,
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Thro thy repentant cry:
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Come thou therefore into my rest.
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I will not thee deny.
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