The Wanton Wife of BATH. Tune of Flying Fume.
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IN Bath a wanton Wife did dwell,
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as Chaucer he doth 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 at last at Heaven Gates,
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did knock most mightily.
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Then Adam came unto the Gate,
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who knocketh here 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 gip you doating Knave,
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I will come in, in spight she said,
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of all such Churls as thee,
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Thou was the Cause of all our Woe,
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our Pain and Misery,
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And first broke God's Commandments,
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in pleasure of thy Wife,
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When Adam heard her tell this Tale,
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he ran away for Life,
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Then down came Jacob to the Gate,
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and bids her pack to Hell,
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Thou false deceiver why said she,
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thou mayest be there full well.
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For thou deceiv'd thy Father dear,
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and thine own Brother too,
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Away went Jacob presently,
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and made no more ado,
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She knock'd again with might & main,
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and Lot he chides her straight,
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Why then quoth she thou drunken Ass,
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who bids thee hear to wait,
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With thy 2 Daughters thou didst lye,
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on them 2 Bastards got,
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And thus most tauntingly she chaf'd,
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against poor silly Lot.
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Who knocketh here quoth Judith then,
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with such shrill sounding Notes,
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Alas fine Minks you cannot hear,
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quoth she, for cutting Throats,
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Good Lord how Judith blush'd 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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he to the Gate did go,
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Quoth David, who knocks here so loud,
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and maketh 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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And when you caus'd you Servant brave
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in Battle to be slain,
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Thou causedst then more strife than I,
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who would come here so fain,
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The Woman's Mad, said Solomon,
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that thou dost taunt a King,
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Not half so mad as you she said,
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I know in many a thing,
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Thou hadst 700 Wives at once,
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For whom thou didst provide,
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And for all this 300 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 to thee too,
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in breeding of young Bones.
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Hadst not thou been beside thy Wits,
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thou would'st not thus have ventur'd,
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And therefore I do marvel much,
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how thou this Place have enter'd.
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I never heard quoth Jonas then,
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so vile a Scold as this,
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Thou whoreson run away quoth she,
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thou didest more amiss.
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I think quoth Thomas Women's Tongues
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of Aspen Leaves are made,
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Thou unbelieving Wretch quoth she,
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all is not true that's said,
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When Mary Magdalen heard ths,
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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 enters in this Place,
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quoth Mary Magdalen,
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'Twere ill for you fair Mistress mine,
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she answered her again,
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You for your honesty quoth she,
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should once be ston'd to Death,
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Had not our Saviour Christ come by,
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and written on the Earth,
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It is not by your Occupation,
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you are become Divine,
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I hope my Soul in Christs Passion,
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shall be as safe as thine.
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Then rose the good Apostle Paul,
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unto this Wife he said,
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Except thou shake thy Sins away,
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thou here shall be deny'd.
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Remember Paul what thou hast done,
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altho' a lewd Desire,
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How thou didst persecute God's 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 hyes,
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Fond Fool quoth he, knock not so fast,
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thou weariest Christ with Cries.
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Peter said she content thyself,
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for Mercy may be won,
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I never did deny my Christ,
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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 comes unto this sinful Soul,
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who trembled at his sight,
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Of him for Mercy she did crave,
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quoth he thou hast refus'd
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My profer'd Grace and Mercy both,
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and much my Name abus'd,
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Sore I have sinned O Lord she said,
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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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unto thy Flock 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 poor silly Words,
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past into Paradice.
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My Laws and my Commandments,
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said Christ were known to thee,
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But of the same in any wise,
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not yet one Word did ye.
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I grant the same, O Lord (quoth she)
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most lewdly did I Live,
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But yet the loving Father did,
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his prodigal Son forgive.
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And I forgive thy Soul he said,
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through thy repenting Cry,
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Come therefore enter into my Joys,
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I will not thee deny.
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