The Ladies of Londons
Petition.
OR
Their humble Address to the Parliament of old Women for
Husbands, signed by threescore thousand hands, and
never a Crackt Maidenhead nor Widow among them all.
To the Tune of, Let Mary live long.
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YOU Matrons all,
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with humble Submission
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we bring our Petition:
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For Justice we call
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pray hear our Complaint t
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For the good Marriage state
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Is so run down of late
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by every one,
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That pretty young Ladies,
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That pretty Young Ladies,
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do long ly alone.
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A Marriage one fears,
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because he conjectures,
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the lowd Curtain Lectures,
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Will ring through his Ears,
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both morning and night,
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Yet in Taverns they'l roar,
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with a noise ten times more
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and bottles and wine,
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Still leaving young Lasses,
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Still leaving young Lasses,
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to sigh and repine.
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A second won't wed
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for fear that his Beauty,
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should stray from her Duty
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And graft on his head
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a large pair of Horns:
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Yet he will have in store
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Twenty Harlits and more:
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is this not a shame,
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To spend Youth and Yreasure,
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To spend Youth and Treasure
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with Girls of the Game.
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Another replyes
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he can't hear the bawling,
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the whinning and squailing
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And terrible cryes
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of Children when young,
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Why the fourth cryes a wife,
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will destroy a Man's Life,
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and waste him away.
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These are their Excuses,
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These are their Excuses,
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for longer delaie:
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But yet let them know
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that Ladies of pleasure
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are wasters of treasure,
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They'l bring a Man low
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that follows the spor[t],
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Nay the Doctor may hap,
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For the curing the Clap,
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to pillage his Purse,
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Of more than would pay for
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Of more than would pay fos
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three Children at Nurse.
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Be pleased to debate
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our Case with discretion,
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its worse than oppression,
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To live at this rate,
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and spin out our dayes;
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Let an Act now be made.
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That a Fine shall be paid
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by Men that refuse,
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To marry when twonty,
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To marrie when twentie,
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there's none we'l excuse.
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Is it not a shame,
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that here amongst Christians
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no Turks nor Philistians,
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But Persons of Fame
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and Learning also,
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That should wedlock deny,
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Which would yeeld a Supplie
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the Land to defend
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From all that oppose us,
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From all that oppose us,
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or dare to contend.
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