THE
Innocent Shepherd and the Crafty Wife
Or, A Dialogue between a Shepherd and his Love.
Brethren, see here what some are Born unto,
If it's your Birth right, what should Women do?
Kind things they think, they do all for the best,
But so or not, we must Contented rest.
To the Tune of, The Country-Farmer; Or, The Buxom Virgin.
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A Silly poor Shepherd was folding his Sheep;
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He walked so long he got Cold in his Feet;
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He laid on his Coals now by two and by three,
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But the more he laid on the Cuc---colder was he.
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Husband.] Alas! my good Wife, what shall we do now
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To buy us more Fuel we'l sell the Brown Cow,
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To buy us more Coals for to warm thee and me,
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But the more he laid on the Cuc----colder was he.
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Wife.
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Some Shepherds, said she, themselves warm can keep,
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By feeding their Flocks, and by folding their Sheep;
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But when thou com'st home with thy Car-box and Hook
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O it grieves me to see how Cuc---cold thou dost look.
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Husb.] Alas! good wife, I walk through Dew & Mire,
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Whilst thou perhaps, warmest thyself at a Fire;
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With a Friend in a corner in some sort, whereby
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The Warmer thou art the Cuc--colder am I.
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Wife.
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O fie! my dear Husband, you sure are in jest,
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You see how I Labour to get you the best;
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I Card and I Spin, both above and below,
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To Cloath you til you no Cuc---Colder can grow.
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H.] You told me you pluck'd wool from hedge, bush, & tree
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To make a warm Coat and a Night Cap for me;
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But you Reel at a rate, with a Spindle so free,
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That I fear when they're done the Cuc---Colder to be.
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Wife.
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O Husband! consider you should be content,
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And not at you Fortune Repine or Repent;
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Since I go abroad with a Neighbour or two,
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Tho' the more I perform the Cuc---Colder are you.
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Husb.] Well, my sweet Wife, though my fortune is bad,
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More Fuel to warm me must quickly be had;
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Or else whilst with neighbours abroad you do gad,
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I still shall come home more Cuc---Colder and sad.
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Wife.
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Consider some way then, and sell not our Cow,
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For she gives us Milk to support us, you know;
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And makes you a Posset, and other good Chear,
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To comfort your heart when Cuc---Cold you appear.
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Husb.] If Colly be kept, then I must sell my Sheep,
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For we a good Fire and warm Victuals must keep;
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Since, introth, many times I am ready to weep,
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To think how Cuc---Cold in my Bed I do sleep.
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Wife.
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I'le get you more Blanckets that grief to Redress,
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Then prithee dear Husband, your Sorrow suppress,
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I'le hug you, and kiss you, and ease you of care,
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Till you shall forget how Cuc---Cold you now are
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Husb.] Alas! my dear Wife, I fear all will not do,
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The pain in my Fore-head such Bumbs makes to grow,
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That the more I do strive, the sad grief to forego,
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I still the Cuc---Colder to all Men do show.
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Wife.
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I'le get you a Plaister shall make 'um to shrink,
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And when I apply it you always must wink;
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A Doctor I know that will do you the Grace,
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That you your Cuc--Coldness shall ever out-face.
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Husb.] And tho' that be done, what is it to me,
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Or had I a Night-Cap that none might 'em see;
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Yet I am the same still in every Degree,
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I still as Cuc---cold as I ever shall be.
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Wife.
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Come, come be contented, as many more are,
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Who catch the same Cold, yet their Fuel do spare;
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He's a Fool that repines at what can't be redrest,
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Be glad you no more are Cuc---Cold then the rest.
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Husb.] O Wife, how I scratch at the Story you tell,
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For tho' you in Cunning do many excell;
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Yet troth 'tis too hard, though we gain by it well,
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Forever, forever, Cuc---Coldly to Dwell.
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