The second part of the Widdow of Watling-streete, and her three Daughters.
To the tune of the Wanton wife.
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THe beautifull Widdow of Watling streete,
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being thus falsly accusde by her sonne:
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With her three daughters of favor so sweet,
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Whose beauty the love of so many had wonne,
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With her daughters three for succour went she,
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Unto the kings counsaile of Noble degree,
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Now fie upon falshood and forgerie fraile,
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For great is the truth and it shall prevaile.
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Her sonne by a writ now sommoned is,
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At the Star chamber with speed to appeare:
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To answere there the abuses of his,
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The Lords of the counsel the matter will heare:
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This news was brought his wits he sought,
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Which way his villanie best might be wrought.
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Then up and downe the Citty so faire,
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He seeketh companions to serve his turne:
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A sort of vacabonds naked and bare,
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the which to worke murders for money is won:
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These wretches behold for money and golde:
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He hired for witnesse his lyes to uphold, etc.
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My maisters quoth he, my mother by name,
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To be a lewd strumpet accused I have:
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And having no witnesse to prove that same,
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Your ayde and assistance herein I do crave:
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Therefore without feare, before the Lords there
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yet this thing is certaine, you sixe shall it sweare.
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The first two quoth he, shal sweare on a booke
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That sixteene yeares past they plainely did see,
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As they through the garden hedge sadly did looke
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That she in one houre was abused by three:
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And how it fell, as they markt it wel:
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That just nine Moneths after she had hir first girle
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The second couple shall sweare in this sort,
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That at Bristow faire about xvii. yeares past,
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She with her owne apprentise did fal in such sport
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That her second daughter was got at the last,
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now trust us quod they weele sweare what you say,
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Or anything else for money this day, etc.
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And thus the third couple their oath now shal take
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That as art the Bath she staid on a day.
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For ach in her bones as the scuse she did make,
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How she with a Courtier the wanton did play:
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And how well you wot in the pleasant plot,
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her dearest young daughter for certaine was got,
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But now you masters your names let me know:
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That I may provide you apparell with speed,
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Like sixe grave Cittizens so must you go,
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The better your speeches the Lords will heed,
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So shal I with scorne, ere Saturday morne,
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Prove her a Harlot, my sisters base borne, etc.
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My name is makeshift, the first man did say,
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And Francis light-finger the second likewise,
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Cutbert creepe-window the third to display,
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And Rowland Rob-man, with foule staring eyes:
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Jack shameles comes then with Hary steale-hen,
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You are quod the widdow some right honest men.
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Before the Lords most prudent and grave,
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This wretch doth with his witnesse come:
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The mother complains & Justice doth crave,
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Of all the offences that he hath her done:
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My Lords then quod she, I pray you heare me,
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The Law for my deeds my warrant shall be.
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I say she is a Harlot most vilde,
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And those be her bastards that standeth in place,
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And that she hath often her body defilde,
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By very good witnes ile prove to her face:
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This thing of thy Mother thou oughtst for to smo-ther
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Tis shame for a child to speake of his Mother.
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But if this matter be proved untrue,
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And thou a false lyar be found to thy face:
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Worse then an Infidell, Pagon, or Jew,
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Thou oughtst to be punisht & plagd in this case,
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And therefore draw neere, and now let us heare,
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What saies the witnes that here doth appeare:
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When the first couple did come for to sweare
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They quiverd and quakt in most wondrous sort,
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The lords very countenance did put them in feare
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And now they knew not what to report:
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The second likewise stard so with his eyes,
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They stamberd and knew not what to devise.
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The Lords perceiving the case how it went,
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Did aske the last couple what they had to say,
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Who fell on their knees incontinent,
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Saying they were hir'd for mony that day:
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Quoth they it is so, the truth for to show,
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Against the good widow no harme we do know.
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Thus was the widow delivered from blame,
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With her three daughters of beauty most bright
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Her sonne reproached with sorrow and shame,
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Having his judgment appointed him right:
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To loose at the least the goods he possest,
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To loose both his eares, and banisht to rest.
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When he heard this judgment pronounced to be
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The teares full bitterly fell down from his face,
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To mother and sisters he kneeled on his knee,
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Confessing that Lucre had wrought his disgrace,
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That for my own gaine, I sought to detaine,
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My sisters three portions this lye I did faine,
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Therefore deare Mother forgivenes I crave,
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Of you and my sisters offended so sore:
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My body from perill if you will but save,
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I sweare I will grieve and offend you no more,
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The Lords then replide, the Law justly tride,
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the punishment now thou art like to abide,
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Therefore to prison now thou shalt go,
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Where thou shalt the kings pleasure abide,
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From thence to be brought with shame & with wo,
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To suffer the punishment due to thy pride:
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Then out of hand, thou shalt understand,
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That presently thou shalt be banisht the land.
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Now while in prison this prisoner did rest
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Himselfe he hanged in desperate wise:
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Such horror of conscience possessed his brest,
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& being cast forth, the Ravens pickt out his eies
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All children behold, what here hath bin tolde,
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Accuse no man falsly for lucre of golde.
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Now fie upon falshood, and forgerie fraile,
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For great is the truth, and it will prevaile.
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