A PEPYSIAN GARLAND - online book

Black-letter Broadside Ballads Of The years 1595-1639

	THE WIVING AGE
	5   Most Widowes are impudent, they cannot blush, For speech of the people they care not a rush: They are very free and their money is flush, They will haue a young-man their aprons to brush.1 Oh this is a wiuing age. Oh this is a wiuing age? 6   Yong maidens are bashfull, but widowes are bold, They tempt poore yong men with their siluer and gold, For loue now a daies for money is sold, If she be worth treasure no matter how old. Oh this is a wiuing age. Oh this is a wiuing age. 7   For one maid now maried theres widowes a score, Their husbands scant dead a whole fortnight3 before, They cannot Hue single they'le mary therefore, With any yong man though hees neuer so poore. Oh this is a wiuing age. Oh this is a wiuing age. 8    Oh is not this a pitifull case, That many a delicate beautifull lasse, Should thus by old widowes be put to disgrace, For euery yong lad has his widow in chase. Oh this is a wiuing age. Oh this is a wiuing age. 9     LEt Maidens be patient, and neuer take thought, But stay vntill all the old widowes be caught, For now like to horses for coyne they are bought. They say that in Smithfieldthey'r cry'd twelue a groat. Oh this is a wiuing age. Oh this is a wiuing age. 1 No period in the text.                    2 Text has a comma. 3 Text fornight. 236