%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The wiuing age. / OR / A great Complaint of the Maidens of London, / Who now for lacke of good Husbands are vndone, / For now many Widowes though neuer so old, / Are caught vp by young men for lucre of gold. Parker, Martin University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1627 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 06/26/2008 20178

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

1.384-385 S126287 2 the Golden age Whoop! Do me no harm good man The Golden Age the same tune The Same Tune THe Maidens of London are now in despaire, / How they shall get husbands, it is all their care, Oh this is a wiuing age. / Oh this is a wiuing age. LEt Maidens be patient, and neuer take thought, / But stay vntill all the old widowes be caught, Oh this is a wiuing age./ Oh this is a wiuing age. woodcut 2: formerly conjoined block broken into two parts; author noted by STC. Pepys 1.384-385 STC 19283 [M. Flesher] for F. Coules [c.1627] Woodblock 1: first 1/2 sheet, below title, above column 1: An aristocratic woman faces to the left of the cut. She holds a feather fan in her right hand and rests her left hand on her hip. She wears an aristocratic dress with a large ruff, a narrow skirt, and dangling sleeves with dagging. The bottom of her skirt is decorated with three stripes. She wears some sort of cap, crown or headpiece. Several plants are visible in the background.: 87 x 60 Woodblock 2: first 1/2 sheet, below title, above column 2: A lady stands facing towards her right. In her right hand, she holds a large feather fan (or a branch?). The lady wears a large stiff ruff and a necklace or chain. Her full skirt (supported by a French farthingale?) and the front of her dress is decorated with a row of large flowers. Her dark overskirt is elaborately decorated.: 82 x 55 Woodblock 3: second 1/2 sheet, below title, above column 3: A long haired, bearded man stands with his right hand on his hip, leaning on a cane held in his left hand. He is dressed in a doublet or jerkin, short breeches, hose, a ruff, high boots, and wears a hat with a plume and a brim. A cloak hangs over his right arm. A scabbard hangs from his left hip.: 86 x 60 Woodblock 4: second 1/2 sheet, below title, above column 4: An aristocratic woman holds a feather fan in her right hand. She wears a dress with large, puffed sleeves, decorated with diamond shapes (possibly indicating slash and puff construction), a buttoned bodice, and a pleated or striped skirt. The bottom of her skirt is decorated with a contrasting band in a diamond pattern. She wears a large ruff, a necklace, and a small cap with a feather. : 88 x 50 Pepys Library The Pepys ballads : facsimile volume Editor W.G. Day D.S. Brewer Cambridge [England] 1987 Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 384 1: 385 The wiuing age. / OR / A great Complaint of the Maidens of London, / Who now for lacke of good Husbands are vndone, / For now many Widowes though neuer so old, / Are caught vp by young men for lucre of gold. The wiving age. OR A great Complaint of the Maidens of London, Who now for lacke of good Husbands are undone, For now many Widowes though never so old, Are caught up by young men for lucre of gold. The Wiving Age. Or A Great Complaint of the Maidens of London, Who Now for Lack of Good Husbands are Undone, For Now Many Widows Though Never So Old, Are Caught Up by Young Men for Lucre of Gold. The second part, The second part, The Second Part, Parker, Martin 1/2 sheet folio, originally left part, 274 x 176 1/2 sheet folio, originally right part, 274 x 176 cropped right edge, damaged surface, uneven inking cropped right edge, damaged surface, uneven inking cast fleurons cast fleurons 1627 Printed for Francis Coules at the vpper end of the Old Baily neere Newgate. Francis Coules Weinstein: STC

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 Taxonomy used by Pepys to Organize Ballads in Albums A Small Promiscuous Supplement Devotion & Morality Drinking & Good Fellowship History - True & Fabulous Humour, Frollicks &c Love Pleasant Love Pleasant and Unfortunate Love Unfortunate Marriage Sea State & Times Tragedy Various Subjects Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/health alcohol animals/nature appearance Bible/biblical figures buildings/architecture catastrophe children class clothing/fashion country/nation crime death economics/trade entertainment family/procreation folklore gender historical figures & events holidays/seasons infidelity law London love maritime marriage military/war monstrosity mythology/Classical world news nobility/court politics/government punishment religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/sexuality supernatural/magic The New World travel trickery/deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/crass humor Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 6/26/2008 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Marriage advice economics/trade love marriage 06/26/08 Checker Rachel Mann Metadata updated, xml created 7/03/2007 Checker Katy Trumbull Ballad Checked 2006 Checker Jessica Murphy Ballad Checked 2006 Transcriber Pav Aulakh Original Transcription 7/23/2004 Bibliographer Liberty Stanavage Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The wiving age.</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">OR</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">A great Complaint of the Maidens of London,</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Who now for lacke of good Husbands are undone,</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">For now many Widowes though never so old,</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Are caught up by young men for lucre of gold.</hi></seg> <seg n="7" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the tune of the Golden age.</hi> </seg>
THe Maidens of London are now in despaire, How they shall get husbands, it is all their care, Though maidens be never so vertuous and faire, Yet old wealthy widowes, are yong mens chiefe ware. Oh this is a wiving age. Oh this is a wiving age. A yong man need never take thought how to wive, For widowes and maidens for husbands doe strive, Heres scant men enough for them all left alive, They flocke to the Church, like Bees to the Hive. Oh this is a wiving age, Oh this is a wiving age. Twixt widowes and maids there is a great strife, And either of them would faine be a wife, They all doe cry out on this fond single life, And long to dance after a Taber and Fife. Oh this is a wiving age. Oh this is wiving age. The maidens I doubt will be put to the worst, And widowes though old, will be maried all first, To drinke the bride Posset good Lord how they thirst, Though they have foule faces the're beautifull purst. Oh this is a wiving age. Oh this is a wiving age.
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 have a young-man their aprons to brush Oh this is a wiving age. Oh this is a wiving age, Yong maidens are bashfull, but widowes are bold, They tempt poore yong men with their silver and gold, For love now a daies for money is sold, If she be worth treasure no matter how old. Oh this is a wiving age. Oh this is a wiving age. For one maid now married theres widowes a score, Their husbands scant dead a whole fornight before, They cannot live single they'le mary therefore. With any yong man though hees never so poore. Oh this is a wiving age. Oh this is a wiving age. Oh is not this a pitifull case, That many a delicate beautifull lasse, Should thus by old widowes be put to disgrace, For every yong lad has his widow in chase. Oh this is a wiving age. Oh this is a wiving age.
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The second part, to the same tune.</hi></seg>
LEt Maidens be patient, and never take thought, But stay untill all the old widowes be caught, For now like to horses for coyne they are bought, They say that in Smithfield they'r cry'd twelve a groat. Oh this is a wiving age. Oh this is a wiving age. Yet some of these widowes that marry so fast, I doubt will have cause to repent of their haste: If they marry yong men their shoulders to bast, Oh then they will whine when the remedy is past, And curse such a wiving age. And curse, etc. Likewise many yongmen perhaps may repent, When all the old Angels are wasted and spent, Theyle wish the tongue out, that gave first content, Theyle say then I muse what a devill I meant To match in that wiving age. To match in that wiving age. A young man that marries a widow for wealth, Doth often much dammage unto his soules health, For he will be toying and playing by stealth, Shee's jealous though never so justly he dealth. Take heed of this wiving age. Take heed, etc. When young Lads and Lasses as them doth behove, Doe lawfully marry together in love, God poures downe his blessings on them from above, But youth and old dotage contrary doe prove, As tis in this wiving age. As tis, etc.
It may be accounted a wonder to see An old crasse croane with a young man agree: Tis onely for wealth that they married be Then take them who list, a young maid is for me. Oh this is a wiving age, Oh this is a wiving age. Then let no yong maidens be displeased in minde, Though widowes are maried, and they left behinde: Those yong men who are thus contrary to kinde, You were better lose, then ever to finde, Leave them to this wiving age. Leave them, etc. Yet must I confesse many widowes there be Who from all libidinous thoughts are so free, They wed not for lust, but for love as we see, Finde me such a one, and Ile quickly agree, To match in this wiving age. To match in this wiving age. Of all sorts and sexes theres some good some bad, Theres choyce of both widowes and maids to be had, He that happens well hath cause to be glad, And therefore let every honest young Lad Make choyce in this wiving age, Make choyce, etc. My song unto Virg[in]s is chiefly directed, Who now in this age are little respected, Though widowes be chosen and maids be rejected. They will be esteemed, though now they'r neglected, Yet not in this wiving age, Yet not in this wiving age.
Finis. M. P. Printed for Francis Coules at the upper end of the old Baily neere Newgate.