%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Constant VVife of Sussex. / Vnto you here I will declare, / A story wonderfull and rare, / Of a wife to preuent her husbands shame, / Vpon her selfe tooke all the blame. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1632 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 06/23/2008 20195

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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

1.414-415 S126293 1 I haue for all good wiues a song I Have for All Good Wives a Song LIst to my ditty Country men, / I will decipher with my pen, HOw al things stood with Besse the maid, / who came with speed and to her said, Pepys 1.414-415 Rollins (1) II:229-233; STC 23445.5 for F. Coles [1632?]; Rollins (2) 389 (May 24, 1632, IV, 278, Henry Gosson, Fran. Coles). Woodblock 1: 1st 1/2 sheet folio, under title and tune, above column 1: An armed man holds a spear in his left hand. He is dressed in a breastplate, morion helmet with plumes, slops, hose, and low shoes. His elbows and forearms are covered with armor and he wears gauntlets on his hands. He wears a sash or baldric across his chest, and a swordbelt and sword, visible on his left hip.: 81 x 41 Woodblock 2: 1st 1/2 sheet folio, under title and tune, above column 2: A lady (presumably the wife of Sussex) stands facing towards her right. In her right hand, she holds a large feather fan (or a branch?). The lady wears a stiff ruff and a necklace or chain. Her full skirt and the front of her dress are decorated with a row of large flowers. She appears to be scowling. The ink is faded, or else the woodcut is worn. : 78 x 57 Woodblock 3: 2nd 1/2 sheet folio, under cast fleuron, title and tune, above column 3: A bearded man stands holding what appears to be a staff in his left hand. He faces slightly to his left, with his right hand on his hip. He is dressed in a Renaissance style, with a Morion helmet, knee-length puffed trousers with round decorations (buttons?) down the side visible to us (right), and a buttoned jacket with long hanging sleeves over a full sleeved undershirt. A sword hangs from his left hip. He wears low shoes with decorated buckles.: 80 x 54 Woodblock 4: 2nd 1/2 sheet folio, under cast fleuron, title and tune, above column 4: A woman stands framed in an ornate carved archway with leaf and vine patterns. With her right hand she gestures back at herself. Her left hand holds her cloak. She wears a simple buttoned dress and a cloak or shawl. Two indeterminate objects are visible at her feet.She wears a simple head covering, and faces toward her gesturing hand.: 68 x 45 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: 414 1: 415 The Constant VVife of Sussex. / Vnto you here I will declare, / A story wonderfull and rare, / Of a wife to preuent her husbands shame, / Vpon her selfe tooke all the blame. The Constant Wife of Sussex, Unto you here I will declare, A story wonderfull and rare, Of a wife to prevent her husbands shame, Upon her selfe tooke all the blame. The Constant Wife of Sussex, Unto You Here I Will Declare, a Story Wonderful and Rare, of a Wife to Prevent Her Husband's Shame, Upon Herself Took All the Blame. The second part. The second part. The Second Part. 1/2 sheet folio, originally left part, 285 x 140 1/2 sheet folio, originally right part, 281 x 150 uneven inking cropped right edge, creased, damaged surface, uneven inking cast fleurons cast fleurons 1632 London Printed for Fr. Coles FR. Coles Weinstein: licensing info

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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 6/23/2008 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Marriage children infidelity marriage trickery/deceit 06/23/08 Checker Rachel Mann Metadata updated, xml created 8/1/2007 Checker Katy Trumbull Ballad Checked 6/15/2006 Transcriber Kathryn Dolan Original Transcription 7/23/2004 Bibliographer Simone Chess Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Constant Wife of Sussex,</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Unto you here I will declare,</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">A story wonderfull and rare,</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Of a wife to prevent her husbands shame,</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Upon her selfe tooke all the blame.</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the tune of, <hi rend="bold">I have for all good wives a song</hi>.</hi></seg>
LIst to my dity Country men, I will decipher with my pen, A story strange and yet most true give eare to that which will insue, No forraigne newes I have to tell, but of a jest which late befell. A wealthy Yeoman liv'd of late, a man that was of good estate: Within the County of Sussex faire his wife and he had never an heire Yet at the last as may appeare they got two Children in one yeare. As on a day the good mans wife, whom he did love as his owne life Unto her husband thus spake she, I must a neighbours wife goe see. That lies in Child-bed, therefore John, I meane to visit her anon. The good wife being parted so, the man unto his maid did goe: These words in curtesie he said unto Elizabeth his maid, You labour hard and take great paine, but other follies have all the gaine. Now note the words that I shall say, thy Dame is gone out of the way Therefore to helpe thee worke Ile do Ile dresse the house and sweepe it too, To make the bed I will not faile, milke thou the Cow ile hold the paile. Unto the same the maid agreed and so to worke they went with speed Before her Dame that she came home,
they never a chare had left undone How blest am I the good wife said, that have so good a working maid, But time that tempereth every thing, did to this house contentment bring, Ere fortie weekes were gone and past the man had his desire at last Then marke the sequell while I tell how every thing in order fell. For first of all the good wife mild was safe delivered of a child Old mother midnight and the rest their duties every one exprest And by the fire with Cakes and Ale, each neighbour told a merry tale. One told a tale of John-a-Ree. another of great Cloudeslee, The third spake much of Robbin-hood all this did Besse the maid no good: For though poore soule her belly did ake yet never a word she durst to speake. The midwife brought to good effect the thing that she did most expect, Each neighbour went unto her home and left the midwife there alone, To dresse & trim the good mans daugh-ter but note the jest that followes after Poore Besse bewailes her desteny within a Cock-loft grievously Which in her Masters eare did sound, her griefe that time did so abound That he desired the mid-wifes love, so much that then she would go prove
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The second part. To the same tune.</hi></seg>
HOw al things stood with Besse the maid, who came with speed and to her said, What cheare my girle how'ist with thee the truth of all declare to me: Who answered her with speeches mild I by my Master am with Child. But to be short the mid-wife kind, began to ponder in her mind How to contrive there businesses so, no partie of the same should know, Save onely foure which here is said, her selfe, the master, dame, and maid. Lucina lent a helping hand, as you may plainly understand Who brought to light a chopping boy, judge was not this a happie day, The man in the morning had a daughter, by chance ere night a sonne came after. Which by the midwife was brought downe, the strangest thing that hath beene knowne This hundred yeare, is brought to light said she performed is this night: And b[ei]ng of most gentle speech, shee did the woman then besech. To take this boy as for her owne quoth she if this thing should be showne T'will be to your discredit both therefore sweet neighbour be not loth To nurse this child and keepe it warme poore boy it thinkes no creature harme. The good wife seemed well content and furthermore she gave free consent To find it meat and drinke and cloth and therewithall she made an oath,
The Infant it should never lacke when she a coat had to her backe This done the midwife tooke her way, pointing to come oth Christning day And spend in mirth an hower or two, and so should all her neighbours doe, The time being come the gossips all together met both great and smal. Then said the midwife to the rest give eare and you shal heare exprest, When you were gone what hap befel, unto you I will briefly tel: A girle you know came first in sight, but God sent us a boy ere night. This made the people wonder sore, as wel they might, for never before They heard the like: so now in hast one thing ile speake and end my Jest, Each creatures heart did leap for joy, they cried Lord love this little boy. This Besse was then to London sent, her Dame and Master wel content, Where she had but a smal time stayed, but to a gallant she was mary'd: The proverbe is fulfilld therby, the blind oft time doth eat the flie. But for the woman which did save, her husbands credit I do crave, Good fortune on her may attend and guide her to her later end: And unto every constant wife I wish long dayes and happie life.
FINIS. London printed for Fr. Coles.