%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The English Fortune-Teller./ Being a brief direction to shun all strife,/ A brief instruction how to chuse a Wife;/ Whereby a man may lead a happy life./ It shews a difference in womans qualities,/ By colour of their hair, both face & eyes. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1681-1684 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 08/13/2007 21164

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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

3.152 R187955 1 Ragged and Torn Old Simon the King Ragged and Torn YOu young=men that want skill in wooing,/ and if you desire to be wed, But chiefly I'd wish you beware,/ of a wench with a rowling eye:/ For she that will cozen and swear,/ will also dissemble and lye. [stanzas 1-9] Title unclear: 'The English Fortune-Teller./ [B]eing a brief direction to shun all strife,/...' Pepys 3.152 Wing E3086[A] 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. 3: 152 The English Fortune-Teller./ Being a brief direction to shun all strife,/ A brief instruction how to chuse a Wife;/ Whereby a man may lead a happy life./ It shews a difference in womans qualities,/ By colour of their hair, both face & eyes. The English Fortune-Teller. [B]eing a brief direction to shun all strife, A brief instruction how to chuse a Wife; Whereby a man may lead a happy life. It shews a difference in womans qualities, By colour of their hair, both face & eyes. The English Fortune-Teller. Being a Brief Direction to Shun All Strife, a Brief Instruction How to Choose a Wife; Whereby a Man May Lead a Happy Life. It Shows a Difference in Women's Qualities, By Color of Their Hair, Both Face and Eyes. 1/2 sheet oblong folio, 210 x 306 cropped bottom edge, torn top left corner, holed and damaged surface vertical rule 1681-1684 Printed for J. Wright, J. Clarke,/ W. Thackeray, and T. Passinger. J. Wright, J. Clarke, W. Thackeray, T. Passinger Blagden

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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 8/13/2007 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Love Pleasant advice appearance infidelity marriage trickery/deceit 8/13/07 Checker Cat Zusky Checked transcription and metadata, created XML 7/30/06 Transcriber Pavneet Aulakh Original transcription 8/24/04 Bibliographer Simone Chess Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
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Y Ou young-men that want skill in wooing, and if you desire to be wed, Take counsel of me in your doing for fear that you should be misled, Do not my kind proffer refuse, for it will never you deceive: Twill shew you what woman to chuse, and what creature you'd best for to leave: But chiefly I'd wish you beware, of a wench with a rowling eye: For she that will cozen and swear, will also dissemble and lye. I'th first place I do you advise, take one not too high nor too low, But according to your one size, that you may her qualities know: Take one not too young nor too old, nor one that's too fat nor too lean; Tis a bad thing to met with a scold, 'tis a worse thing to meet with a Quean, But chiefly, etc. Take one that is not too proud, nor one that's a dirty foul slut, The one may bable too loud, the other may poyson the gut. Tis better to wed an honest maid, although she be never so poor,
Than to wed a rich Gossip 'tis said, if afterwards she should turn Whore. But chiefly, etc. A widdow whose wealth doth surmount, if that you do marry for gain, Shee'l call you to double account, and your pleasures will turn to your pain: Besides she is apt to be jealous, which is the forerunner of strife, As good to be hang'd at a Gallows, as marry with such a cross wife. But chiefly, etc. And now in the second place I am purposed for recite, My skill in Physiiognomy, wherein I will shew you aright, Byth'colour of hair on the head, or else by the favour or face, You may know with whom for to wed; and who you had best to embrace, But chiefly, etc. The man that will chuse him a Mate, by color of Hair or comlexion, Must chuse many ways intricate, lest he be brought under subjection, He must view both her forehead and brow, her Cheeks, Eyes, Nose, and her Chin.
G Od Cupid those things doth allow, when first to woe you do begin. But chiefly, etc. All is not Gold which Glisters, nor it is not all lead that looks dull: Fair Venus the cheif of the Sisters, made Vulcan her husband a Gull, So many times beautifull Lasses will jeer their poor husbands in scorn, And cunningly break all their Glasses, and make them drink out of a Horn. But chiefly, etc. She that hath her hair of bright yellow, and traces the wyers of Gold, If she meet with a pritty fellow, her husband may chance to be Cuckold: And she that by nature's compos'd, of round Cherry Cheeks and red hair, If she be pink-ey'd and long nos'd, believe me she's dangerous ware. But chiefly, etc. The brown hair with a witty discourse, but commonly for their own ends; I like her a great deal the worse, because she'l dissemble with her friends[,] A Wench with an ash-colour'd face, her actions are often uncivil, Her tongue will her husband disgrace, just like the second she-devil. But chiefly, etc. The bonny Wench with the black-brow, oh she is a good one indeed: For she will be true to her vow, I would we had more of her breed:
And thus I have told you my mind, concerning Phisiognomy, I mean no wrong to women kind, I swear by my honesty. Lest I should some female offend, I'le lay by my pen and rest, What ev'r in this Ditty is pen'd, let young men take where they love best. Yet thus much i'le speak in regard, and i'le maintain my words in a trice, Some women may well be compar'd, to the best chance or worst of the Dice, Suppose a young-man goes to Dice, and ventures his goods and his store, If he can throw Conque or a Sice, the game's his own forever more: But if that his fortune be crost, that he throws but a Deuce or an Ace, His goods and his substance is lost, and hee's left in a pittiful case. Suppose in like case, if a Lad, can get him a provident wife, His fortune can never be bad, hee's made all the days of his life: But if that dame fortune do frown, that his wife and he cannot agree; He is quite for ever cast down, by woful experience we see. And now noble Young men adieu' remember the words which I say, This song's like to prove to be true, then buy it and bear it away.
Printed for J. Wright , J. Clarke , W. Thackeray , and T. Passinger .