%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The MAIDENS Moan,/ OR,/ Her sad and sorrowful Complaint for want of a Husband./ Let not my witness be withstood,/ young men some pity shew;/ You know that I am Flesh and Blood/ Alas! as well as you. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1664-1696 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 08/29/2007 21281

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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

3.267 R188531 2 A Touch of the Times A Touch of the Times the Countrey Farmer King James's Jig; The Country Farmer The Country Farmer I am a poor Maiden in woful distress,/ Still dayly tormented I needs must confess; To see thousands marry'd, and I lye alone. {with variation in final stanza} Pepys 3.267 Wing M270[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: 267 The MAIDENS Moan,/ OR,/ Her sad and sorrowful Complaint for want of a Husband./ Let not my witness be withstood,/ young men some pity shew;/ You know that I am Flesh and Blood/ Alas! as well as you. The MAIDENS Moan,OR,Her sad and sorrowful Complaint for want of a Husband. Let not my wishes be withstood, young men some pity shew; You know that I am Flesh and Blood Alas! as well as you. The Maiden's Moan, or, Her Sad and Sorrowful Complaint for Want of a Husband. Let Not My Wishes Be Withstood, Young men Some Pity Shew; You Know That I AM Flesh and Blood Alas! as Well as You. 1/2 sheet oblong folio, ?200 x 290 cropped right and bottom edges, torn bottom edge, damaged surface vertical rule 1664-1696 Printed for P. Brooksby, at the Golden=Ball in Pye=corner P. Brooksby BBTI

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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 8/29/2007 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Love Pleasant affliction/health love marriage sex/sexuality 8/29/07 Checker Liberty Stanavage Checked transcription, x-balladed 7/26/06 Transcriber Eric Nebeker Original Transcription 8/30/04 Bibliographer Simone Chess Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
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I am a poor Maiden in woful distress, Still dayly tormented I needs must confess; To see young Maids marry'd, and I lye alone, O what is the reason that I can get none, I pine and I fret my self out of my Wit, To see many marry'd, and I a Maid yet, Which makes me to languish, to sigh and make moan, To see thousands marry'd, and I lye alone. I shall be undone if some young man with speed, He comes not to help a poor Maid in her need: I tumble and toss in my Lodging all night, And wish to partake of that pleasant delight, Which other young Women enjoys in their bed, But woe be to me that shall never be sped, It makes me to languish, to sigh and make moan, To see, etc.
When I see young women give each child the breast, O then in my heart I am sorely opprest, And tho' I do hide it as much as I can, In private I weep for the help of a man: If some speedy course be not taken I say, It is to be fear'd I shall then go astray; For here do I languish, nay, sigh, and make moan, To see, etc. Each morning when I am a making the Bed, A thousand strange fancies deep run in my head, My Vitals does tingle, I scratch and I tear And wish that some pritty young gallant was there That would help a maiden out at a dead lift For never was Creature more put to the shift, Which makes me to languish, to sigh, and make moan, To see thousands marry'd, and I lye alone .
Good people I tell you the cause of my grief, It is because young-men won't yield me relief; In my best apparrel I dayly appear, And yet notwithstanding I'm never the near, In Bed I am knawing the sheets all the night, To think of the comfort I'de have if I might; And thus do I languish, nay, sigh, and make moan, To see, etc. Of all Maids in London my luck is the worst, With sorrow my heart it is ready to burst, To think that no young man will make me his Bride, Altho' I am youthful and handsome beside: I think I was born in the Arse of the Moon, That never a one will take me in my bloom, I weep and I languish, nap, sigh and make moan, To see, etc. My longing will kill me I greatly do fear If I be not marry'd before the next year; Therefore if some Youth will take pity on me, My heart from this sorrow wou'd soon be set free: Had I but my Will, I wou'd marry to morrow. A man of mine own; then I need not to borrow; But this will not be, here I sigh and make moan, To see, etc. No Damsel, I'm certain, was e're so opprest, For want of a Husband I take little rest, Sometimes in a slumber I dream of the bliss, But when I awaken what torment is this: To find that it was but a meer golden Dream, My passion does rise too a far worse extream; I sigh, and I weep, and make pittiful moan, To see, etc. There's Dolly and Bridget , with Nancy and Kate , Nay Susan and Sarah all marry'd of late, Then what is the reason that I cannot have The thing I so often desire and crave; I'm sure I'm as handsom as any of these And wou'd be as willing a Husband to please, But here I am forced to sigh and make moan, 'Cause thousands are marry'd and I lye alone.
FINIS . Printed for P. Brooksby at the Golden-Ball in Pye-corner.