%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> An Answer to the/ Old Man's WISH: / Containing the Young Lasses Longing desire to be Marry'd / and eke to an Old Man rather than fail. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1683-1703 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 01/22/2008 22449

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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

5.187 R172367 1 The Old Mans Wish The Old Man's Wish The Old Man's Wish O That I was now a Marry'd Wife, / Then should I enjoy a happy Life; One that is old is better than none. [with variation] see also 5.186. Pepys 5.187 Wing A3428[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. 5: 187 An Answer to the/ Old Man's WISH: / Containing the Young Lasses Longing desire to be Marry'd / and eke to an Old Man rather than fail. An Answer to the Old Man's WISH: Containing the Young Lasses Longing desire to be Marry'd and eke to an Old Man rather than fail. An Answer to the Old Man's Wish: Containing the Young Lass's Longing Desire to be Married and also to an Old Man Rather Than Fail. 1/2 sheet folio, 243 x 168 cropped top and bottom edges horizontal and vertical rules 1683-1703 Printed for C. Bates, next the Crown-Tavern in West-smithfield. C. Bates 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 1/22/2008 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Love Pleasant 1/22/8 Checker Rachel Mann fixed title 1/22/8 Checker Rachel Mann Updated metadata, created xml 7/11/7 Checker Summer Star Checked transcription, created metadata 7/6 Transcriber Liberty Stanavage Original transcription 11/2/2004 Bibliographer Simone Chess Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
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O That I was now a Marry'd Wife, Then should I enjoy a happy Life; Let me no longer languish alone, One that is old is better than none . What if thy head be hoary and gray, Every Night we'll dally and play, Dally and play, tho' Seventy-one, One that is, etc. Tho' thou art Aged, yet thou art right, Able to yield a Woman delight; Therefore no longer leave me alone, He that is , etc. Let me enjoy this Jolly Old Lad, Seeing no other is to be had; What tho' he be as cold as a Stone, One that is , etc. Silver and Gold I know he has store; Thus we may live, and never be poor, Never be poor, nor languish alone, He that is , etc. What if my Fancy he cannot feed, Yet will I take the Will for the Deed; Why should I longer languish alone, One that is , etc. Love is a pain I cannot endure, Why should I not seek out for a Cure; Here I have long made pitiful moan, One that is , etc.
Every morning when I arise, Trickling tears does flow from mine Eyes; Let me no longer languish alone, One that is , etc. What tho' he cannot follow the stroak, Yet I declare he'll serve for a Cloak; Now for this very reason alone, He that is , etc. When I shall wed this Wealthy Old man, Him I will love as well as I can; Tho' with the Gout all night he doth groan One that is , etc. He shall be fed with delicate Fare, All the decays of Strength to repair; Why should I longer languish alone, Tho' he be , etc. E're my old Man shall be a meer Slave, 'll have a Bully bonny and brave; Yet between whiles I'll love him alone, One that is , etc. He has two thousand pounds and above, This is enough to make me in love With this grey wealthy Miser alone, Tho' he be , etc. E're it be long, I know he will dye, Then none will be so Jolly as I; But the mean while I'll love him alone, Tho' he be old, he's better than none .
Printed for C. Bates , next the Crown-Tavern in West-Smithfield.