%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Old Mans Complaint: / OR, / The Unequal Matcht Couple. / She pines and grieves, because he cannot ease her, / He's old and feeble, therefore cannot please her; / She's young and wanton, and would have it fain, / And that's the cause why he doth thus complain. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1640-1640 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/26/2011 30843

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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

R216139 2 I prethee love turn to me UNKNOWN I Prithee Love Turn to Me the same Tune UNKNOWN The Same Tune O What a pittiful passion / it is to be sick for love, WHen I seem to be sleepy, / she calls me drowsie Als; She would have the thing that I have not, / for the cramp lyes in my knee. [with variation] She looks for the thing that I have not, O the cramp lies in my knee. [with variation] Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 196 3: 197 The Old Mans Complaint: / OR, / The Unequal Matcht Couple. / She pines and grieves, because he cannot ease her, / He's old and feeble, therefore cannot please her; / She's young and wanton, and would have it fain, / And that's the cause why he doth thus complain. The Old Mans Complaint: OR, The Unequal Matcht Couple. She pines and grieves, because he cannot ease her, He’s old and feeble, therefore cannot please her; She’s young and wanton, and would have it fain, And that’s the cause why he doth thus complain. The Old Mans Complaint: OR, The Unequal Matched Couple. She pines and grieves, because he cannot ease her, He’s old and feeble, therefore cannot please her; She’s young and wanton, and would have it fain, And that’s the cause why he doth thus complain. 1640-1640 Richard Burton

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity 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 youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 4/26/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America marriage sex/ sexuality vulgarities/ crass humor Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/26/2011 4:26:56 PM XBallad Mellon, Gillian Created XML Version of Ballad 4/26/2011 4:26:56 PM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/26/2011 4:26:56 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Zusky, Catherine Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/26/2011 4:26:56 PM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/26/2011 4:26:56 PM Transcriptionist One Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 11/9/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/9/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/9/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/7/2009 Bibliographer Meghan Fadel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 1/7/2009 Checker Meghan Fadel Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/7/2009 Checker Meghan Fadel Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/7/2009 Checker Meghan Fadel Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Old Mans Complaint:</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">OR,</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Unequal Matcht Couple.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">She pines and grieves, because he cannot ease her,</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Hes old and feeble, therefore cannot please her;</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Shes young and wanton, and would have it fain,</hi></seg> <seg n="7" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">And thats the cause why he doth thus complain.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="8" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the Tune of, I prethee love turn to me.</hi></seg>
O What a pittiful passion it is to be sick for love, I now have a Girle in the fashion, but I fear she will wanton prove: For ever she cryes, O turn, turn. and I will turn to thee; She would have the thing that I have not, for the cramp lyes in my knee. My Wife is a neat young woman, and I am an aged man; I cannot tell how to please her, do I the best I can: For ever she cryes, O turn, turn, and I will turn to thee; She looks for the thing that I have not, the cramp lies in my knee. What hap had I for to wooe her, I being so old and tough, All that I can do unto her, she thinks it not half enough: For ever she cryes, O turn, turn, and I will turn to thee, She looks for a thing that I have not, the cramp lyes in my knee.
She sits all the day a knitting, earning of a penny, Whilst I abroad am getting four groats of ready money: And still she cryes, O turn, turn, I prethee Love turn to me; She wants the thing that I have not, O the cramp lyes in my knee When I come home full weary, and fain would go to rest, My wife she makes me tarry, to do what she thinks best: And ever she cryes, O turn, turn, and I prethee Love turn to me; She would have the thing that I have not, for the cramp lies in my knee. By four a clock in the morning when I my rest woul take, My wife she keeps a turning, and causes me to wake: For still she cries, O turn, turn, and I will turn to thee; She looks for the thing that I have not, for the cramp lyes in my knee.
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Second Part, to the same Tune.</hi></seg>
WHen I seem to be sleepy, she calls me drowsie Ass; And then for sorrow weep I, to think of my hard task: For ever she cries, O turn, turn, I prethee now turn to me, She looks for the thing that I have not, O the cramp lies in my knee. But now alas I am weary of this my wretched life, Before I lived full merry, when I had never a wife: For still she cryes, O turn, turn, I prethee now turn to me; She wants the thing that I have not, and alas what remedy! I simple old fool must be doting upon a young dainty bit, But now alas I have nothing that can her humour fit: For ever she cryes, O turn, turn, I prethee now turn to me; She wants the thing that I have not, the cramp lies in my knee. I bought her a Petticoat, to keep her from the cold, And she bought me a Night-cap, because that I was old: But ever she cries, O turn, turn, and I will turn to thee; She would have the thing that I have not, for the cramp lyes in my knee.
For certain I was bewitched, to marry a Girle so young, She hoped for to be enriched, but now I have done her wrong: For ever she cries, O turn, turn, and I will turn to thee, She wants the thing that I have not, for the cramp lies in my knee. But now I must be contented, and bear it all patiently, Though I am enough tormented, yet must I not angry be; For still she cryes, O turn, turn, I prethee now turn to me; She wants the thing that I have not, for the cramp lies in my knee. If that I may live at quiet, and have what ever I lack, Indifferent good diet, and cloathing to my back: O then let her cry turn, turn, and I will turn to she; She shall have all that I can do, since there is no remedy. Then would I not care greatly, if horning were my lot, So that she would carry it neatly, my neighbours knew it not: Then let her cry, O turn, turn, and I will turn to she; She shall have all that I can do, do the rest who will for me.
Finis, London, Printed for Richard Burton, at the Horshooe in Smithfield.