%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Politic Wife; / OR, / The Devil outwitted by a Woman. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1790-1790 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 05/09/2011 31370

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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

T43941 OF all the plague upon the earth, / That e'er poor man befal Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 867 The Politic Wife; / OR, / The Devil outwitted by a Woman. The Politic Wife; OR, The Devil outwitted by a Woman. The Politic Wife; OR, The Devil outwitted by a Woman. 1790-1790

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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 5/9/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America clothing/ appearance family marriage religious figures vulgarities/ crass humor Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 5/9/2011 1:50:48 PM XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created XML Version of Ballad 5/9/2011 1:50:48 PM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/9/2011 1:50:48 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Zusky, Catherine Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/9/2011 1:50:48 PM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/9/2011 1:50:48 PM Transcriptionist One Megna, Paul Transcription of ballad manuscript 2/2/2009 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 2/10/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/10/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Politic Wife;</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">OR,</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">The Devil outwitted by a Woman.</hi></hi></seg>
OF all the plagues upon the earth, That eer poor man befal, Its hunger and a scolding wife, These are the worst of all: There was a poor man in our country, Of a poor and low degree, And with both these plagues he was troubled, And the worst of luck had he. He had seven children by one wife, And the times were poor and hard, And his poor toil was grown so bad He scarce could get him bread; Being discontented in his mind, One day his house he left, And wandered down by a forest side, Of his senses quite bereft. As he was wandering up and down, Betwixt hope and despair, The Devil started out of a bush, And appeared unto him there:
O what is the matter, the Devil he said, You look so discontent? Sure you want money to buy you some bread, Or to pay your landlords rent. Indeed, kind sir, you read me right, And the grounds of my disease, Then what is your name, said the poor man, Pray tell me, if you please? My name is Dumkin the Devil, quoth he, And the truth to you I do tell, Altho you see me wandering here, Yet my dwelling it is in hell. Then what willl you give me, said the Devil, To ease you of your want, And you shall have corn and cattle enough, And never partake of scant? I have nothing to give you, said the poor man, Nor nothing here in hand, But all the service that I can do Shall be at your command.
[Then upon the condition of seven long yours,] A bargain with you I will frame, You shall bring me a beast unto this place, That I cannot tell its name; But if I tell its name full right, Then mark what to you I tell, Then you must go along with me Directly unto hell. This poor man went joyfully home, And thrifty he grew therefore, For he had corn and cattle enough, And every thing good store. His neighbours, who did live around; Did wonder at him much, And thought he had robbd or stole, He was grown so wonderous rich. Then for the space of seven long years He lived in good cheer, But when the time of his indenture grew near He began to fear; O what is the matter, said his wife, You look so discontent? Sure you have got some maid with child, And now you begin to repent. Indeed, kind wife, you judge me wrong, To censure so hard of me, Was it for getting a maid with child, That would be no felony; But I have made a league with the Devil, For seven long years, no more, That I should have corn and cattle enough, And every thing good store. Then for the space of seven long years, A bargain I did frame, I should bring him a beast unto that place, He could not tell its name: But if he tell his name full right, Then mark what to you I tell, Then I must go along with him, Directly unto Hell. Go get you gone, you silly old man, Your cattle go tend and feed; For a womans wit is far better than mans; If usd in time of need; Go fetch me down all the birdlime thou hast, And set it down on the floor, When I have pulld my cloaths all off You shall anoint me all oer.
[Now when he had anointed her] From the head unto the heel, Zounds! said the poor man, methinks you look Just like the very Deel. Go fetch me down all the feathers thou hast. And lay them down by me, And I will roll myself therein, Till never a place go free. Come tie a string about my neck, And lead me to this place, And I will save you from the Devil, If I have but so much grace, The Devil he stood roaring out, And lookd both fierce and bold; Thou hast brought me a beast unto this place, And the bargain thou dost hold. Come shew me the face of this beast, said the devil, Come shew it me in a short space; Then he shewed to him his wifes buttocks, And swore it was her face; She has monstrous cheeks, the Devil he said, And her visage is wonderous grim, She has but one eye in all her whole head, And methinks it looks wonderous dim. Come shew me the mouth of this beast, said the devil, Come shew it me speedily, Zounds! said the poor man, if youre not blind, 'Tis an inch just under her eye, And if she stood upon all fours, As now she stands at length. Youd take her to be some monstrous beast Taken by mans main strength. How many more of these beasts, said the Devil, How many more of the kind? I have seven more such, said the poor man, But have left them all behind. If you have seven more such, said the devil, The truth unto you I tell, You have beasts enough to cheat me And all the Devils in hell. Here take thy bond and indenture both. Ill have nothing to do with thee: So the man and his wife went joyfully hom[e]' And lived full merry. O God send us good merry long lives, Without any sorrow or woe, Now heres a health to all such wives Who can cheat the Devil so.
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