%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The English Fortune-Teller. / Being a brief direction how to shun all strife, / A brief instruction how to chuse a wife; / Whereby a man may lead a happy life: / It shews difference in womens qualities, / By colour of their hair, both face and eyes, University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1678-1678 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 03/07/2012 31804

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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

R227132 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 lie. Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 104 The English Fortune-Teller. / Being a brief direction how to shun all strife, / A brief instruction how to chuse a wife; / Whereby a man may lead a happy life: / It shews difference in womens qualities, / By colour of their hair, both face and eyes, The English Fortune-Teller. Being a brief direction how to shun all strife, A brief instruction how to chuse a wife; Whereby a man may lead a happy life: It shews difference in womens qualities, By colour of their hair, both face and eyes, The English Fortune-Teller. Being a brief direction how to shun all strife, A brief instruction how to choose a wife; Whereby a man may lead a happy life: It shows difference in women's qualities, By color of their hair, both face and eyes, 1678-1678 W. Thackeray / T[.] P[assenger and W. Whitwood.]

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol Americas 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 groups royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 3/7/2012 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America advice clothing/ appearance marriage Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 3/7/2012 9:19:37 AM XBallad Becker, Charlotte Created XML Version of Ballad 3/7/2012 9:19:37 AM Transcription Supervisor Murphy, Jessica Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/7/2012 9:19:37 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Reese, Ryan Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/7/2012 9:19:37 AM Transcriptionist Two Jiminez-Justiniano, Jose Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/7/2012 9:19:37 AM Transcriptionist One Andrews, B. Sharkey Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/7/2011 Checker Dominique Moomaw Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 3/1/2012 Transcriber Andrews, B. Sharkey Created Ballad XML 3/1/2012 Transcriber Jiminez-Justiniano, Jose Created Ballad XML 3/1/2012 Double-Key Transcription Merger Reese, Ryan Created Ballad XML 3/1/2012 Transcription Supervisor Murphy, Jessica Created Ballad XML 3/1/2012 XBallad Kroeze, Kathryn Created Ballad XML 2/2/2011 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 2/16/2011 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
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YOu young-men that want skill in wooing and if you desire to be wed, Take counsell of me in your doing for fear that you should be misled, Do not my kind proffer refuse, for it will never you deceive: I will shew what women to chuse, and what creature youd best for to leave, But chiefly id wish you beware, of a wench with a rowling eye: For she that will cozen and swear, will also dissemble and lie. Ith first place I do you advise, take one not too high nor too low, But according to your own size, that you may her qualities know, Take one not too young nor too old, nor one thats too fat nor to lean; Tis a bad thing to meet with a scold, tis a morse thing to meet with a Quean, But chiefly, etc. Take one that is not too proud, nor one thats a dirty foul slut, The one may babble too loud, the other may poyson the gut, Tis better to wed an honest maid. although she be never so poor,
Then to wed a rich Gossip tis said, if afterwards she should turn whore. But if chiefly, etc. A widoow whose wealth doth surmount, if that you do marry for gain, call you to double account, and your pleasures will turn to your pain: Besides she is apt to be jealous, which is the fore-runner of strife: As good to be hangd at the Gallows, as marry with such a cross wife. But chiefly, etc. And now in the second place I am purposed for to recite, My skill in Physiognomy, wherein I will shew you a light: Byth colour of hair on the head, or else by the favor or face, You may know with whom for to wed; and who you were best to imbrace. But chiefly, etc. The man that will chuse him a mate, by color of Hair or complexion, Must chuse many ways intricate, lest he be brought under subjection, He must view both her fore-head and brow, her Cheeks, Eyes, Nose, and her Chin.
GOod Cupid those things doth allow, when you first to woo her begin. But chiefly, etc. All is not gold which Glisters, nor is it all lead that looks dull. Fair Venus the chief 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 the Horn. But chiefly, etc. She that hath her hair of bright yellow, and traces the wyers of Gold, If she meet with some pretty fellow, her husband may chance to be Cuckold; And she that by natures composd, of round Cherry Cheeks and red hair, If she be pink-eyd and long nosd, believe me tis dangerous ware. But chiefly, etc. The brown hair with witty discourse, but commonly for her own ends; I like her a great deal the worse, because sheel dissemble with her friends. A Wench with an ash coloured 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 Physiognomy, I mean no wrong to women kind, I swear by my honesty. Lest I should some female offend, Ile lay by my pen and rest, What ever in this Ditty is pend, let young men take where they love best. Yet thus much ile speak, in regard, and ile maintain my words in a trice, Some women may well be compard, to the best chance or worst of the Dice, Suppose a young-man goes to Dice, and do venture his goods and his store, If he can throw Cinque or a Size, the games his own for evermore: But if that his fortune be crost, that he throws but a Dewce or an Ace, His goods and his substance is lost, and hees left in a pitiful case. Suppose in like case, if a Lad, can get him a provident wife, His fortune can never be bad, hes made all the dayes 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 wofull experience we see. And now noble Young men adieu, remember the words which I say: This songs like to prove to be true, then buy it and bear it away.
London[,] Printed for W. Tha[ckeray] T[.] P[assenger and W. Whitwood]