%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 the hair, both face and eyes. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1660-1660 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 03/01/2012 31806

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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

1 Ragged and torn, &c Old Simon the King Ragged and torn, etc 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 lye. Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 105 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 the 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 the 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 the hair, both face and eyes. 1660-1660

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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 3/1/2012 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America advice clothing/ appearance marriage Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 3/1/2012 12:52:05 PM XBallad Kroeze, Kathryn Created XML Version of Ballad 3/1/2012 12:52:05 PM Transcription Supervisor Murphy, Jessica Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/1/2012 12:52:05 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Reese, Ryan Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/1/2012 12:52:05 PM Transcriptionist Two Jiminez-Justiniano, Jose Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/1/2012 12:52:05 PM Transcriptionist One Andrews, B. Sharkey Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/7/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 3/7/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/2/2011 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 2/16/2011 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The ENGLISH Fortune-teller</hi>.</seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Being a brief direction how to shun all strife,</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">A brief instruction how to chuse a wife,</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Whereby a man may lead a happy life.</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">It shews difference in womens qualities,</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">By colour of the hair, both face and eyes.</hi></seg> <seg n="7" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Tune is, <hi rend="bold">Ragged and torn</hi>, etc.</hi></seg>
YOu young men that want skill in wooing and if you desire to be wed, Take counsel of me in your doing, for fear that you should be misled. Do not my kind proffer ref[u]s[e]: for it never will you deceive. I will shew you what woman to chuse. and what better creatures 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 lye. 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 too lean, Tis a bad thing to meet with a Scold, tis worse 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 bable too loud, the other may poyson the gut: Tis better to wed an honnest Maid, although she be never so poor, Then to wed a rich Gossip tis sad, if afterwards she should turn Whore, But chiefly, etc. A Widow whose wealth doth surmount if that you do marry for gain, Shel call you to double account, and your pleasure will turn to your pain. Besides shes apt to be jealous[,] which is the forerunner 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 favour 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 colour of Hair or Complexion, Must use many ways intricate, lest he be brought under subjection. He must view both her forhead and brow, her Cheeks, Eyes, Nose, and Chin, God Cupid those things doth allow when you first to wooe her begin. But chiefly, etc. All is not pure gold the which glitters, nor is it all Lead that looks dull. Fair Venus the chief of the sisters made Vulcan her Husband a Cull. 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 like wires of gold, If she meet with some pretty fellow her husband may chance to be Cuckold And she thats by nature composd of round Cherry-cheeks and red hair, If she be pink-eyd and long nosd, believe me it is dangerous ware, But chiefly, Ide Wish you beware of a Wench with a rowling eye, For she that will cozen and swear, will also dissemble and lye. The brown hair hath witty discourse. but commonly for her own ends, I like her a great deal the worse because shel dissemble with her friends. A wench with an ash coloured face, her actions are often uncivill, Her tongue will her husband disgrace, just like to the second she-devill. 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. Least 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 this 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 a Sinque or a Sice, 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 hes left in a pittiful case. Suppose in like case if a Lad can get him a provident wife, His fortunes can ever be bad, hes ma d 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 s[a]y: This songs like to prove to be true; Then buy it and bear it away.
FINIS.