%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Virgins ABC, / OR, / An Alphabet of Vertuous Admonitions, for a Chast, / Modest and well governed Maid. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1674-1674 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 03/12/2012 31981

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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

R186044 1 The young Mans A.B.C. Fortune my Foe The young Man's A.B.C. ALL you faithful Virgins, / to this song give ear, Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 370 The Virgins ABC, / OR, / An Alphabet of Vertuous Admonitions, for a Chast, / Modest and well governed Maid. The Virgins ABC, OR, An Alphabet of Vertuous Admonitions, for a Chast, Modest and well governed Maid The virgin's ABC's or an alphabet of virtuous admonitions for a chaste, modest, and well governed maid 1674-1674 F. Coles, T. Vere, J. Wright, and J. Clark.

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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 3/12/2012 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America advice love marriage virtue Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 3/12/2012 3:40:59 PM XBallad Sander, Morgan Created XML Version of Ballad 3/12/2012 3:40:59 PM Transcription Supervisor Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/12/2012 3:40:59 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Palmer Browne, Megan Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/12/2012 3:40:59 PM Transcriptionist Two Persico, Eryn Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/12/2012 3:40:59 PM Transcriptionist One Roshetko, Kelsey Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/9/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 3/9/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 3/8/2011 Checker Mackenzie Doss Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 3/2/2011 Checker Gillian Mellon Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/16/2011 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
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ALL you faithful Virgins to this song give ear, And learn these Lessons which are taught you here: An Alphabet of vertues here are set, Being learnd will make a Maid compleat. BEar not a scornful mind, although you are, Beautious as Hellen, or like Venus fair; It ill becomes a forehead smooth and white, To threaten anger in a Lovers sight. CHuse thou a modest carriage, and still be Courteous, and not too coy, in company: Their natures changing, and too much unkind, Who hath a comely face and a scornful mind. DIsdainful never seem, nor yet too much, Dote on your faces beauty, slighting such As sue for Love, lest creeping age come on, And then too late, your folly you bemoan.
EXchange no love, but always constant be, Esteem true Love a perfect treasury: For where true Love and beauty doth unite, It yields both parties both their hearts delight. FEign no affection, but where vows are past, Fix there your heart, there let your love be placd. For if by feigned wiles loves knot be tyd, It breeds dissention twixt the groom and bride. GRow not too proud, though smiling fortune do, Great store of wealth, and her best gifts bestow. For pride, the Proverb says, must have a fall, And so must Maidens, Widdows, Wives, and all. HAst not too much for marriage, nor the thing, Which doth not pleasure, but doth sorrow bring; For hasty Lovers often do destroy, Their sweets of love ere they their hopes enjoy. IF you do chuse a man whom you affect, Injure him not with any disrespect; But wary be, and ere loves knot you tye, Prove first your own, and then his constancy. KNowledge is gained by experience, and by this Thou mayst arrive unto the height of bliss; First try, then trust, when that you have provd, You may both love, and be as well belovd.
LOok ere you leap the Proverb still doth say, Let not smooth tongues your love to lust betray: In fairest grass a snake is often found, And smoothest tongues with falshood much abound. MOan not too much, nor be thou always sad, Mirth sometimes may become a vertuous Maid: Yet use not too much laughter, lest you be Slighted and scornd for your immodesty. NOr use uncivil talk, or gesture light, Nor in unseemly wantonness delight: But keep chast behaviour that you may Have good report in every kind of way. OFend not with a foul and slanderous tongue, Of them that do not think thee any wrong: But speak thou well of all, and always do With others, as you would have them to do with you. PAint not your beauty, when it is deceasd, Prize not that for a jewel that will fade: And when youve done, the best will fade away, And through red cheeks a wrinckled brow display. QUench in thy self a[l]l lusts inflaming fires, Which may provoke thee to unchast desires; For though a while such pleasures please thy mind, Yet sorrow, want, and beggery comes behind. REmember next how like a fading flower, The earths base treasures vanish in an hour, And now the best of things you can enjoy, The Sith of time shall cut, and death destroy.
SEek therefore richer gifts then he can give So shalt thou in a state securely live: For though frail beauty deck thy outward part, Yet inward vertue best adorns thy heart. TRy that rich Jem, which when thou hast attaind, Thou hast a vertuous Maids chief beauty gaind; And if fair vertue do thy courses steer Like Joves fair daughter thou shalt bright appear. VAin beauties but a trifle, that a while, Dame Nature lends thee, with a flattering smile; Which Lovers gaze at, and with greedy hands, Each one to crop, blossoms as it stands. WHilst in his fullest ripeness it is grown, When tis decayd their lovers are with it gone. Let then this be thy care and chiefest strife, To live a vertuous maid, and honest Wife. XAntippe like the Wife of Socrates, Affect thou not thy husband to displease, Nor with a railing Tongue pursue his will, And in humility obey him still. YEild not to others, when you once are wed, The pleasures of your lawful husbands bed; For if you guilty be of such a fact, Thou shalt not escape unpunisht for that. ZEalous be thou in all these Vertues, prove Both constant, chast, and loyal to your love. And if these Lessons well you learn, for thee, Tis truly stild the Virgins A B C.
Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, J. Wright, and J. Clarke.