%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> THE WANTON WIFE OF BAITH. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 06/26/2014 33208

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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 Flying Fame. Chevy Chase Flying Fame. IN Baith a wanton wife did dwell, / as Chaucer he did write; Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 640 THE WANTON WIFE OF BAITH. THE WANTON WIFE OF BAITH. THE WANTON WIFE OF BATH. ?-?

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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 Featured 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 6/26/2014 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Bible/ biblical figures death folklore religious concepts Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 6/26/2014 8:42:02 AM XBallad Cortes, Phillip Created XML Version of Ballad 6/26/2014 8:42:02 AM Transcription Supervisor Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/26/2014 8:42:02 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Palmer Browne, Megan Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/26/2014 8:42:02 AM Transcriptionist Two Reyes-Ortiz, Joannekris Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/26/2014 8:42:02 AM Transcriptionist One Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 2/7/2013 Checker William Hildalgo Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 10/29/2012 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 10/1/2013 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">THE WANTON WIFE OF BAITH.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the Tune of, <hi rend="bold">Flying Fame.</hi></hi></seg>
IN Baith a wanton wife did dwell, as Chaucer he did write; Who did in pleasure spend her dayes, in many a fond delight. Upon a time sore sick she was, and at the length did dye: Her soul at last at Heavens gate did knock most mightily. Then Adam came unto the gate, Who knocketh there? quoth he. I am the wife of Baith, she said, and fain would come to thee. Thou art a sinner, Adam said, and here no place shalt have. Alace! for you, good Sir, she said, now gip you doting knave. I will come in, in spight, she said, of all such Churles as thee: Thou wast the causer of our wo, our pain and miserie: And first broke Gods Commandements, in pleasure of thy wife. When Adam heard her tell this tale, he ran away for life. Then down came Jacob to the gate, and bids her pack to Hell. Thou false Deceiver, why, said she? thou may'st be there full well: For thou deceiv'dst thy father dear, and thine own brother too. Away went Jacob presently, and made no more ado. She knocks again with might and main, and Lot he chides her straight. Why then, quoth she, thou drunken asse, who bids thee here to wait? With thy two Daughters thou didst ly, on them two bastards got: And thus most tauntingly she chaft against poor silly Lot. Who knocketh here, quoth Judeth then, with such shrill sounding notes? Alace! fine Minkes, you cannot hear, quoth she, for cutting throats. Good Lord, how Judeth blusht for shame when she heard her say so. [King] David hearing of the same, [he to] the gate did go.
Quoth David, who knocks here so lowd, and maketh all this strife? You were more kind, good Sir, said she, unto Uriahs wife. And when thou caused thy servant in battel to be slain: Thou caused then more strife then I, who would come here so fain. The woman's mad, said Solomon, that thus doth taunt a King. Not half so mad as you, she said, I know, in many thing. Thou hadst seven hundred wives at once, for whom thou didst provide: And for all this, three hundred whores thou didst maintain beside. And those made thee forsake thy God, and worship stocks and stones: Besides the charge they put thee to, by breeding of young bones: Hadst thou not been besides thy wits, thou wouldst not thus have ventred: And therefore I do marvel much, how thou this place hast entred. I never heard, quoth Jonas then, so vile a Scold as this. Thou whore-son run-away, quoth she, thou diddest more amiss. I think, quoth Thomas, womens tongues of Aspen leaves be made. Thou unbeleeving wretch, quoth she, all is not true that's said. When Mary Magdalen heard then, she came unto the gate: Quoth she, Good woman, you must think upon your former state: No sinner enters in this place, quoth Mary Magdalen then. 'Twere ill for you, fair Mistris mine, she answered her again. You for your honesty, quoth she, should once been ston'd to death, Had not our Saviour Christ come by, and written on the earth. It is not by your occupation, you are become Divine: I hope my soul in Christ's passion, shall be as safe as thine.
Then rose the good Apostle Paul, unto this wife he said, Except thou shake thy sins away, thou here shalt be deny'd. Remember, Paul, what thou hast done, all through a lewd desire: How thou didst persecute Gods Church with wrath as hot as fire. Then up starts Peter at the last, and to the gate he hyes: Fond fool, quoth he, knock not so fast thou weariest Christ with cryes. Peter, said she, content thyself, for mercy may be won: I never did deny my Christ, as thou thyself hast done. When as our Saviour Christ heard this, with heavenly Angels bright, He comes unto this sinfull soul, who trembled at his sight. Of him for mercy she did crave: quoth he, Thou hast refus'd My proffer, grace, and mercy both, and much my Name abus'd. Sore have I sinn'd, Oh, Lord, said she and spent my time in vain: But bring me like a wandring sheep, unto thy flock again. O Lord my God, I will amend my former wicked vice: The thief at these poor silly words past into Paradice. My Laws and my Commandements, saith Christ, were known to thee: But of the same in any wise, not yet one word did yee. I grant the same, Oh, Lord, quoth she, most lewdly did I live: But yet the loving father did his prodigal son forgive. And I forgive thy soul, he said, through thy repentant cry: Come therefore enter in my joyes, I will thee not deny.
FINIS.