%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> THE / Wanton wenches of Wiltshire / Being a Pleasant Discourse between Four young Females, as they / Sat together in a convenient place to scatter their Water, who being over- / heard by Two young-men, occasioned the whole Discovery of their Discourse. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer 1685-1685 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 07/16/2014 33393

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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

R228639 1 The Maids a Washing. Where's My Shepherd The Maids a Washing. NOw young Batchelors all draw near, / And you a pleasant Discourse shall here: Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 912 THE / Wanton wenches of Wiltshire / Being a Pleasant Discourse between Four young Females, as they / Sat together in a convenient place to scatter their Water, who being over- / heard by Two young-men, occasioned the whole Discovery of their Discourse. THE Wanton wenches of Wiltshire Being a Pleasant Discourse between Four young Females, as they Sat together in a convenient place to scatter their Water, who being overheard by Two young men, occasioned the whole Discovery of their Discourse. 1685-1685 J. Back

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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 7/16/2014 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America gender sex/ sexuality vulgar humor Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 7/16/2014 8:08:23 AM XBallad Saylor, Colton Created XML Version of Ballad 7/16/2014 8:08:23 AM Transcription Supervisor Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/16/2014 8:08:23 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Palmer Browne, Megan Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/16/2014 8:08:23 AM Transcriptionist Two Liebe, Lauren Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/16/2014 8:08:23 AM Transcriptionist One Yonker, Tori Transcription of ballad manuscript 2/22/2013 Checker William Hildalgo Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 12/2/2013 Checker Christopher Foley Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/5/2012 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">THE </hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Wanton wenches of Wiltshire</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Being a Pleasant Discourse between Four young Females, as they </hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Sat together in a convenient place to scatter their Water, who being over-</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">heard by Two young-men, occasioned the whole Discovery of their Discourse.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Tune of,</hi> The Maids a Washing.</seg> <lb/> <seg n="7" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">This may be printed,</hi> R. P.</seg>
NOw young Batchelors all draw near, And you a pleasant Discourse shall here: Of four young Damsels all meeting & greeting Each other together in fair Wiltshire: All complain'd at a sorrowful rate, Because they could not enjoy a mate Whilst they made their sad pittiful moan They thought they were private and all alone. One said, I must depart a space, For here I am in a woful case, I find I'm ready to scatter my water, Therefore I must find a convenient place,
where no young man may see what I do, And then i'le straight ways return to you; But unto this they would no ways agree, They'd all go together for Company. Hand in hand then away they go, Like loving Sisters all in a row, Two young men hearing their tattle & prattle, Resolved some more of this Gigg to know: Therefore watching them whither they went, These two young men by joynt consent, Both resolved in Ambush to lye, Where both words and actions they might descry.
My sweet Sister, says one I find, Night and day such a pain in my mind, Because I am not the blessing possessing, Which I might enjoy if young men were kind, Now I tremble while here I reveal The inward torments which now I feel, But yet in vain do I utter my grief, Since no one will yield me the least relief. Once I heard of a woman old, Whose face was wrinkl'd and blood near cold, But yet I tell ye, she crying, replying The sorrow I suffer cannot be told; You may easily guess at the cause, And need not stand very long to pause: Now if old Women such passion express, I hope a young Damosel can do no less. Said the Second, young sweet fac'd John, You know he is a young lusty man, I dearly love him, provoke him, and stroke him, Yet he will not Kiss me do what I can I have fed him with Custards and Cream, And all things that can pleasant seem; Nay, call him my honey, my love and dear, And Yet I protest I am ne'r the near.
Said the Third, I am pure Cole-black, And that you know has a dainty Smock, Besides, I know I am witty and pritty, Then why should not I have those joys I lack? Being youthful, and just in my prime, And loth to lose my Teeming time, Yet brisk young Gallants no kindness will show, What reason have I to be served so. Then the Fourth did begin to prate, And that was bony, brisk bounsing Kate, Who did with fury, behold 'um and told 'um, That she was stark mad, for a man-like mate, Tho' I'm shorter then others may be Yet wherefore should this hinder me? Behold I am of a delicate Brown, No Colour is better in all the Town. Nay, the worst of us all might serve, For surely Batchellors don't deserve To have our Favour who spight us, & flight us, And suffer poor Damsels to pine and starve; But we'l tattle no longer of this, So e'ry Sister sat down to P----s, But yet before they had perfectly done, The Young-men they laught, & the Wenches run.
Printed for J. Back, at the Black Boy on London-Bridge near the Draw-Bridge.