%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Politick WIFE; / OR THE / Devil outwitted by a Woman. 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 06/30/2014 33452

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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

Of all the plagues upon the earth, / That e'er poor men befal, Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 950 The Politick WIFE; / OR THE / Devil outwitted by a Woman. The Politic WIFE; OR THE Devil outwitted by a Woman. ?-?

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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 6/30/2014 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America class clothing/ appearance family gender marriage monstrosity religious figures trickery/ deceit vulgar humor Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 6/30/2014 2:51:26 PM XBallad Bell, Erik Created XML Version of Ballad 6/30/2014 2:51:26 PM Transcription Supervisor Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/30/2014 2:51:26 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Doran, Thomas Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/30/2014 2:51:26 PM Transcriptionist Two Aulakh, Pavneet Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/30/2014 2:51:26 PM Transcriptionist One Gutierrez-Jones, Natalia Transcription of ballad manuscript 8/14/2013 Checker Christopher Foley Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 8/14/2013 Checker Christopher Foley Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/26/2013 Checker William Hildalgo Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/6/2012 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The <hi rend="bold">Politick</hi> WIFE;</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">OR THE</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">Devil</hi> outwitted by a <hi rend="bold">Woman.</hi></hi></seg>
Of all the plagues upon the earth, That e'er poor men befal, It's hunger and a scolding wife. These are the worst of all. There was a poor man in our country, Of a poor and low degree, And with both these plagues he was troubled, And the worst of luck had he. He had seven children by one wife, And the times were poor and hard, And his poor toil was grown so bad, He scarce could get him bread. Being discontented in his mind, One day his house he left. And wandering down by a forest side, Of his senses quite bereft. As he was wandering up and down, Betwixt hope and despair, The Devil started out of a bush, And appeared unto him theire.
O what is the matter? the Devil he said, You look so discontent: Sure you want money to buy you some bread, Or to pay your landlord's rent. Indeed, kind sir, you read me right, And the grounds of my disease. Then what is your name, said the poor man, Pray tell me if you please. My name is Dumkin the Devil, quoth he, And the truth to you I do tell, Altho' you wandering here, Yet my dwelling it is in Hell. Then what will you give me, said the Devil. To ease you of you-want, And you shall have corn and cattle enough, And never pertake of scant? I have nothing to give you, said the poor man Nor nothing here in hand: But all the service that I can do, Shall be at your comand.
Then upon the condition of seven long years, A bargain with you I will frame, You shall bring me a beast unto this place, That I cannot tell its name: But if I tell its name full right, Then mark what to you I tell, Then you must go along with me, Directly unto Hell. This poor man went joyfully home, And thrifty he grew therefore; For he had corn and cattle enough, And everything good store. His neighbours, who did live him round, Did wonder at him much. And thought that he had robb'd or stole, He was grown so wondrous rich. Then for the space of seven long years He lived in good cheer, But the time of his indenture growing near, He did begin to fear. O what is the matter? said his wife, You look so discontent! Sure you have got some maid with-child, And now you begin to repent. Indeed kind wife you judge me wrong, To censure so hard of me. Was it for getting a maid with child, That would be no felony, But I have made a league with the Devil, For seven long years no more, That I should have corn and cattle enough, And everything good store. Then for the space of seven long years, A bargain I did frame, I should bring him a beast unto that place, He could not tell its name: But if he tell its name full right, Then mark what to you I tell! Then I must go along with him, Directly unto Hell, Go get you gone, you silly old man, Your cattle go tend and feed; For a woman's wit is far better than man's, If us'd in time of need; Go fetch me down all the birdlime thou hast, And set it down on the floor, When I have pull'd my cloaths all off, You shall anoint me all o'er.
Now when he had anointed her, From the head unto the heel; Zound! said the poor man, methinks you look. Just like the very De'el; Go fetch me down all the feathers thou hast, And lay them down by me, And I will rowl myself therein, never a place go free. Come tie a string abot my neck, And lead me to this place, And I will save you from the Devil, If I have but so much grace. The Devil he stood roaring out, And look'd both fierce and bold: Thou hast brought me a beast unto this place, And the bargain thou dost hold. Come shew' me the face of this beast, said the Devil, Come shew it me in a short space: Then he shewed to him his wife's buttocks, And swore it was her face. She has monstrous cheeks, the Devil he said, And her visage is wonderous grim, She has but one eye in all her whole head, And methinks it looks wonderous grim, Come shew me the mouth of this beast, said the Devil Come shew it me speedily, Zounds! said the poor man, if you're not blind, an inch just under her eye. And if she stood upon all-fours, As now she stands at length. You'd take her to be some monstrous beast, Taken by man's main strength. How many more of these beasts, said the Devil, How many more of the kind? I have seven more, said the poor man, But have left them all behind. If you have seven more such, said the Devil, The truth unto you I tell, You have beasts enough to cheat me, And all the Devils in Hell. Here take thy bond and indenture both, I'll have nothing to do with thee; So the man and his wife went joyfully home, And lived full merrily. O God send us good merry long lives, Without any sorrow or woe, Now here's a heah to all such wives, Who can cheat the Devil so.
Printed and Sold in Bow-Church-Yard, London.