%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Blind eats many / a Flye: / OR, / The Broken Damsel / made Whole. 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 07/01/2014 33545

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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

R170688 1 My Father gave me a House / and Land. UNKNOWN My Father gave me a House and Land. OF late there was a Damsel mild, / as I have heard for certain, Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 963 The Blind eats many / a Flye: / OR, / The Broken Damsel / made Whole. The Blind eats many a Fly: OR, The Broken Damsel made Whole. ?-? P. Brooksby

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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 7/1/2014 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America advice economics/ commerce gender infidelity London love marriage procreation servitude sex/ sexuality trickery/ deceit Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 7/1/2014 2:24:59 PM XBallad Bell, Erik Created XML Version of Ballad 7/1/2014 2:24:59 PM Transcription Supervisor Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/1/2014 2:24:59 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Doran, Thomas Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/1/2014 2:24:59 PM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/1/2014 2:24:59 PM Transcriptionist One Hopkins, Shay Transcription of ballad manuscript 8/27/2013 Checker Christopher Foley Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 8/27/2013 Checker Christopher Foley Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/8/2012 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="bold"><hi rend="italic">The Blind eats many</hi></hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="bold"><hi rend="italic">a Flye:</hi></hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">OR,</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Broken Damsel</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">made Whole.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="6" rend="left">The Tune of, <hi rend="italic">My Father gave me a House</hi></seg> <seg n="7" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">and Land.</hi></seg>
OF late there was a Damsel mild, as I have heard for certain, To London went being with Child, and there to try her fortune: Where soon she had a Master got, with whom she was well pleased; A Widdower old and rich, God wot, whereby her Joys encreased: For I have heard it spoken plain, if that a Girl be undone, She quickly is made whole again if she goes up to London. This Girl went with the Carrier up, that in the Country lived, And for to leave this pretty Duck, I think no jot he grieved: For he his payment had indeed, although the Girl was weary, And she a Master got with speed, which made her blith and merry; Whereby it now appeareth plain, if that a Girl be undone She is quickly made whole again if she goes up to London. This Girl but a small time had been with this Man on a tryal, But her to wooe he did begin, and would have no denyal; But she having a nimble Wit, unto him thus replyed, And said, the Match it was not fit, his Sute must be denyed; And thus then by her flattering Speech, knowing that she was undone, By this Man was made whole again, when she came up to London.
(Quoth she) I have in the Country great store of wealth and riches, And many for to wed with me, indeed their Fingers itches, Both Gentlemen and Tradesmen brave to me did sue for favour, And many a Youth my love did crave, but all have lost their labour: Amongst these Gallants good and bad, the best I might have chosen; For I great store of Suitors had, full thirteen to the dozen. A Goldsmith and a Mercer brave, a Silkman and a Draper, Three wealthy Heirs, young Gentlemen, the which could rant and vapor; A Feltmaker and a Shoemaker, a Glover, Weaver, and Taylor, A Tanner and a Currier, and a bold-hearted Saylor: But yet I loved the Saylor best, but for my Friend's displeasure, I had followed him from East to West, and served him at his pleasure. Yet still he followed on his Sute, and woo'd this Girl most stoutly, And she like to a Virgin mute, did stand it out devoutly. At last upon Conditions he the Fort from her obtain'd, And she surrendred quietly, whereby he profit gain'd: On these conditions both agreed, which you shall hear hereafter, When you the Articles do read, it then will cause some laughter.
The Articles agreed upon, are these: Woman, You shall not go to law with my Father for my Portion. Man, I will not. Wom. You shall not call my Children Bastards to prove yourself a Cuckold. Man, Not I upon my honesty. Wom. You shall not be jealous if I go with another Man to drink a Cup of Sack. Man, Indeed Sweet-heart I hate such Thoughts. Wom. On this Condition, Hand and Heart I give to thee till Death us part. Man, And I will prove as true to thee, Come let us kiss and married be. The Articles being sealed indeed, the matter was so carried, A Priest they sent for with all speed, and so they both were married. But mark what after did betide, which caused the Man to wonder, At three days end his lusty Bride was strangely faln asunder; She had one Boy and eke a Girl which the Midwife brought unto him, Which made him scratch where it did not itch, and said it would undo him. The Midwife prayed him be content, his Bride was young and fair, You have no cause for to repent, you have a lusty Heir: There's some would give a thousand pound for such a Boy I tell ye, But such fruits are not in some found for want of a great Belly: Then pray come and love your Wife, and so be reconciled, You are not the first, upon my life, the which hath been beguiled. So straight he went into the Hall, and did salute each neighbour, And kindly drank unto them all, and thank'd them for their labour. In merryment he there did say, if all be Gold doth glister, My Wife has Land for her brave Boy, and Money for his Sister: For surely I must love her dear, she is both young and fair, And by her it doth appear, a very rich Man's Heir,
To go into the Country both his Wife he oft intreated, At last she yields, but very loath, knowing that him she had cheated: But when that they came to her Dad, this jest is worth the telling, His House and Goods and all he had was scarce worth forty shilling; Her Friends on which she did so boast, good folks by Almes do cherish, And their poor House built at the cost and charges of the Parish. Said he, Are these your Friends indeed, where's your great Wealth and Treasure, I married you in hast and speed, but may repent at leisure. The Blind (I see) catch many a Flie, and I must be contented; For Marriage goes by Destiny: I can no way prevent it. And so to London back they go, having receiv'd no profit; The Articles do bind him so, he dares say nothing of it. You Shopkeepers and Tradesmen light, that live in London City, I do you all with Love invite to read this pleasant Ditty: Some Tradesmen to the Country sends bad Wares and broken Glasses, And Country Lads, to make amends, send them up broken Lasses: If a Country Girl do chance to dance, and by that Jig be undone, She quickly is made whole again by some Tradesmen in London. So to conclude my merry Jest, the which is worth the reading, My love to you it is exprest; I wish you good proceeding Young Men and Maids of each degree, Widdowers and Widdows lusty, In perfect love, without flattery, be constant, true and trusty: So need you not for to complain like to some girls being undone, Nor seek to be made whole again by going up to London.
Printed for P.Brooksby, at the Golden-Ball, in Pye-corner.