%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> THE / Merry Maid of Shoreditch, / Her Resolution and Good Counsel to all her Fellow Maids; / And says that she will never tye her self to a Crab-Tree so long as she has a whole Wood to / Range in. 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 03/13/2016 34627

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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

R227299 YOu young Maids all, where e're you be, / I pray you now come hear this ditty, that a single Life it is the better. [with variation] Houghton Library Huth EBB65H Editor none none none none Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 2: 185 THE / Merry Maid of Shoreditch, / Her Resolution and Good Counsel to all her Fellow Maids; / And says that she will never tye her self to a Crab-Tree so long as she has a whole Wood to / Range in. THE Merry Maid of Shoreditch, Her Resolution and Good Counsel to all her Fellow Maids; And says that she will never tye herself to a Crab-Tree so long as she has a whole Wood to Range in. THE Merry Maid of Shoreditch, Her Resolution and Good Counsel to all her Fellow Maids; And says that she will never tie herself to a Crab Tree so long as she has a whole Wood to Range in. ?-? J. Deacon

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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 3/13/2016 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America advice marriage trickery/ deceit Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 3/13/2016 5:44:11 PM XBallad King, Joyce Created XML Version of Ballad 3/13/2016 5:44:11 PM Transcription Supervisor Palmer, Megan Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/13/2016 5:44:11 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Bell, Erik Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/13/2016 5:44:11 PM Transcriptionist Two Levinson-Emley, Rachel Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/13/2016 5:44:11 PM Transcriptionist One Bowden, Antigone Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/9/2016 Checker Erik Bell Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/3/2014 Bibliographer Kristen McCants Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 11/20/2015 Checker Erik Bell Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">THE</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Merry Maid of Shoreditch,</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Her Resolution and Good Counsel to all her Fellow Maids;</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">And says that she will never tye herself to a Crab-Tree so long as she has a whole Wood to</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Range in.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Tune is,</hi> I have a Mistris of my own: <hi rend="italic">Or,</hi> Hold Buckle and Thong together.</seg>
YOu young Maids all, where e're you be, I pray you now come hear this ditty, And I hope you will agree, you cannot say but it is pretty: I've lived a Maid these twenty years, and never was no Young-mans Debtor, Men are so full of Lyes and jears, that a single Life it is the better. A Young-man will wooe a pretty Maid, and Swear, and Lye, and say he'l have her, Until he hath her heart betray'd, to get his will and so to leave her: But young Maids you must be very wise, for young-men they will you infetter, They strive to make of you a prize, but a single Life it is the better.
For whilst a Maid doth keep unwedd, young men will give to her great honour, But if she chance to bring a Knave to her Bed, then he'l not care what does come on her: But get her Children year by year, and cross and vex, and strive to fret her, For a Married Wife's ne'r out of care, a single Life it is the better. While a Maid lives a single life, she may sit and talk with any stranger, But after she is made a Wife if she do the like there is great danger; So maids if you can be content, be not drawn into a young-mans fetter, Least afterwards you do repent, then to live single it is better.
THere is many a Maid that hath been wed, both in Country, Town and City, To careless Husbands, I am afraid, which grieves their wives, the more's the pitty Therefore young Maids let's have a care, and believe no lyes that young-men flatter, They spare no words they can devise, but a single Life it is the better. Young-men will shew great store of Love, and have young maids drink wine and sherry, And their hearts do within as rotten prove, to give you drink to overcome you: The Devil himself is not so false as some men be, I will not Flatter, To bring a maiden to their Bow, but a single Life it is the better. So Maidens that do live i' th row, you must be careful of this matter, I'de have you all for to do so, and believe no young-men when they Flatter, Besides they sweeten you up so brave, with sugered kisses that will fetter, And another thing if you will it have, but a single Life it is more better. There's scarce a young-man that is in ten, that will prove Loyal to a Maiden, But will prate and lye, and cogg and feign; as though his heart with Love was laden; But will dissemble more or less, for to stand him when he charged, And so undoes that silly Lass, and then her trouble is enlarged. Young Maidens all look too't in time, when as you go for to Marry, Be sure to chuse an honest man, or else you'd better longer tarry; For an honest man will ne'r you wrong, but a Knave will be to you a fretter, It is quickly done, and long thought on, for to live single you had better.
FINIS. Printed for J. Deacon, at the Sign of the Angel in guilt- Spur-Street without Newgate.