%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> Come buy a Mouse-Trap, Or, a new way to catch an old Rat: Being a true relation of one Peters a Post of Roterdam, who temping / an honest woman to leudnesse, was by her and her husband catch in a Mouse Trap, by what meanes the following Story shall relate. Crouch, Humphrey University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer 1647-1647 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 10/18/2018 36043

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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

R227941 1 Packingtons Pound Packington's Pound Packington's Pound THis Nation long time hath bin plagued with old Rats, / And bin at great charges to keepe them good Cats, But certaine you shall have no need of a Cat, / Come buy a new Mouse-Trap to catch an old Rat. [with variation] Manchester Central Library Blackletter Ballads Editor none none none none Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 52 Come buy a Mouse-Trap, Or, a new way to catch an old Rat: Being a true relation of one Peters a Post of Roterdam, who temping / an honest woman to leudnesse, was by her and her husband catch in a Mouse Trap, by what meanes the following Story shall relate. Come buy a Mouse-Trap, Or, a new way to catch an old Rat: Being a true relation of one Peters a Post of Rotterdam, who tempting an honest woman to lewdness, was by her and her husband caught in a Mouse Trap, by what means the following Story shall relate. Crouch, Humphrey Printer Iohn Hammond 1647-1647

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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 10/18/2018 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 10/18/2018 11:13:48 AM XBallad Ward, Jayne Created XML Version of Ballad 10/18/2018 11:13:48 AM Transcription Supervisor McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/18/2018 11:13:48 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Adkison, Katie Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/18/2018 11:13:48 AM Transcriptionist Two McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/18/2018 11:13:48 AM Transcriptionist One Serrano, Douglas Transcription of ballad manuscript 11/17/2016 Bibliographer Rachel LevinsonEmley Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
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THis Nation long time hath bin plagued with old Rats, And bin at great charges to keepe them good Cats, [?] one great black Rat now as it doth appeare, [?] put a Faire Woman in bodily feare, But he being in hast, Was taken at last, [?] Woman was glad when the danger was past, But certaine you shall have no need of a Cat, Come buy a new Mouse-Trap to catch an old Rat. Good morrow faire Mistrisse, good morrow (quoth she) I would we were better acquainted (quoth he) You may if you please Sir, the Woman reply'd, For why, my poore Spirit is free from all pride: He gave her a Shilling, The woman seem'd willing, Then straight the old Rat, and the Mouse fell a billing, But certaine you shall have no need of a Cat, etc. Then unto the Taverne they went with all speed, And there they were wonderous merry indeed; The old Rat was hungery, and aim'd at her fall, The Woman was honest and crafty withall, He call'd her his Honny, And proffer'd her Money, What should an old Mungrell doe with a young Conny? But certaine we shall have no need of a Cat, etc. He praised her Foot and he praised her Hand, And faine he would have her now at his command, She told him her Husband was gone out of Town, And he should lye with her all Night for a Crown.
A Crowne he did give her, Which well did relieve her, And so the old Doatard was forc'd to believe her. but certaine you shall have no need of a Cat, etc. Ile lay the Key under the Doore Sir (quoth she) And then about mid-night you may come to me, Alas Mistrisse sweet Lips you doe me great wrong, For I am not able to tarry so long: My Neighbours (quoth she) Takes notice of me, When they are asleep, then the businesse must be, but certaine you shall have no need of a Cat, etc. Then by much perswasion at length they did part, And she took her leave of her old new Sweet-heart, She went to her husband & straight did declare it, Who laughed m[o]st heartily when he did heare it, He highly commends her, And thus much befriends her, That he with assistance behold now attends her, But certaine we shall have no need of a Cat, etc. Husband (quoth she) if by me you'l be ruled, By me this old Doatard again shall be fooled. When he at night comes for to make me his whore, He'l grope with his hand for the Key of the doore, A Mouse-Trap their set, O doe not forget, And there you may catch him, & teach him more wit, But certaine we shall have no need of a Cat, Come buy a new Mouse-Trap to catch an old Rat.
HE did then according as she him advised, A better Project was never devised, Peters the Post then came posting with speed, And there he was catcht by the Fingers indeed, His Fingers were toare, Which made him to roare, The old Rat was never so plagued before, But certaine we shall have no need of a Cat, Come buy a new Mouse-Trap to catch an old Rat. He call'd to the Woman to shew him some pitty, And there he sung forth a most pittifull Ditty, The Man he made answer, & call'd him sweet-hony, Quoth he art thou come for to bring me more mony, Some money Ile give thee, If thou wilt relieve mee, And for my offences now freely forgive mee, But certaine you shall have no need of a Cat, etc. Five pounds he did give him, and fell on his knees, He askt him forgivenes, which when the man sees, He draws out his sword then & makes him believe, he'd cut off his head now, which made him to grieve, But I did heard say, This Rat run away, And did through feare his Breeches bewray, But certaine we shall have no need of a Cat, etc. Peters the Post-man next day did lament, And all the sweet Sisters were much discontent, He might have had any of them at command, Without any trouble, the case so did stand:
These sweet Babes of Grace, Told him to his face, For hunting strange flesh, they would him displace, but certaine we shall have no need of a Cat, etc. All you married men now, rejoyce you and say Our wives are all honest, and teach us a way, If they so continue, to keep our heads cleare From hornes, which a many do causelessly feare, And you that make Traps, be your good haps To flourish, if women doe scape private claps, but certaine you shall have no need of a Cat, etc. Now all you good women that lead honest lives, And would be accounted to be honest wives, If you in the Street doe meet such a Knave, Tell him at home Sir a Mouse-Trap you have, make them ashamed, When they heare it named, And you for your modesty ever be famed, But certaine we shall have no need of a Cat, Come buy a new Mouse-Trap to catch an old Rat.
Humphery Crouch. LONDON, Printed by John Hammond.