Page:Buxom dame of Reading, or, The cuckold's cap (3).pdf/6

 [ 6 ] When the birds to the barn door come hov'ring for and they earneſtly drop from their ſpray; (food, Then the poor frighted hate in vain talks the wood, left her foot-ſtops her courſe ſhould betray. Heaven grant in that ſeaſon it may be my lot, with the maid whom I love and admire, While ice-ſickles hing from the eves of my cot, may we live therein ſafely retir'd. In peace and in pleaſure, and free from all care, may we live and each other admire ; And thus in due ſeaſon when ſickneſs falls out, then each of each other may take care.

Has the not Dole enough that has an AULD Max. ALL young damſels both handſome and pretty, Come draw near-unto me, ſit down and ſing, A ſong of miſcarriage, concerning my marriage, And by daily dolour my hands I do wring. My age is ſcarce twenty as plain doth appear, I married an old man of ſeventy-three year, And by my miſguiding you may very well ken, What ſhould a young woman do with an auld man! He's ſnuffing & ſneezing he's banning & ſwear- He's hard o' the bearing, he canna well fee; (ing, He ſumbles and grumbles, and over he tumbles, And what is his ſnoring, alas! unto me? His pate it is bald, his beard it is thin, Rough is his hair, and bard is his ſkin: His breath it is ſtrong, his face pale and wan, And that's the hail properties of an auld man.