Page:Wanton Tom, or, The merry history of Tom Stitch the tailor.pdf/21

21 quarrelled with him threatening to turn him to the door, and alſo to arreſt him for what money he owed her. Tom ſoon quelled her paſsion with ſome ſweet loving words, and was received into favour again but resolved never to kiſs any of the maids before her face, but went home unto their houſes there being sixteen of them whom he got all with child in sixteen weeks, and promiſed to marry them all.

Sometimes one would come urging him to marry, and ſometimes another; but he pretended ſeveral things to be in his way, ſo that he could not marry yet. However one day to blindfold them, he bought himſelf a gold, ring, and firſt he told his landlady, if the would lend him five pounds, he would marry her with that ring; to which the agreed, for then ſhe thought herſelf ſure of him.

When he had got the five pounds, he appointed her to meet him at ſuch a ſtyle, about half a mile from Leeds, at eight o'clock preciſely. In like manner he went on with all the sixteen maids whom he had got with child, fhewing them the ring that he should marry them with, who rejoiced as much to ſee it as if they were already married, and gave to each of them