Page:Wanton Tom, or, The merry tricks 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 quell'd 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 for 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 she would lend him five pounds, he would marry her with that ring; to which she 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 stile, 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, shewing 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