Page:Wanton Tom, or, The merry tricks of Tom Stitch the tailor.pdf/23



23                     to the place appointed. After she was gone, Tom rode out of town in great haste; but not to meet his landlady and the rest of his mistresses, as he had pro- mised; but before he went, he wrote these following lines, and left them under his landlady's pillow.

Farewell, old hostess, my smooth flattering tongue, Hath prov'd too old for you, tho I'm but young: You thought you had me sure, and that this night, I should with license yield you much delight. You that oftimes claim'd debts of me must stay, For I'm resolv'd myself to double pay, Could you so much a fool think me to be, To take one that's so old and cold as thee? No, the case is far more jest as it doth stand, For you too oft had me at your command.

Before his landlady was arrived at the place appointed, there overtook her first one supposed maid, with a red ribbon under her chin, then another, and another, until eleven passed by. The old woman seeing so many pass by with ribbons under their chins, wondered very much, till at                      length she came unto the style, where she saw all those that had passed by her, and five more, all sighing and wondering at                      each other. At length they espied a man coming to                      wards them, and made what haste they could to meet him. But when they saw it