THERE dwelt a Widow in this Town, | |
| That was both Fair and Lovely; | |
| Her Face was comely neat and brown, | |
| To Pleasure she would move thee: | |
| Her lovely Tresses shined like Gold, | 5 |
| Most neat is her Behaviour; | |
| For truth it has of late been told, | |
| There’s many strove to have her. | |
| There were three Young Men of this Town; | |
| Slow Men of London; | 10 |
| And they’d go Woo the Widow Brown, | |
| Because they would be undone. | |
| |
| The one a Taylor was by Trade, | |
| An excellent Occupation; | |
| But Widows’ Love doth waste and fade, | 15 |
| I find by observation: | |
| The second was a Farrier bold, | |
| A Man of excellent Metal; | |
| His Love to her was never cold, | |
So firm his Thoughts did settle,
There were, etc. | 20 |
| |
| The third a Weaver was that came, | |
| A Suitor to this Widow; | |
| Her Beauty did his Heart inflame, | |
| Her Thoughts deceit doth shadow, | |
| Widows can dissemble still, | 25 |
| When Young Men come a Wooing; | |
| Yet they were guided by her Will, | |
That proved to their undoing.
There were three, etc. | |
| |
| This Widow had a dainty Tongue, | |
| And Words as sweet as Honey; | 30 |
| Which made her Suitors to her throng, | |
| Till they had spent their Money: | |
| The Taylor spent an Hundred Pound, | |
| That he took up on Credit; | |
| But now her Knavery he hath found, | 35 |
Repents that are he did it.
There were three, etc. | |
| |
| Threescore Pounds the Farrier had, | |
| Left him by his Father; | |
| To spend this Money he was mad, | |
| His Dad so long did gather: | 40 |
| This Widow often did protest, | |
| She loved him best of any; | |
| Thus would she swear, when she did least, | |
To make them spend their Money.
There were three, etc. | |
| |
| The Weaver spent his daily gains, | 45 |
| That he got by his Labour; | |
| Some thirty Pounds he spent in vain, | |
| He borrowed of his Neighbour: | |
| She must have Sack and Muscadine, | |
| And Claret brewed with Sugar: | 50 |
| Each Day they feed her chops with Wine, | |
For which they all might hug her.
There were three, etc. | |
| |
THE SECOND PART She went Apparelled neat and fine, | |
| People well might wonder; | |
| To see how she in Gold did shine, | 55 |
| Her fame abroad did thunder: | |
| A watered Camlet Gown she had, | |
| A Scarlet Coat belaced | |
| With Gold, which made her Suitors glad, | |
To see how she was graced.
There were three, etc. | 60 |
| |
| The Taylor was the neatest Lad, | |
| Her Clothes were oft Perfumed; | |
| Kind Entertainment still he had, | |
| Till he his ’state consumed: | |
| The Farrier likewise spent his ’state, | 65 |
| The Weaver often kissed her: | |
| But when that they in ’state were Poor, | |
They sought but still they missed her.
There were three, etc. | |
| |
| The Farrier and the Weaver too, | |
| Were fain to fly the City: | 70 |
| The Widow did them quite undo, | |
| In faith more was the pity: | |
| She of her Suitors being rid, | |
| A Welchman came unto her: | |
| By Night and Day his suit he plied, | 75 |
| Most roughly he did Woo her; | |
| For wooing tricks he quite put down, | |
| The Slow-men of London; | |
| He over-reached the Widow Brown, | |
| That had so many undone. | 80 |
| |
| He swore he was a Gentleman, | |
| Well landed in the Country: | |
| And lived in Reputation there, | |
| His Name Sir Rowland Humphry. | |
| The Widow did believe him then, | 85 |
| And Love unto him granted; | |
| Thus he her Favour did obtain, | |
| Welchmen will not be daunted. | |
| By cunning tricks he quite put down, | |
| The Slow-men of London: | 90 |
| That came to Woo this Widow Brown, | |
| Because they would be undone. | |
| |
| The Welchman plied her Night and Day, | |
| Till to his Bow he brought her; | |
| And bore away the Widow quite, | 95 |
| From all that ever sought her: | |
| She thought to be a Lady gay, | |
| But she was sore deceived: | |
| Thus the Welchman did put down, | |
| The Slow-men of London: | 100 |
| For they would Woo the Widow Brown, | |
| Because they would be undone. | |
| |
| Thus she was fitted in her kind, | |
| For all her former Knavery; | |
| The Welchman did deceive her Mind, | 105 |
| It had been better she had ta’en, | |
| The Weaver, Smith, or Taylor; | |
| For when she sought for State and Pomp, | |
| The Welchman quite did fail her: | |
| Then learn you Young Men of this Town, | 110 |
| You Slow-men of London: | |
| Which way to take the Widow Brown, | |
| For least you all be undone. | |
| |
