Gosport tragedy, or, The perjured ship carpenter/Get Married As Soon As You Can
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Get Married as soon as You can.
YOU virgins attend, and believe me your friend
and with patience give ear to my plan,
Let it never be ſaid, you will die an old maid,
but get married as ſoon as you can.
Wherever you find that your heart does incling
be quick at the ſight of a man;
Let it never be ſaid, that you'll die an old maid,
but get married as ſoon as you can.
For age will come no doubt, & beauty will wear out
and life of itſelf's but a ſpan,
So while ye're in your prime, to love you muſt incline
and get married as ſoon as you can.
Firſt chuſe out a youth, of honour and truth,
and never take a fool by the hand;
With a man that has ſenſe a new life you'll commend
and get married as ſoon as you can.
And you for your part to cheer your huſband's heart
muſt act a prudent part to a man;
When a wife begins to ſcold, her tongue ſhe'll never hold
which is ſurely little pleaſure to a man.
A rake when he's wed when he takes't in his head!
to a houſe of bad ſame he will gang.
If's wife's chaſtezt home, he'll quickly ceaſe to roam
and all ſuch wicked practice refrain.
I've heard of ſome miſhaps befalling wicked chaps
of wives that have huſbands of their own;
Their names muſt conceal, the truth I dare not tell
yet I ſwear that they dwell in this town.
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Printed by J. and M. Robertfon, Saltmarket, 1801.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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