The Way of a Virgin

The Way of a Virgin

Being Excerpts from Rare, Curious and Diverting
Books, some now for the First Time done into
English. To which are added Copious
Explanatory Notes and Bibliographical
References of Interest to Student,
Collector and Psychologist: the
Whole Introduced, Compiled
and Edited by L. and C.
BROVAN.

❦

 

LONDON: MCMXXII. Printed for
Members of the BROVAN SOCIETY by
Private Subscription and for Private Circulation Only.

CONTENTS

VIRGINITY AND ITS TRADITIONS.	19
THE ENCHANTED RING:
Of a Young Husband who Sought to Redeem his Yard from Pawn, and of the Divers Adventures that Befell him in his Quest	43
VARIANT:
Of a Tailor who Consented to Sin with a certain Woman who Admired his Proportions; and how they Fared	52
THE INSTRUMENT:
Of a Young Girl who Desired her Lover to Buy a Better Instrument, which she Enjoyed, Lost and Found again	57
EXCURSUS TO THE INSTRUMENT.	58
THE TIMOROUS FIANCEE:
Of a Maid who would Wed None save Ivan the No-Yard; and how they were Wed, after which she first Hired, then Bought, a Good Yard from Ivan's Uncle	59
EXCURSUS TO THE ENCHANTED RING, THE INSTRUMENT, and THE TIMOROUS FIANCEE	64
ADVENTURES WITH HEDVIGE and HELENE AT GENEVA:
Of an Adventure with two Charming Cousins, one of whom Desired to know why a Deity could not Impregnate a Woman; and how the Hero of our Story gave Demonstration of Theological and other Matters	66
EXCURSUS to ADVENTURES WITH HEDVIGE AND HELENE	79
THE DAMSEL AND THE PRINCE:
Of a Young Lady, who, being Enamoured of a Prince, Sendeth for one of his Chaplains, and with him Entereth into a Plot which Bringeth the Affair to the Desired Issue	84
EXCURSUS TO THE DAMSEL AND THE PRINCE	91
THE PENITENT NUN:
Of a Nun, who Strove to Flee the Shafts of Love; how she Succeeded; and how certain Young Nuns Received her Counsel	94
BEYOND THE MARK:
Of a Shepherd who Made an Agreement with a Shepherdess that he should Mount upon her; and how he Kept that Agreement	95
THE DEVIL IN HELL:
Of a Young Maid, who, Turning Hermit, was Taught by a Monk to Put the Devil in Hell; and how she found Much Pleasure therein	98
EXCURSUS to THE DEVIL IN HELL.	105
THE WEDDING NIGHT OF JEAN THE FOOL:
Of a Young Husband who thought his Wife would Give him a Chicken on their Wedding Night; and how he Learned in what Fashion he must Comport himself to have that Chicken	107
THE MAIDEN WELL GUARDED:
Of a Maid who had been most Strictly Enjoined to Guard her Maidenhead; and how a Youth Restored it to her when she Lost it	111
VARIANT:
Of one Coypeau, who Securely Sewed up a Damsel's Maidenhead with his own Thread	114
TALE OF KAMAR AL-ZAMAN:
Of a Prince and a Princess who became Acquainted in Strange Circumstances; of their Loves, Separation, Re-union, and divers Remarkable Happenings	116
EXCURSUS to the TALE OF KAMAR AL-ZAMAN	134
THE FOOL:
Of a Young Man who would fain have Wed, yet Contrived to Satisfy his Wish without Marriage	143
"OH MOTHER, ROGER WITH HIS KISSES":
Of the Emotions of an Innocent Virgin when Wooed Boisterously by her Swain	145
FOOLISH FEAR:
Of a Virgin Wife who did not Understand the Business of Marriage; and how the Parties went to Law, and what Ensued therefrom	146
THE PRINCESS WHO PISSETH OVER THE HAYCOCKS:
Of a King's Daughter, the Like of whom was not Seen Elsewhere on Earth; and how she was Cured of her Ways by a Young Peasant, divers Physicians and Charlatans having Failed in the Task.	153
THE COMB:
Of a Pope's Daughter who was "Combed" by a Peasant; and how the Comb was Lost and Found again, together with other Strange and Delightsome Happenings	158
EXCURSUS TO THE PRINCESS WHO PISSETH OVER THE HAYCOCKS AND THE COMB	163
THE SKIRMISH:
Of a Virgin who, on her Marriage Eve, told a Wedded Friend of the Recent and Disturbing Conduct of her Fiance.	166
EXCURSUS TO THE SKIRMISH	174
THE NIGHTINGALE:
Of a Maid who would fain Hear the Nightingale Sing; and how she Made it Sing many Times and even Held it in her Hand	176
THE PIKE'S HEAD:
Of a Young Virgin who Played a Trick on a Youth; and how the Youth, from Fear of being "Bitten" was for some Time Ignorant of the Pleasure of Marriage	184
THE LOVELY NUN and HER YOUNG BOARDER:
Of a Lovely Young Virgin, who was of an Inquisitive Turn of Mind, and Proved herself an Apt Pupil in the School of Love.	189
JOHN ANND JOAN:
Of a Serving Wench who sent her Fellow Servant to Buy her a Steel; and how she Fared thereafter	200
THE HUSBAND AS DOCTOR:
Of a Young Squire who, when he Married, had never Mounted a Christian Creature; of the Means found to Instruct him; and how, on a Sudden, he Wept at a great Feast shortly after he had been Instructed	204

THE PRIEST AND THE LABOURER	213
EXCURSUS TO THE PRIEST AND THE LABOURER	220
THE TWO LOVERS AND THE TWO SISTERS	221
THE BURNED YARD	230
TAKE TIME BY THE FORELOCK
Of a Young Wife who was Made a Fool of by her Old Husband.	232
EXCURSUS TO TAKE TIME BY THE FORELOCK	234
FIRST MEETING BETWEEN A YOUTH AND HIS FIANCEE	235
THE BREAKER OF EGGS	237
EXCURSUS TO THE BREAKER OF EGGS	240