Virtue & beauty in danger, or, King Edward courting the London virgin/The Batchelor's Delight

THE BATCHELOR’S DELIGHT.

I Never shall marry, says Roger,
since women, so fickle are grown,
But like a jolly soldier,
I’ll court in every town.

There’s Katy, Poll and Nancy, I love them as my life,
For come when I will, they favour me still,
then who would be plagu’d with a wife, a wife,
then who would be plagu’d with a wife.

These seven long years and more,
I search’d for a maiden head,
But I vow and declare it is very rare,
to find a chaste woman indeed.

For if I should marry for beauty,
which every fond fool so adores,
I then like an ox or a ram in the flocks
am forced to wear the horns, &c.

A Parson was married last week,
a comical wedding indeed,
For now simple John is bit to the bone,
his doxie has horned his head.

And thus the poor foul is kept like a fool,
enough a man’s hem for to break,
But women and wine’s the delight of my mind,
for such is the life of a rake, &c.

There’s many a brave man as I understand,
that lives both in country and town,
Who labours full sore to maintain a score,
of children that’s none of their own;

The wives they do baul, and the chidren do equal,
which is the true emblem of strife,
But single and free for ever I’ll be,
for who would be plagu’d with a wife, &c.

There’s people of station that lives in this nation,
whose titles I now will forbear,
Both women and men as I understand,
that’s forced the horns for to wear.

But if every cuckold were chear’d with a bottle,
with a large bell hung down to his toe,
In country and town you would hear a fine sound,
of cuckolds boys all in a row, &c.

There's many brave tars as I do declare,
their lives at the sea they do venture,
To bring home, the sees, which when they do please,
will give to a blade to content her.

He’s no sooner gone than he’s out of her mind,
such a frolicksome damsel is fne,
The greatest rake in the town, she’ll invite him down,
with her to drink brandy and tea, &c.

While others that’s chaste, they think it is best,
in their heart such base ways to abhor,
While constant they’ll prove and true to their love,
whether he is at sea or on shore.
But if I could find such a one to my mind,
to her my will I would make,
For a virtuous wife is the joy of man’s life,
then adieu to the life of a rake, &c.