The Gossips meeting, or, The Merry market-women of Taunton tune of The Parliament of women, or, Digby's farewel.

The Gossips Meeting, Or The merry Market-Women of Taunton.

The Gossips being in a merry vein, Each one doth of her Husband sore complain, Declaring how they can them neatly couzen, And drink off Pots of Nappy Ale a Dozen.

Tune of, The Parliament of Women: Or, Digby's Farewel.

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COme all my kind neighbours, & hear me a while, Ile sing you a song that will make you to smile; Of a parcel of Women of late I did hear, In an Ale-house a drinking good Ale and strong béer, They talkt of their Husbands an ain every one, Both Marget and Sarah, Rebecka, and Jone; And they were resolved to have 'tother pot, Concluding their Husbands at home should not know't.

Quoth one, I will tell you the thing I do fear, My child it doth cry at home whilst I am here; But if that my husband doth give me a blow, Be sure he shall find me no less then a Shrow: To compass my ends I will bring it about, And tell him my money it would not hold out, For all things so dear in the Market row be, Let him go himself and the same he shall see.

I needs must confess of my husband, said Jone, That he is a man who loves to stay at home, And hard he doth work for to maintain his charge, And seldome doth chide me, although I spend large; But if that he knew of the Pots I do drink, He would keep me sho••ter of money I think: But I will be cunnīng enough for him still, For I will be sure of a groat at my will.

Quoth the Widdow if I match as I do intend, My husband shall ne'r know what money I spend; There be many ways for to couzen a man, Though he watch his Wise even as close as he can. If he gives me money to buy meat to roast, Be sure I will reckon him more then it cost; And so you may live with your husbands most brave And they ne'r the wiser what money you have.

The Second Part,

To the same Tune.

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SAith Sarah my husband is of such a mind, He calls me to reckon what money's behind; When I bring it home, he will tak't in his hand, And then he will ask me in what it doth stand: Then I make a lye, and tell him something more, Or else this cross Knave would beat me out of door For he I not allow me a penny to spend, But I care not for two pence if I meet a friend.

Why should we be curb'd so, hang care, let us drink, We'l have t'other pot what e're our husbands think If when we come home they upon us do frown, we'l give them good words & bring their anger down Pretending our Burthens hath tired us sore, As if we were ready to fall on the Flore: And so by that means they will patient remain, And pitty us too, when they hear us complain.

Quoth Margret your simple to think of such fears, If my husband scold I will pull him by the ears, I am no such fool as to cringe to a man, If that he strikes me, I will strike him again; Besides i'm with child, which to me is a joy, If that I do box him he thinks I but toy; Poor fool he is fearful to breed any brall, For fear I should wrong that I go withal.

Then qd. Mother prittle prattle, with all my hear•• We'l have 'tother Tankard before we five part; Come let us sit down and we'l talk of our woes, We'l have a full glass in despight of our foes; Do not fear your Husbands what ever they be, For I my own self have been married to three; Although we at noon have had a scolding bout, At night I have pleas'd him when as he came too••

Methinks Gossip Jone you have a lusty man, I hope he doth give you content now and than, I'le warrant you'r merry enough when I'm sad, I'm sure that I want what I formerly had: My husband doth sit like a Mome all the day, And at night in the bed he is cold as the clay; I had rather he would go and drink a Pot or two, And come home at night and do what he should do

But now Gossips all it is time to be gone, For I must haste home to my silly old man, And then I will tell him a tale in his ear, That every thing in the Market is dear; How ofsten I travel'd about and about, And all for to find some good penny-worth out; He'l never mistrust I his money did spend, And so farewel Gossips, for Ile make an end.