The life and death of Damaris Page That great, arch, metropolitan (old woman) of Ratcliff high-way. Who (through age and sickness) departed this life at her manner of the Three-Tuns in the parish of Stepney the 9th day of this present October, and was buried the Sunday following at St. George's in South-wark, with great lamentation of all the sister-hood.

The Life and Death OF Damaris Page:

DAmaris Page, as is conjectured, was born about the Year 1601. and as it is thought in the Month of March because she was used to sturdy storms and bitter blasts which that Month is much subject unto she was in her time a woman of very great fame, for the Seamen had spread her name abroad into all the countrys of Europe, Asia, Africa and America, and the Isle of P••nes also, in which Country she was had in very great repute and Veneration by the Inhabitants ther••of, for those notable qualiti••s wi•••• which she was indowed. Now there is ••o••e that is famous for all things but only for some particular. Dr. Faustus was very famous for being a conjurer Hind and Ha••nam were famous for their ••hievery, Dr. ••r— was much noted for his skill in a Pispot, Martin Parker was famous for making of Ballads, and Squire Dun got a great name for his excellent skil and dexterity in the riding knot, whereby in half an hours time he would cure a Man of the Squinancy, as he d••d often experiment at that terrib••e Tripple Tiburni••n ••••ee that stands in the Road betwixt London and Pad∣dington a Gentleman of my acquaintance was very f••mous for his skill in Tobacco-stoppers, and another that I knew got a great name for his ad∣mirable dext••rity in making of N•••••• ••ra••k••n••d ••m 〈◊〉〈◊〉 great a•••• me∣tropolitan ••.— was most notably famous for keeping a house of, what shall I call it, for it had divers names, some called it the Seamans whirl∣pool, others Venus Bower, Cupids Pest-house, the Chyrurgions friend, the Hectors Office, a Vaulting-School, the amorous Chace, a Brothel, a Stew

the huck-strings Accademy, the hole in the Wall, &c. But the down-right Seaman when he was gotten three quarters drunk, would call it in plain English, a Bawdy-house.

And therefore though she kept great hospitality, she could not be said to keep a good house, and though she had many Female servants she kept few Maids, dealing much in brittle Ware that were often subject to cracks and fla••••, whom the Chyrurgion was forced to play the Tinker with in mending them the other materials belonging to her house, were a clos•• Box with a side bed to kennel in, clean linnen, sweet powder, paint, p••tches, plaister, pint bottles of Wine at two shilling a bottle, Ste∣pony, R••spberry-ale, Cock-ale, Cakes, a Barrel of Beer, a tub of new ale, a G••••lo•• o•• Strong-water, two Gallons of Brandy, Cans, Black pots, Pipes ready ••••lled with stinking instead of Spanish. Tobacco; Cards, a Pits-pot, and a piece of crotched chalk that should make two scores at once for the greater felerity in writing.

And though some have reported her to be of a very hasty ••roward pee∣vish disposition, yet we know contrarily that she wa•• indued with a great stock of patience, as was evidently manifested when the unruly rabble on Easter Holy-days defaced her mansion of pleasure; breaking her goods, cutting in pieces her beds, making the feathers to fly about the streets, yet notwithstanding she were thus wronged, she was not heard to give them any bad words, but contrarily called them good gentlemen and pray gentlemen, with other Sugar-candy words, nothing savouring of scolding brangling, or impatiency at all.

But though she had some vertues, certainly she had more vices, then a∣ny Smith hath to work withall, for she would lye (in her bed every night she would scold, but that she learned of her neighbours; she would drink, and eat too, else could she not have lived so long: she would talk, for she was not tongue-tied, yet was she very just of her word, for if she promised to help a man with a wh— she would not help him to an ho∣nest woman.

And what can be desired more I pray, Then people for to do as they do say.

And though some may think she got her living very lightly, and with much case, yet certainly they were greatly mistaken; for besides the

rigour of the Laws which them of her occupation are liable unto, as Im∣prisonments, Cartings, and the like, there was besides great charges for Fines and Fees to Justices Clarks, Beadles, and such other inferiour reliques of Authority; beside•• a great deal of charge for white and red to empayer decayed Nature, and to hide the furrows and wrinkles of old age, which should they have appeared, might have been very detri∣mental to one of her profession: and therefore whatsoever some may think, a B— doth not get her iiving with so much ease as the world supposeth, nor i•• that adventure of her danger of Ca••ting to be slighted.

Now I would not have any one to be mistaken, to think because our Damaris died at Ratcl••ff-High way, that she was the old woman that was drowned there a Forth ght ago; No, be it known to you that she feared more burning then drowning; and besides too, wearing Cork-shooe••, she was so light-heel'd, that had she been thrown into the water, she would not have sunk.

No doubt but her ambition was very great in striving to imitate the examples of some former great Potentates and Noblemen, who upon the committing of some heighnous Crimes, to expiate heir sinnes, as they thought, would build Monastaries and Religious houses; which as that well-languag'd Historian Mr. Speed thinks, their foundations being lin'd in blood. or as bad matters was one great cause of their downfall in the time of King Henry the Eigth, so she was very charitable to the Poor whiles she lived, which yet I may speak not as any ways blaming her, and, as I am informed, at her death gave, amongst other Legacies, mo∣ny to buy Smocks for a hundred poor Seamans widdows, an example of which I wish many that detested her life would practice at their Deaths.

She dyed on Saturday morning the 9th day of this instant October, and was with a great concourse of people attending her Corp, buried ••t St. Georges in Southwark on Sunday following in the afternoon, where now she rests in the Grave secure from a Shrove-tuesday rous, or E••ster-holydays vexation.

Her Elegy.

And is it true; is Damaris dead indeed And hath put on Death's sable Ebbon Weed,

Hath grizly death instead of ••eef and Cabbidge Trust her up deep in Grave both Bag and Baggage, Then mourn ye Mobbs of Venus, each bright spark That shines in Luteners Lane, and Whetstones Park, Blow forth deep sighs and let your groans be runners Let tears run from your eyes like drops through scummers Let your eyes Rain make in the ground Meanders And weep her Death like Hero's and Leanders.

Death on her house of Clay at last did seize, And sack't the same worse then the Prentices; There many a Seaman hath sat with his Doxy And spent his Coyn till he grew Foxy, Poxy: Boarding of Friggots, until at the last Lights of a fire-ship, and so spoyls his Mast, Well might you think mischief would on it come Falling to rummaging her Powder-room, Thus Souldiers may get wounds though not in Wars, For Venus hurts do prove the greatest scars.

But whether goes my Muse; come back again Sayl not thy lustre in a Pockey Vein, Thy task it was to tell of death's Fegaries, And nor of Surgeons and Apothecaries: To meddle with no idle lustful VVench, That takes in English, and pays back in French, Thy task it, was to make an Elegy, To show how, where, and when did Damaris dye How sickness did her body Carbanado And then death kill'd her with his great Granado, Her Mobbs could not make cruel Mors to faint He'd not be bribed with their Pox not Paint, He knew she was a bit for his own Trencher, They did mistake to think death was a Wencher, Now she is gone and laid in ground full cool The cheif being dead the rest may break up School,

And yet oft-times we by experience know Great Oaks being gone, the Shrubs will faster grow,

Farewell thou noted Female, henceforth be Fam'd with Lais, Thais, Chorrinna, Rhodope. And yet so long as Luteners-Lane stands still Dog and Bitch-yard, Whetstones Park, and Saffron-hill, Who listeth for to seek there he may find Though thou art gone, more h••••••s are le••t behind.

Epitaph.

Pass by Reader, and forbear To inquire who lies here, We do not mean believe to cheat Within here lies vertuous, modest, great, And such like Epithets be spread, Cozen the living belye the dead, We boast no wonders beg no praise Let this suffice and go your ways.

Some few Legacies which she bestowed by word of mouth a little before her departure.

• Imprimis to all the Sister-hood in Nightingale-Lane Well-close, Ratcliff-High-way, and those petty places of Trading, two pence a piece, to buy thred to mend their stockings.
• Item, I give to all those who having handsome Wives of their own yet follow whores, the sum of four pence a piece to buy them a book called Greens groatsworth of wit.
• Item, I give to all the Dammee Hectorian blades about the Town, the sum of thirteen-pence half-penny a peice, to pay the successor of Squire Dun, his wages when they shall have need of him.
• Item, I give to all Thieves, Cut-purses, and Pick-pockets, good

• counsel to leave off their damnable Trade, or else they will fall Gallows ripe into the Hang-mans budget.
• Item, To all rotten p••ckified Who—(of which there is a great many) I give four-pence a peice, to buy them sweet pow∣der, to keep them from stinking a ive.
• Item, I bequeath to all young Sm••ll▪ Smocks that intend to fol∣low Whores, this counsel before hand that they provide Mony for the Apothecary and Chyrurgion.
• Item, I give to the Officers belonging to Fumblers Hall o.o.o.o.
• Item, I bequeath to him that shall write my Life and death the sum of ten shillings to be paid him by the book-seller.