Classic Poem

" F AINE wold I change my maiden liffe
to tast of loues true Ioyes "
" What? liffe! woldest thou chuse to bee a wiffe?
maids wishes are but toyes. "
" how can there bee a greater hell then liue a maid soe lo n g,
a mayd soe long?
to the church ring out the Marriage bells,
ding dong, ding dong, ding dong! "

" Beffore tha t 15 yeeres were spent,
I knew, & haue a sonne. "
" how old art thou? " " sixteene next Lent. "
" alas, wee are both vndone! "
how can there bee &c.

" Besides, I heard an old wiffe tell
tha t all true maids must dye. "
" what must they doe? " " lead apes in hell!
a dolefull destinye. "

" & wee will lead noe apes in hell;
weele change our maiden song, our maiden song;
to the church ring out the Marriage bells,
wee haue liued true mayds to longe. "