The Cucking of a Scold.  
To the tune of, The Merchant of 〈◊〉.  
 
A Wedded wife there was,  
〈…〉 of years but young,  
〈…〉 she wanted wit,  
〈…〉 she lacked no tongue.  
〈…〉 years' of age,  
〈…〉 was no more,  
〈…〉 would scold with any one,  
From twenty to threescore.  
The cucking of a Scold,  
The cucking of a Scold,  
Which i● you will but stay to hear,  
The cucking of a Scold.  
〈…〉  
〈…〉 tongue did wag,  
〈…〉 have it run,  
〈…〉 Nag.  
〈…〉 wrong,  
〈…〉 show her skill.  
〈…〉 moved once  
〈…〉 not so ill.  
The ●uc●ing etc.  
〈…〉 know  
〈…〉 begun.  
〈…〉 tell you for his life,  
〈…〉 would have done.  
〈…〉 a famous Scold,  
〈…〉 Scold in grain,  
〈…〉 Scold was never bred  
Nor borne in Turne-gaine Lane  
The cucking, etc.  
Upon a 〈◊〉 it chanced  
And she did thus allege  
A neighbour's maid had taken half  
Her 〈◊〉 from the hedge:  
For 〈◊〉 great trespass done,  
This wrong for to requite,  
She scolded very handsomely,  
〈…〉 and one whole night.  
The cucking, etc.  
〈…〉 did molest  
The neighbours round about:  
But this was nothing to the fits  
That she would thunder out.  
But once, the truth to tell,  
Worse scolding did she keep,  
For waking of her little Dog,  
That in the Sun did sleep.  
The cucking, etc.  
Six winter days together,  
From morning eight a clock,  
Until the evening that each one  
Their doors began to lock:  
She scolded for this wrong.  
Which she accounted great.  
And unto peace and quietness  
No man could her entreat.  
The cucking etc.  
So that this little Devil,  
With her unquiet tongue,  
Continually both far and near,  
Molested old and young.  
But yet soon after this,  
She made a greater brawl,  
Against the Constable, that did  
But piss against her wall.  
The cucking, etc.  
She called him beastly knau●,  
And filthy jack for this,  
And said that every Cuckold now  
Against her wall must piss:  
And in must raging sort,  
She railed at him so long.  
He made a ●ow he would revenge  
This most outrageous worng.  
The cucking, etc.  
And first of all behold,  
He clapped her in the Cage,  
Thinking thereby her devilish tongue,  
He would full well assuage.  
But now worse than before,  
She did to brawling fall.  
The Constable and all the rest  
She vildly did miscall.  
The cucking, etc.  
Thus night and day she sent  
Such brawling from her drist.  
That 〈◊〉 neighbour in the town  
Could take one hours' rest.  
Which when the ●ustice knew,  
This ●udgement than gave he,  
That she upon a cucking stool  
Should justly punished be.  
The cucking, etc.  
Upon three market days,  
This penance she should hide.  
And every thing fit for the same.  
The Officers did provide:  
An hundred Archers good,  
Did first before her go,  
A hundred and five nimble shot  
Went next unto the Roe.  
The cucking etc.  
An hundred armed men  
Did also follow there:  
The which did guard the gallant Scold  
With piercing Pikes and Spear:  
And trumptes sounding sweet●  
In order with them comes  
A company most orderly,  
With pleasant 〈…〉  
The cucking, etc.  
And forty Parrots then.  
On sundry perches hie,  
Were carried eke before the scold,  
Most fine and orderly  
And last of all a mighty wisp  
Was borne before her face.  
The perfect taken of a Scold  
Well brown in every place.  
The cucking, etc.  
Then was the Scold herself.  
In a wheelbarrow brought.  
Stripped naked to the smock,  
As in that case she ought:  
Neat's tongues about her neck  
Were bung to open show;  
And thus unto the cucking stool  
This famous Scold did go,  
The cucking, etc.  
Then fast within the chair  
She was most finely bound,  
Which made her scold excessively,  
And said she should be drowned.  
But every time that she  
Was in the 〈◊〉,  
The drums & trumpets sounded, brave  
For 〈…〉  
The cucking, etc.  
S●x 〈◊〉 when she was ducked  
Within the water clear.  
That like unto a drowned Rat,  
She did in sight appear.  
The justice thinking then  
〈◊〉 send her strait away.  
The Constable she called knave.  
And knaued him all the day.  
The cucking etc.  
Upon which words, I wot,  
They ducked her strait again  
A dozen times o'er head and ears:  
Yet she would not refraime,  
But still reviled them all.  
●●en 〈◊〉 again they go,  
Till she at last held up her hands,  
Saying, I'll no more do so.  
The cucking etc.  
Then was she brought away,  
And after for her life,  
She never 〈◊〉 begin to scold  
With either man or wife.  
And if that every Scold  
Might have so good a diet,  
Then should their neighbours every day  
Be sure to live in quiet,  
The cucking of a Scold,  
The cucking of a Scold  
Which if you will but stay to hear  
The cucking of a Scold.  
FINIS   

Printed at London by G. P.