The Dubbed Knight Of the Forked Order.  
OR,  
The old wanton Lady as I will recite,  
And Son John the servingman her heart's delight,  
Their doings and actions, if you will attend,  
In Meeter, they are by a Poet Penned.  
The subtlety of women either old or young,  
And what cunning excuses they have with their tongue,  
That will play with their Husbands and laugh them to scorn,  
Struck up there brows, and there place a horn.  
The Tune is, I am fallen away.  
 

'tWas a Lady born  
of high degree,  
In her aged days  
was youthful, yet she,  
So youthful was  
at threescore years old,  
A young Man she esteemed  
more precious than Gold:  
So old, so old,  
so wondrous old,  
Till threescore years and ten  
Old women are willing  
to play with young Men.   

This Lady one day  
in her Parlour did walk,  
Unto her head-serving-man  
she began to talk,  
She told him his feature  
was comely and rare,  
Few men that she looked on  
might with him compare,  
So old, etc.   

A Lily-white hand  
fair face and a nose  
Hair crisping and curled  
his breath like a Rose  
Straight leg and a foot  
and his body tall,  
But that in the middle  
is the rarest of all,  
So old etc.   

Madam he said,  
as I am alive,  
Unto an ancient Lady  
'tis a present revive:  
It will make them merry  
either at night or by day,  
And clear every Vain  
like the dew of May.  
So old, so old,  
so wondrous old,  
Till threescore years and ten,  
Old women are willing  
to play with young Men.   
 
 

THen note what I say  
and obey my command,  
For I'll make use of thee,  
now strait out of hand,  
The bargain was made  
unto their own Will,  
The Servingman had  
and the Lady her fill:  
So old, etc.   

When the jig was ended,  
the Lady threw down,  
Unto her good Servingman,  
sevenscore pound:  
She gave this Gold freely,  
his courage to maintain,  
That he will but Ride  
in the Saddle again:  
So old, etc.   

Then the wanton Lady  
to her Knight she did hie,  
And like to Ameretrix  
she did reply,  
That she was much altered,  
and she had caught harm,  
Why then quoth the Knight;  
Lady keep thyself warm;  
So old, etc.   

I'll send for a Doctor  
the grief for to find,  
For to ease thy body,  
and troubles mind;  
I will have no Doctor  
my grief for to ease,  
But only one Man  
swéet-heart if you please:  
So old, etc.   

Let me see this Artist,  
the Knight did reply,  
O quoth the Lady,  
lo here he stands by;  
That can give me cure  
with a Syrup that he,  
Brought front the Venetian  
and from Italy;  
So old, etc.   

How came you acquainted  
with your Man's rarity?  
Sir, in a sad passion,  
being ready to die,  
I dreamed that his judgement  
was right I do find,  
And his physic was healthful  
to old Woman kind.  
So old, etc.   

And if by the virtue  
thou pleasure do find,  
I doubt then by Venus  
that I am made blind,  
I dreamed I was hunting  
and pleasure did see,  
But a vision mine eyes  
much troubleth me,  
So old, etc.   

The Dear did run swiftly,  
and Hounds after ranged  
And I like Action  
most strangely was changed  
I though that my lower part  
seemed like a Man.  
My head like a Buck,  
and Horns like a Ram,  
So old, etc.   

And riding on swiftly,  
sweet pleasure to find,  
An Oak burst my horns  
& his blood made me blind,  
The Huntsman did hollow,  
and great shouts did make,  
and forth of my dream,  
I straight did awake:  
So old, etc.   

I told my fair Lady  
of my dream so strange,  
Quoth she 'tis the better  
when thy Life doth change;  
For the Forked Order  
the evil doth expel,  
And being a dubbed Knight,  
thou nead'st not fear Hell.  
So old, etc.   

From the Poor to the Rich,  
even to the Ladies Gay,  
Young Women are wanton  
old Women will play:  
And mumble their Husbands  
and jéer them to scorn,  
And point them a Breaker  
and give them a Horn:  
So old, so old.  
so wondrous old,  
Till threescore years and ten,  
Old Women are willing  
to play with young Men.  
By Abraham Miles.    

Printed for W. Whitwood at the Golden Bell at Ducklane end in West-smith-field.