Father Ab--y's will. To which is now added, A letter of courtship to his virtuous and amiable widow. Cambridge, December 1731. — Father Abbey's will

Father Ab--y's will. To which is now added, A letter of courtship to his virtuous and amiable widow. Cambridge, December 1731. — Father Abbey's will

Table of contents

Father Ab—y's Will. To which is now addded, A Letter of Courtship to his Virtuous and Amiable Widow.

§

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

Father Ab—y's Will.
To which is now addded, A Letter of Courtship to his Virtuous and Amiable Widow.

§

Cambridge, December 1731.

Some Time since died here Mr. Matthew Ab—y, in a very advanced Age:—He had for a great Number of [...] served the College in Quality of Bed-maker and Sweeper:—Having no Child, his Wife inherits his [...] which be bequeathed to her by his last Will and Testament, as follows, exx.

1

TO my dear Wife

My Joy and Life.

I [...] now to give her,

My whole Estate,

With all my Plate

Being just about to leave her.

2

My Tub of Soap,

A log Cart Rope,

A Frying Pan and Kettle,

An Ashes Pail,

A threshing Flail,

An Iron Wedge and Beetle.

3

Two painted Chairs,

Nine Warden Pears,

A large old dripping Platter,

This Bed of Hay

On which I lay,

An old Sauce-Pan for Butter.

4

A little Mug,

A Two Quart Jugg,

A Bottle full of Brandy,

A Looking Glass,

To see your Face,

You'll find it very handy.

5

A Musket true,

As ever flew,

A Pound of Shot and Wallet,

A Leather Sash,

My Calabash,

My Powder Horn and Bullet.

6

An old Sword Blade,

A Garden Spade,

A Hoe, a Rake, a Ladder,

A Wooden Can,

A Close-Stool Pan,

A Clyster-Pipe and Bladder.

7

A greasy Hat,

My odd Ram Cat,

A Yard and half of Linen,

A Pot of Grease,

My Woollen Fleece,

In order for your Spinning.

8

A small Tooth Comb,

An Ashen Broom,

A Candlestick and Hatchet,

A Coverlid

Strip'd down with Red,

A Bag of Rags to patch it.

9

A ragged Mat,

A Tub of Fat,

A Book put out by Bunyan,

Another Book

By [...],

A Skein or two of Spunyarn.

10

An old black Muff,

Some Garden Stuff,

A Quantity of Burridge.

Some Devil's Weed

And Burdock Seed.

To season well your Porridge.

11

A Chafing Dish,

With one Salt Fish,

If I am not mistaken,

A Leg of Pork,

A broken Fork,

And half a Flitch of Bacon.

12

A Spinning Wheel,

One Peck of Meal,

A Knife without a Handle,

A rusty Lamp,

Two Quarts of Samp,

And half a Tallow Candle.

13

Mr Pouch and Pipes

Two Oxen Tripes,

An Oaken Dish well carved,

My little Dog,

And spotted Hog,

With two young Pigs just starved.

14

This is my Store,

I have no more,

I heartily do give it,

My Years are spun,

My Days are done,

And so I think to leave it.

§

New Haven, January 1731. 2.

Our Sweeper having lately buried his Spouse, and accidentally hearing of the Death and Will of his deceas'd Cambridge Brother, has conceived a violent Passion for his Relict. And, as Love softens the Mind and disposes to Poetry, he has eas'd himself in the following Strains, which he transmits to the charming Widow, is the first Essay of his Courtship.

1

MIstress Ab—y,

To you I fly,

You only can relieve me,

To you I turn, for you I burn,

If you will but believe me.

2

Then gentle Dame,

Admit my Flame.

And grant me my Petition,

If you deny,

Alas! I die

In pitiful Condition.

3

Before the News

Of your poor Spouse

Had reach'd us at New-Haven.

My dear Wife dy'd

Who was my Bride

In Anno Eighty seven.

4

Thus being free,

Let's both agree

To join our Hands, for I do

Boldly aver

A Widower

Is fittest for a Widow.

5

You may be sure

'Tis not your Dower

I make this flowing Verse on;

In these smooth Lays

I only praise

The Glories of your Person.

6

For the whole that

Was left by Mat,

Fortune to me has granted

In equal Store,

I've one Thing more,

Which Matthew long had wanted

7

No Teeth, 'tis true,

You have to shew,

The Young think Teeth inviting,

But silly Youths!

I love those Mouths

Where there's no fear of biting.

8

A leaky Eye,

That's never dry

These woful Times is fitting,

A wrinkled Face

Adds solemn Grace

To Folk devout at Meeting.

9

Thus to go [...]

I would pen down

Your Charms from Head to Foot,

Set all your Glory

In Verse before ye,

But I've no Mind to do't.

10

Then haste away

And make no Stay,

For soon as you come hither,

We'll eat and sleep.

Make Beds and sweep.

And smoke and talk together.

11

But if, my Dear,

I must move there.

Tow'rds Cambridge strait I'll set me.

To Touze the Hay

On which you lay,

If Age and You will let me

§

Thus Father Ab—y left his Spouse,

As rich as Church or College Mouse

Which is sufficient Invitation

To serve the College in his Station.

Information about this book

Title statement

Father Ab--y's will. To which is now added, A letter of courtship to his virtuous and amiable widow. Cambridge, December 1731.Father Abbey's will

Seccombe, John, 1708-1792.

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2009-10.

ID [DLPS]

N02903

ID [TCP]

N02903

ID [STC]

Evans 3475

ID [NOTIS]

APY9656

ID [IMAGE-SET]

3475

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99037262

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 3475.

Notes

(Evans-TCP ; no. N02903)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 3475)

Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 3475)

Source

— Father Ab--y's will. To which is now added, A letter of courtship to his virtuous and amiable widow. Cambridge, December 1731., Father Abbey's will, Seccombe, John, 1708-1792., Hubbard, John, 1703-1773. Letter of courtship..

Extent

1 sheet ([1] p.) ; 32 x 22 cm.

s.n.,. [Boston? :: not before 1732]. (Two poems.) ("Father Abbey's will" is generally attributed to John Seccombe. First lines: To my dear wife My joy and life.) ("A letter of courtship," dated New-Haven, January 1731-2, is attributed to John Hubbard of New Haven by Wegelin and others. First lines: Mistress Ab--y, To you I fly.) (Evans supplies Boston as place of publication.) (Text in three columns; printed area measures 28.6 x 18.5 cm.)

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