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. Approx. 7 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 2 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI : 2009-10. N02903 N02903 Evans 3475 APY9656 3475 99037262

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 Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 3475. (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) 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. 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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 eng Abdy, Matthew, 1650?-1730. Abdy, Ruth, 1669?-1762. American wit and humor. Broadsides. Poems -- 1732. 2008-07 Assigned for keying and markup 2008-09 Keyed and coded from Readex/Newsbank page images 2008-11 Sampled and proofread 2008-11 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
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.