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CHEAP REPOSITORY.
THE LADY and the PYE; OR, KNOW THYSELF.
[figure]
Sold by J. MARSHALL, (PRINTER to the CHEAP REPOSITORY for Moral and Re⯑ligious Tracts) No. 17, Queen-Street, Cheapſide, and No. 4, Aldermary Church-Yard, and R. WHITE, Pic⯑cadilly, London.
By S. HAZARD, at Bath; J. Elder, at Edinburgh, and by all Bookſellers, Newſmen, and Hawkers, in Town and Country.
PRICE ONE HALFPENNY, Or 2s. 3d. per 100.—1s. 3d. for 50. 9d. for 25. A Cheaper Edition for Hawkers.
[Entered at Stationers Hall.]
The LADY, &c.
[3]A WORTHY Squire of ſober life,
Had a conceited boaſting wiſe;
Of him ſhe daily made complaint,
Herſelf ſhe thought a very ſaint.
She lov'd to load mankind with blame,
And on their errors build her fame.
Her favourite ſubject of diſpute
Was Eve and the forbidden fruit.
[4] "Had I been Eve," ſhe often cried,
"Man had not fall'n nor woman died;
"I ſtill had kept the orders given,
"Nor for an apple loſt my heaven;
"To gratify my curious mind,
"I ne'er had ruin'd all mankind;
"Nor from a vain deſire to know,
"Entail'd on all my race ſuch woe.
The Squire reply'd, "I fear 'tis true,
"The ſame ill ſpirit lives in you:
"Tempted alike, I dare believe,
"You would have diſobey'd like Eve."
The lady ſtorm'd and ſtill deny'd
Both curioſity and pride.
The Squire ſome future day at dinner,
Reſolv'd to try this boaſtful ſinner;
He griev'd ſuch vanity poſſeſt her,
And thus in ſerious terms addreſs'd her.
[5] "Madam, the uſual ſplendid feaſt,
"With which our wedding day is grac'd,
"With you I muſt not ſhare to-day,
"For buſineſs ſummons me away.
"Of all the dainties on the table,
"Pray eat as long as you are able;
"Indulge in every coſtly diſh;
"Enjoy, 'tis what I really wiſh;
"Only obſerve one prohibition,
"Nor think it a ſevere condition;
"On one ſmall diſh which cover'd ſtands,
"You muſt not dare to lay your hands;
"Go—diſobey not on your life,
"Or henceforth you're no more my wife."
The treat was ſerv'd, the Squire was gone,
The murm'ring lady din'd alone:
She ſaw whate'er could grace a feaſt,
Or charm the eye, or pleaſe the taſte.
[6] But while ſhe rang'd from this to that,
From ven'ſon haunch to turtle fat;
On one ſmall diſh ſhe chanc'd to light,
By a deep cover hid from ſight.
"Oh! here it is—yet not for me!
"I muſt not taſte, nay, dare not ſee.
"Why place it there? or why forbid
"That I ſo much as lift the lid?
"Prohibited of this to eat,
"I care not for the ſumptuous treat.
"I wonder if 'tis fowl or fiſh,
"To know what's there I merely wiſh.
"I'll look—O no, I loſe for ever,
"If I'm betray'd my huſband's favour.
"I own I think it vaſtly hard,
"Nay, tyranny, to be debarr'd.
"John you may go—the wine's decanted
"I'll ring or call you when you're wanted."
[7]
Now left alone, ſhe waits no longer,
Temptation preſſes more and ſtronger.
"I'll peep—the harm can ne'er be much,
"For tho' I peep I will not touch;
"Why I'm forbid to lift this cover
"One glance will tell, and then 'tis over.
"My huſband's abſent, ſo is John,
"My peeping never can be known."
Trembling, ſhe yielded to her wiſh,
And rais'd the cover from the diſh:
She ſtarts—for lo! an open pye
From which ſix living ſparrows fly.
She calls, ſhe ſcreams, with wild ſurpriſe,
"Haſte John and catch theſe birds," ſhe cries;
John hears not, but to crown her ſhame,
In at her call, her huſband came.
Sternly he frown'd as thus he ſpoke,
"Thus is your vow'd allegiance broke!
[8] "Self-ign'rance led you to believe
"You did not ſhare the ſin of Eve.
"Like her's, how bleſt was your condition!
"How ſmall my gentle prohibition!
"Yet you, tho' fed with every dainty,
"Sat pining in the midſt of plenty.
"This diſh, thus ſingled from the reſt,
"Of your obedience was the teſt.
"Your mind, unbroke by ſelf denial,
"Cou'd not ſuſtain this ſlender trial.
"Humility from hence be taught,
"Learn candour to another's fault;
"Go know, like Eve, from this ſad dinner,
"You're both a vain and curious ſinner."
Z.
THE END.
- Citation Suggestion for this Object
- TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 4009 The lady and the pye or know thyself. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-5921-B