# The Buxom dame of Reading, or, The cuckold's cap/The Buxom dame of Reading, or, The cuckold's cap

The Buxom DAME of READING.
To its own proper Tune.
NEar Reading there lived a buxom dame, The wife of a cobler, Joan was her name, She had a hen of a delicate ſize, The like you never beheld with your eyes.
She had a red head, grey wings, yellow legs, Each ſummer ſhe laid her a buſhel of eggs; And Joan laſt ſummer would ſet her indeed, For ſhe was reſolved to have more of her breed.
And as ſhe was ſetting her 'pon a day, A ſhepherd came to her, and thus he did ſay; Oh! what are you doing? ſhe anſwer'd him then, I am going to ſet a miraculous hen.
Why then ſays the ſhepherd, to keep the eggs warm, And that they may proſper and come to no harm; You muſt ſet the eggs in a large cuckold's cap, And then all the chickens will come to good hap.
I have ne'er a cuckold's cap, ſhepherd, ſays ſhe, But nevertheleſs I will be ruled by thee; For this very moment, I'll trudge up and down, And borrow one, if there be one in the town.
She went to her neighbour, and thus ſhe did ſay, Come lend me thy cuckold's cap, neighbour I pray, I am going to ſet a miraculous hen, And when I've done with, I'll bring it again.
The neighbours wife anſwer'd, and thus reply'd, Had I ſuch a thing you ſhould not be deny'd, Years fourteen or fifteen, I have been a wife, And my huſband had ne'er ſuch a thing in his life.
​But go to my couſin that lives at the mill, She had one I know and may have it ſtill; Tell her I ſent you, ſhe'll lend it I know, I thank you, ſaid Joan, and away ſhe did go.
Then ſtraight to the houſe of the miller ſhe went, And told her that she by her couſin was ſent, To borrow a thing that was abſolute rare, A large cuckold's cap that her huſband did wear.
I do not deny but ſuch things there may be, But why ſhould my couſin direct you to me? Theſe nineteen or twenty years I have been wed, And my huſband had ne'er ſuch a cap on his head.
But go to the Quaker that lives by the ſwan, If I am not miſtaken, I think ſhe has one, And tell her, ſhe'll lend it, I know for my ſake, And I for the ſame a great favour ſhall take.
So ſhe went to the houſe of old Yea and Nay, And ſpoke to his wife that was youthful and gay; Saying, I come for to borrow if you will but lend, A large cuckold's cap, I was ſent by a friend.
The Quaker's wife nodded, and ſaid with a frown, I han't ſuch a thing if thou'd give me a crown; Beſides, I'd not lend it ſuppoſe that I had, For fear it ſhould make my poor huſband run mad.
In town there are many young women perhaps, Are cunning and artful in making ſuch caps; But what are their natures cannot well ſay, Therefore excuſe me friend Joan, I thee pray.
Now Joan being tired, and weary withal, Says ſhe, I have had no good fortune at all; It is the beginning, I think of all ſorrow, To trudge up and down, and of neighbours to borrow.
A poor cuckold's cap, I would borrow indeed, A thing of ſmall value but yet could not ſpeed, But as I'm a woman, adzooks, cries young Joan, Before it be long I'll have one of my own.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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