[Page 52]

To Miss CLAYTON.

Occasion'd by her breaking an appointment to visit the AUTHOR.

1 Now ponder well, Miss Clayton dear,
2 And read your Bible book;
3 Lest you one day should rue the time
4 That you your promise broke.
5 'Twas on that bed where you have lain
6 Full many a restless night,
7 That you did say, nay swear it too
8 But you've forgot it quite.
9 Your tender mother eke also,
10 Did ratify the same;
11 And strok'd me o'er the face, and vow'd
12 Much more than I will name.
[Page 53]
13 But what are women's oaths, and vows,
14 With which we make such pother?
15 Ah, trust us not, ye faithful swains!
16 Who cannot trust each other.
17 The swain may vow eternal love,
18 And yet that vow revoke;
19 For lovers vows alas! are made
20 On purpose to be broke.
21 The courtier breaks his word, 'tis true,
22 Or keeps it but in part;
23 But you, whene'er you break your word,
24 Perhaps may break a heart.
25 The chemist says he'll turn to gold
26 Each thing he lights upon;
27 And so he will, whene'er he finds
28 The philosophic stone.
29 The lawyer says he'll get your cause,
30 Then loses cause, and cost;
31 But there's a maxim in the law,
32 Says, Fees must not be lost.
[Page 54]
33 Allegiance firm to gracious King
34 Swear parsons one and all:
35 Pity! Christ's vicars, or of Bray,
36 Should ever swear at all.
37 Physicians too can promise fair,
38 In figures and in tropes
39 Then let your faith and fees be great,
40 And while there's life, there's hopes.
41 But when all confidence is lost,
42 Small comfort hopes afford;
43 For whom hereafter can I trust,
44 Now You have broke your Word?

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Title (in Source Edition): To Miss CLAYTON. Occasion'd by her breaking an appointment to visit the AUTHOR.
Author: Mary Jones
Themes: manners
Genres: ballad metre; address
References: DMI 23672

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Jones, Mary, d. 1778. Miscellanies in Prose and Verse. By Mary Jones. Oxford: Printed; and delivered by Mr. Dodsley in Pall-Mall, Mr. Clements in Oxford, and Mr. Frederick in Bath, MDCCL., 1750, pp. 52-54. vi,[1],xlv,[1],405p. (ESTC T115196) (Page images digitized from a copy in the Bodleian Library [Harding C 1723].)

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Typography, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been cautiously modernized. The source of the text is given and all significant editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. This ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

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