I seem’d—no Words can utter how!
For there my Father-Husband stood,—
And thus he said:—“Will God allow,
“The great Avenger, just and good,
“A Wife, to break her Marriage Vow?
“A Son, to shed his Father’s Blood?”
I trembled at the dismal Sounds,
But vainly strove a Word to say;
So, pointing to his bleeding Wounds,
[19]The threat’ning Spectre stalk’d away.
I brought a lovely Daughter forth,
His Father’s Child, in Aaron’s Bed;
He took her from me in his wrath,
“Where is my Child?”—‘Thy Child is dead.’
’Twas false—we wander’d far and wide,
Through Town and Country, Field and Fen,
Till Aaron fighting, fell and died,
And I became a Wife again.
I then was young:—my Husband sold
My fancied Charms, for wicked Price;
He gave me oft, for sinful Gold,
The Slave, but not the Friend of Vice:—
Behold me Heav’n! my Pains behold,
And let them for my Sins suffice!
The Wretch who lent me thus for Gain,
Despis’d me when my Youth was fled;
Then came Disease and brought me Pain:—
Come, Death, and bear me to the Dead!
For though I grieve, my Grief is vain,
And fruitless all the Tears I shed.
True, I was not to Virtue train’d,
Yet well I knew my Deeds were ill;
By each Offence my Heart was pain’d,
I wept, but I offended still;
My better Thoughts my Life disdain’d,
But yet the viler led my Will.
My Husband died, and now no more,
My Smile was sought or ask’d my Hand,
A widow’d Vagrant, vile and poor,
Beneath a Vagrant’s vile command.
Ceaseless I rov’d the Country round,
To win my Bread by fraudful Arts,
And long a poor Subsistence found,
By spreading Nets for simple Hearts.
Though poor, and abject, and despis’d,
Their Fortunes to the Crowd I told;
I gave the Young the Love they priz’d,
And promis’d Wealth to bless the Old;
Schemes for the Doubtful I devis’d,
And Charms for the Forsaken sold.