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To A Lady With Child That Ask'D An Old Shirt.[72.1][AN.4]
By Richard Lovelace
And why an honour'd ragged shirt, that shows,
Like tatter'd ensigns, all its bodie's blows?
Should it be swathed in a vest so dire,
It were enough to set the child on fire;
Dishevell'd queen[s] should strip them of their hair,
And in it mantle the new rising heir:
Nor do I know ought worth to wrap it in,
Except my parchment upper-coat of skin;
And then expect no end of its chast tears,
That first was rowl'd in down, now furs of bears.
But since to ladies 't hath a custome been
Linnen to send, that travail and lye in;
To the nine sempstresses, my former friends,
I su'd; but they had nought but shreds and ends.
At last, the jolli'st of the three times three
Rent th' apron from her smock, and gave it me;
'Twas soft and gentle, subt'ly spun, no doubt;
Pardon my boldnese, madam; HERE'S THE CLOUT.
Extra Info:
[72.1] A portion of this little poem is quoted in Brand's POPULAR ANTIQUITIES (edit. 1849, ii. 70), as an illustration of the custom to which it refers. No second example of such an usage seems to have been known to Brand and his editors.
[[AN.4]] P. 183. TO A LADY WITH CHILDE THAT ASK'T AN OLD SHIRT. The custom to which the Poet here refers, was no doubt common in his time; although the indefatigable Brand does not appear to have met with any illustration of it, except in LUCASTA. But since the note at p. 183 [i.e. note 72.1] was written, the following passage in the old morality of THE MARRIAGE OF WIT AND WISDOM (circa 1570) has come under my notice:--
"INDULGENCE [to her son WIT].
Well, yet before the goest, hold heare
MY BLESSING IN A CLOUTE,
WELL FARE THE MOTHER AT A NEEDE,
Stand to thy tackling stout."
The allusion is to the contemplated marriage of WIT to his betrothed, WISDOM.
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