Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 7.djvu/34

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Mrs. HARRIS'S PETITION. 1699.


TO their Excellencies the Lords Justices of Ireland[1], The humble petition of Frances Harris,
Who must starve, and die a maid, if it miscarries: Humbly showeth,
That I went to warm myself in lady Betty's[2] chamber, because I was cold;
And I had in a purse seven pounds, four shillings, and six pence, beside farthings, in money and gold;
So, because I had been buying things for my lady last night,
I was resolved to tell my money, to see if it was right.

Now, you must know, because my trunk has a very bad lock,
Therefore all the money I have, which, God knows, is a very small stock,
I keep in my pocket, tied about my middle, next to my smock.

So when I went to put up my purse, as God would have it, my smock was unripp'd,

And, instead of putting it into my pocket, down it slipp'd;
Then the bell rung, and I went down to put my lady to bed;
And, God knows, I thought my money was as safe as my maidenhead.
So, when I came up again, I found my pocket feel very light;
But when I searched, and miss'd my purse, Lord! I thought I should have sunk outright.

  1. The earls of Berkeley and of Galway.
  2. Lady Betty Berkeley, afterward Germaine.

Lord!