Upon my word, said Mistris Bounce-about, it is an excellent help when men understand their travelling upon such sort of roads.  It hapned to me once that some Gentlewomen were merry with me somewhat late in the evening; and because I had had several Symptoms of Labour, said this, Mistris Bounce-about, if you would now take a walk to the Parsley bed, we would help you very bravely; but neither wind nor weather was serviceable at that time.  But they had hardly been gone an hour, and being in bed with my husband, and he very fast asleep; before there begun such an alteration of the weather; that my husband must up with all speed, who wakened the Maid, and sent her for the Midwife laying on fire himself in all hast; yet do all what they could, within less then a quarter of an hour, and that without any bodies help but my husbands, my journy was performed; but things were done with such a confusion; that he received the child in the Christning cloath instead of the Blanket.

And a thousand more such stories as these are ript up; that would burthen the strongest memory to bear them:  and so much the more, because it is impossible to distinguish one from the t’other, when the men and the women that gabble so one among another.  And oft-times they spin such course threads of bawdery in their talk, that are enough to spoil a whole web of linnen.  And who can tell but that their tattling would last a whole night, for there’s hardly one of them who hath not at the least a hundred in their Budgets; but because it is high time that either the Dry or Wet-Nurse must go to swathe the child, they begin to break off and shorten their prittle-prattle.

Now young Father, do but observe what fine airy complements will be presented to you at their parting.  Every one thanks you for your kind and cordial entertainment, and not one of them forgets to wish that you may the next year either have a Daughter to your Son, or a Son to your Daughter; imagining then that all things is well, when you receive such a full crop:  But I am most apt to beleeve that all their wishes aim at the But of coming next year again to the Gossips Feast, to toss up the Gossips-bowl, and in telling of a bobbinjo story they peep into all nooks and corners.

Well, O new Father, this Pleasure begins to come to a conclusion; but prithee tell me, would not a body wish for the getting of such another, that his Wife might make a journy to the Parsly-bed twice a year?

Now Nurse have at you; you shall now reap the fruit of all your running and going early & late to invite them.  Oh thinks she by her self, would but every shilling change it self into a crown-peece.  But Nurse you’l hardly be troubled with a fit of that yellow Jaundies sickness, for there’s no drug at the Apothecaries, nor any lice among the Beggars that can cure you of it.  And I dare say Nurse, that you’l go nigh to perceive that its a very hard time, and mony mighty scarce:  because formerly