Broadside ballad entitled 'Contract of Enster'

Transcription

The Contract of Enster,

On July just upon the penult day,
which is the second Moneth next to May.
It is agreed and finally Contracted,
and all the Parties living yet that spake it,
Between two Graceless Persons of Renoune,
None more Infamous dwelling in the Town,
The one a silly Raggit Sutor Man,
Servitor to Thomas Ferguson who can,

Make Boots and Shoone, a Shoe maker to Craft,
he lives above the Thieves hole in the last.
The other She's no cast away nor Bissie,
but the good Daughter of old Andrew Bizie,
Thir, parties both are finally content
in one advice and Mutual consent,
To Solemnize in every point and Jott,
of Marriage the holy Band and knot,

In Face and presence of the Hally Kirk,
Because none of the two has will to work,
And when they have no will to work ye ken,
it is hy time that they were married then,
To this effect the foresaid Andrew Bizie,
has promised the Fellow with the Hissie.
An under mark and that to be well pay'd,
yea and a ---- is that it be delayed,

At Martinmass withoutten longer tarry,
or sooner if the parties please to Marrie,
And for the foresaid under mark and score,
the Silly Sutor is content therefore.
That after the Death and the decease of his Wife,
Andrew shall bruike the hail during his Life,
And is he Chance to die as pleases God,
the foresaid Sutor shall have all thats o'd.

For more Assurance they are contented that
thir presents be Insert and Regestrat,
Into our Stubborn Lords Book o're the water
or Commissar Books of St Andrews with a clatter
Or in the Books of Enster Easter or, Waster,
what Clerk in Fife can bind the Fellows faster,
To have the Force and strength of an Decreet,
of either of the Judges they think meet,

That Letters both of Doding and of Horning,
may pass hearon without all let or Scorning.
Thir presents were written the foresaid day and year,
before thir Witless Witnesses Witnessing here,
John Jocobisty in the Shaddow Shaw,
and Peter Pickthank in the Paddeck Raw
And Symon Sidebags in the Slypan Stank,
with Friar Fuck-dock in the Pryor Bank,

With diverse others honest Men well kend,
except my sell, when this Contract was Pen'd.

Ita est ego Joannes Moravius Bublicus, in Premiffis re-
quifitus, de mendato Dict Thom & Ferguson & And
drea ssie,& reliquorum Personarum. Contractan: Scri-
bere Nescian: ut asseruere Testamentum his meis Sig-
no, & Subscriptione manualibus.

John Jacobist, Witless.
Peter Pickthank Witless:
Fiar Fuckdock, Witless;
Symen Sidebags, Witless,
I my self, Witless.

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