Squire and the Chambermaid, The

DESCRIPTION: A squire is seen kissing his chambermaid, Kitty, by the parson's wife. To save Kitty's job he takes his wife out and kisses her. The squire's wife assures the parson's wife that it was not Kitty she saw kissing the squire.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1820 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 17(120b))
LONG DESCRIPTION: A squire kisses his chambermaid, Kitty, under a mulberry tree. The parson's wife sees them and Kitty is afraid the squire's wife will hear about the kiss and fire her. The squire, thinking quickly, brings his wife out and kisses her under the mulberry tree. When the parson's wife tells her tale the wife says "'twas I that chanced to take that trip" Kitty keeps her job.
KEYWORDS: infidelity wife clergy
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Gardham-EarliestVersions, "PRETTY CHAMBERMAID, THE"
Williams-FolkSongsOfTheUpperThames, pp. 124-125, "The Squire and the Chambermaid" (1 text) (also Williams-Wiltshire-WSRO We 492)
Roud #1257
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 17(120b)[some words illegible], "The Handsome Chambermaid" ("Not far from town a country squire"), J. Pitts (London), 1802-1819; also Harding B 11(3151), Firth c.18(288), Johnson Ballads 2771, Johnson Ballads 2772, 2806 c.16*(93), "The Pretty Chambermaid"; Harding B 11(1455), Harding B 25(792)[some lines illegible], "The Handsome Chambermaid"
File: WT124

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