I saw an excerpt of this "Bundling Song" in the book The Not-Quite Puritans, written in 1928 by Henry W. Lawrence. On page 30 there is an image of some of this poem with the following "Twentieth-century discretion permits the reproduction of only a small part of The Bundling Song which in the eighteenth was so instrumental in breaking up the practice." Of course, I was instantly curious and wanted to know the rest of the poem! I found this image from the American Antiquarian Society online.
Bundling Song:
Or a reproof to those young Country Women, who follow that reproachful practice, and to their Mothers
for upholding them therein.
Since bundling very much abounds,
In many parts in country towns,
No doubt but some will spurn my song,
And say I'd better hold my tongue;
But none I'm sure will take offense;
Or deem my song impertinence,
But only those who guilty be,
And plainly here their pictures see,
Some maidens say, if through the nation,
Bundling should quite go out of fashion,
Courtship would lose its sweets; and they
Could have no fun till wedding day.
If shant be so, they rage and storm,
And country girls in clusters swarm,
And fly and buz, like angry bees,
And vow they'll bundle when they please.
Some mothers, too, will plead their cause,
And give their daughters great applause,
And 'tell them, 'tis no sin nor shame,
For we, your mothers, did the same;
We hope the custom ne'er will alter,
But wish its enemies a halter.
Dissatisfaction great appear'd,
In several places where they've heard
Their preacher's bold, aloud disclaim
That bundling is a burning shame;
This too was cause of direful rout
And talk'd and told of, all about,
That ministers should disprove
Sparks, courting in a a bed of love,
So justified the custom more,
Than e'er was heard or known before.
The pulpit then it seems must yield,
And female valor take the field,
In places where there custom long
Increasing strength has grown so strong;
When mothers herein bear a sway,
And daughters joyfully obey.
And young men highly pleased, too,
Good Lord! What can't the devil do.
Can this vile practice ne'er be broke?
Is there no way to give a stroke,
To wound it or strike it dead.
And girls with sparks not go to bed?
Twill strike them more than preacher's tongue,
To let the world know what they've done,
And let it be in common fame,
Held up to view a noted shame.
Young miss if this your practice be,
I'll teach you now yourself to see:
You plead you're honest, modest too,
But such a plea will never do;
For how can modesty consist,
With shameful practice such as this?
I'll give your answer to the life:
"You don't undress like man and wife"
That is your plea, I'll freely own
But whose your bondsmen when alone,
That further rules you will not break,
And marriage liberties partake?
Some really do, as I suppose,
Upon design keep on some clothes,
And yet in truth I'm not afraid
For to describe a bundling maid;
She'll sometimes say when she lies down,
She can't be cumber'd with a gown,
And that the weather is so warm,
To take it off can be no harm:
The girl it seems had been at strift,
For widest bosom to her shift,
She gownless, when the bed they're in,
The spark, nought feels but naked skin,
But she is modest, also chaste,
While only bare from neck to waist,
And he of boasted freedom sings,
Of all above her apron strings,
And where such freedoms great are shar'd
And further freedoms feebly bar'd,
I leave for others to relate,
How long she'll keep her virgin state,
Another pretty lass we'll scan,
That loves to bundle with a man,
For many different ways they take,
Though modest rules they all will break,
Some clothes I'll keep on, she will say,
For that has always been my way,
For would I be quite naked found,
With spark in bed, for thousand pound,
But petticoats I've always said,
Were never made to wear in bed,
I'll take them off, keep on my gown,
And then I dare defy the town.
To charge me with immodesty
While I so ever cautious be.
The spark was pleased with his maide,
Of apprehension quick he said,
Her witty scheme was keen he swore,
Lying in gown open before.
Another maid when in the dark,
Going to bed with her dear spark,,
She'll tell him that 'this rather shocking,
To bundle in bed with shoes and stockings.
Nor scrupling but she's quite discreet,
Lying with naked legs and fee.
With petticoat so thin and short,
That she is scarce the fetter for't;
But you will say that I'm unfair,
That some who bundle take more care,
For some we may with truth suppose,
Bundle in bed with all their clothes,
But bundler's clothes are no defence,
Only horses push the fence;
A certain fact I'll now relate,
That's true indeed without dete.
A bundling couple went to bed,
With all their clothes from foot to head,
That the defence might seem complete,
Each one was wrapped in a sheet.
But O! This bundling's such a witch,
The man of her did catch the itch,
And so provoked was the wretch,
That she of him a bastard catch'd.
Ye bundling misses, don't you blush.
You hang pour heads and bid me hush,
If you wont' tell me how you feel,
I'll ask your sparks thy best can tell.
But it is custom you will say,
And ustom always bears the sway,
If I won't take my sparks to bed,
A laughing stock I shall be made;
A vulgar custom 'tis I own,
Admir'd by many a slut and clown,
But 'tis a method of proceading,
As much abhor'd by those of breeding.
You're welcome to the lines I've penn'd,
For they were written by a friend,
Who'll think himself quite well rewarded,
If this vile practice is discarded.
“A New bundling song: or A reproof to those young country women, who follow that reproachful practice, and to their mothers for upholding them therein,” Isaiah Thomas Broadside Ballads Project, accessed August 21, 2019, https://www.americanantiquarian.org/thomasballads/items/show/170
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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Bundling Song",
Nutfield Genealogy, posted September 3, 2019, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/09/a-bundling-song.html: accessed [access date]).
