Hadn't he seven dams to wive him?

• seven dams to wive: This and the next few lines are based on the riddling nursery rhyme "As I was going to St. Ives;"

     As I was going to St Ives
     I met a man with seven wives
     Every wife had seven sacks
     Every sack had seven cats
     Every cat had seven kits
     Kits, cats, sacks, wives.
      How many were going to St Ives?

• dam: a barrier to stop the flow of water, such as ona river
• dam: mother. woman