A Penny-worth of good Counsell.
To Widdowes, and to Maides,
this Counsell I send free;
And let them looke before they leape,
or, that they married bee.
To the tune of
Dulcima.
OF late it was my chance to walke
for recreation in the Spring,
Where as the fethered Quiristers,
melodiously aloud did sing;
and at that tide,
I there espide,
A woman faire, her hands sate wringing;
shée wept apace,
and cry'd▪ alas;
My Husband hath no fore-cast in him.
Quoth she, when as I was a Mayden,
I had store of Suters brave,
And I most coyly did reject them,
to take the man that now I have;
but woe is me,
that ere I sée
The face of him, makes me thus singing,
most heavily
I sing, and cry,
My Husband hath no fore-cast in him.
His flattering tongue it did bewitch me,
faire promises to me he gave.
And said I should have all things plenty,
but no such thing I'm sure I have;
his purse is light,
nothing is right,
Although a portion I did bring him;
aye me poore soule,
thus to condole,
My Husband hath no fore-cast in him.
Hée's not the man I tooke him for,
alas, who would be so much tyde?
I tell you friends now seriously,
my Husband he doth nought but chide:
his lookes are sowre,
and he doth lowre;
For Nature no good parts hath gi'n him:
For which I grieve,
You may believe,
My Husband hath no fore-cast in him.
When as he was a Batcheler.
then who but he amongst the Maids?
He went most neat in his apparell;
but now I finde his glory fades:
so spruce he went,
would give content,
To any Maiden that could win him,
hée'd dance, and sing,
wrestle and ring;
But now he hath no fore-cast in him.
Some Men vnto their Wives are loving,
and all content to them doe give;
But mine is lumpish sad and heavy,
which is the cause wherefore I grieve:
if I prove kind,
some fault hée'l finde,
And sayes he knowes where his shooe wrings him;
in darke, or light,
by day or night,
My Husband hath no fore-cast in him.
The second Part,
To the same tune.
HE kéepes me short of every thing,
no money he will give or lend;
'Tis fitting sometimes that a woman
should with a friend some money spend:
I must sit héere,
with heavy chéere,
Although that I did something bring him;
which makes me thus
to cry, alas,
My Husband hath no fore-cast in him.
He doth not use me like a Woman,
and doth not care what clothes I have.
When other mens wives weare each fashion,
and are maintained rich and brave:
thus to the wall,
I may condole,
Although that this same song I sing him:
some counsell give,
me to relieve;
My Husband hath no fore-cast in him.
Eringo-roots I doe provide him.
which Cawdles made of Muscadine,
Yea, Marrow-bones and Oyster-pyes,
which all are dishes good and fine:
and Lobsters great,
for him to eat,
And yolks of Eggs; these have I gin him:
doe what I can,
yet this same man
By no meanes will have fore-cast in him.
He will not have me goe abroad,
yet seldome is himselfe at home;
He saith that I must be a House-dove,
I must not flye abroad and come:
when other Wives,
doe lead brave lives,
They'l goe to Playes, heare Fidlers singing,
and spend their Coyne,
at Ale or Wine;
My Husband hath no fore-cast in him.
Thus like the Turtle I sit mourning,
because I have an unkind Mate;
And fickle Fortune on me frowneth,
it is my destiny and fate:
I hope hée'l mend,
and be more kinde,
With swéet embraces I will cling him;
Ile speake him faire
to have more care;
That he may have more fore-cast in him.
But if I sée hee will not mend,
come tell me Widdow, Maid, or Wife;
What shall I doe in this same woe?
for I am weary of this life:
my tongue Ile tune,
It shall chime noone,
And in his eares a peale Ile ring him;
I am put too't
and I will doo't,
Because he hath no fore-cast in him.
M. P.
FINIS.