Halfe a dozen of good Wives.
All for a penny.
Kind Cozens or Country-men what ere you be,
If you want a good penny-worth, come buy it of me,
Sixe Wives for a penny a young one or old,
A cleanely good huswife, a Slut or a Scold.
To the tune of, The cleane contraryway.
IF any standers by
that leads a single life,
Desirous be of marriage,
and faine would have a Wife,
Unto the signe of Fortune,
let him forthwith repaire,
And either she or I will helpe
such customers to ware;
For in my time I have
made proofe of halfe a dozen,
And if thou hast a mind unto't,
come take one honest Cozen,
oh come take her honest Cozen.
The first of all my Wives
did prove so crosse a Dame.
What ere I said she still would doe
contrary to the same,
She is so obstinate,
that she must have her will.
And let me doe the best I can,
she will be Master still:
Oh this was my good Wife,
the best, &c.
Besides all these good parts,
sh'as humours five or sixe,
Though I please her nere so well at home,
she'l play the meretrixe,
For if my backe be turn'd,
abroad the straight must gad,
And to be briefe she is so crosse,
as I am ene horne-mad:
O this was my first Wife,
the best, &c.
The second wife I had,
was not so light as she,
But yet she had I speake to her praise,
as rare a quality.
A thrifty Dame she was,
which prov'd her greatest fault,
She let the Maggots crawle ith' meat,
to save the charge of Salt:
Oh this was my good Wife,
the best of the halfe dozen, &c.
And when she went to Market,
good penny worth
[...] she bought,
The cheap'st she laid her hands upon,
she alwayes with her brought,
But if that I dislik'd
what she had done that day,
Shée'd kéepe the best untill it stunke,
and thr
[...]w the rest away:
O this was my good Wife,
the best, &c.
The third was some what cleanely,
but yet a drunken Sot,
Shée'd pawne all th
[...]ngs for Ale and Béere,
what ever she had got,
Shée scarce would leave a smocke,
or shooe unto her foot,
But at the Alehouse all these went
and some what else to boot:
O this was my good Wife,
the best of the halfe dozen,
And if thou'rt weary of a single life,
Then take her honest Cozen.
O then take her honest Cozen.
The second part. To the same Tune.
BUt yet she had skill in spinning,
with her the world runs on whéeles:
On any ground where ere she comes,
she cannot stand, but réeles:
And yet but once a wéeke
with drinke shée's overtaine,
Which lasteth still from Sunday night,
till Sunday come againe.
Oh this was my good wife,
the best of the halfe dozen,
And if th'art wearie of a single life,
then take her honest cosen,
oh then take her honest cosen.
The fourth good Wife of mine
was wondrous carefull
[...]ent,
She had a care of the maine-chance,
to sée how all things went:
She never would be quiet,
if from her sight I were,
For feare lest I should spend it all,
and she not have a share.
Oh this was my good wife,
the best, &c.
And if unto a Taverne
without her I had gone,
She would be there as soone as I,
Oh 'twas a loving one.
And for my ill husbandry
shée'd keepe a pittious
[...]o
[...]le,
And call me Rogue and Cuckold too:
but what was she the while?
I thinke one of my A
[...],
the best, &c.
The fifth was a good old woman,
and had great care of mée:
Now could she
[...] for by her age
she might my
[...] bée.
And though I say it my selfe,
she stood me in great stead,
I durst trust her in any place,
and never feare my head:
O this was one of my wives,
the best, &c.
Yet if I chanc'd to kisse,
or on a young wench looke;
You would not thinke poore harmles
[...]
how pitiously she took't:
For often times she'd blame me,
that I abroad should rome,
And love another, when I had,
so good a piece at home:
O this was my good wife,
the best, &c.
But oh the last of all,
she had an excellent tongue,
Which is the rarest property,
that does to a woman belong;
And if I had but vext her,
she us'd her tongue so well,
As when she to the purpose spake,
it sounded like a Bell:
O this was my good Wife,
the best, &c.
She was so good a wife,
I must praise her againe:
For she excelled all the Scolds,
that dwell in Turne-agen Lane
[...]
I speake as I have felt her,
for thée bang'd me once so sore,
As I have vow'd ere since that ti
[...]
never to marry more.
But here doe leave my wives,
in number halfe a dozen,
And for a penny will sell all,
then take them honest cozen,
oh then take them honest cozen.
And now good women all,
whosoever heares this Song,
I doe no private person taxe,
to doe them any wrong.
But if you take exceptions,
the thorne you know will pricke,
And if you touch a gall'd Horse bac
[...]e,
the Proverbe sayes hee'l kicke.
For I make mention of
no lesse than halfe a dozen:
Then whosoere is angry now,
will prove my honest cozen,
oh will prove my honest cozen.
FINIS.
Printed at London for F. C. dwel [...] in the Old-Bayly.