... or A merry discourse, twixt him and his Joane that sometimes did live as never did none, but now at the last she proves very kinde, and doth what heed have her, as here you may finde. To three severall tunes, called, But I know what I know, Captaine Ward, and Gilty Coate Peggy. — Merry discourse, twixt him and his Joane.

Author: E. F. (Edward Ford), fl. 1630?-1660.1640

[...] OR

A merry discourse, twixt him and his 
Joane,
That sometimes did live as never did none,
But now at the last she proves very kinde,
And doth what heed have her, as here you may finde.

To three severall tunes, called, But I know what I know, Captaine Ward, and Gilty Coate Peggy.

[figure]

The Tune, but I know, &c.

Man.

[...]Ome Jo [...] by thy owne déerest husband sit downe

And cast [...]ay from thée this impudent frowne,

know I [...] [...]ove thée as déere as I doe,

[...]e with a [...]aylor that's honest and true.

Woman.

[...]y thou diss [...]bling varlot away,

[...] leave this th [...] prating and cogging, I say,

[...] whilst like a drunkard thou thus dost remaine

[...] [...]er, shall lov [...] thée, I tell thee againe.

Captaine Ward.
Man.

 [...] wife what would'st thou have me doe

 [...]ore then I now have done,

 [...] not I pawn
 [...] my cloathes for thée,

 [...] likewise soul
 [...] my shune,

 [...] my shirt in lavender,

 [...] cloake is likewise sould:

 [...]ost thou 
Joane for all this love,

 [...]in with 
Jacke to scould.
Woman.
Why, thou deboist and drunken sot,
did'st doe all this for me,
Or for the love you alwayes bare,
to evill company?
And therefore hold thy selfe content,
and leave this idle prate,
Or as I am thy honest wife,
Ile lay thee o're the pate.

Gilty Coate Peggy.

Man.

Come chucke no more of this, but sit thee downe by me,

And then what is amisse, Ile mend in verity,

My money I will save out of the Cup and Can,

And kéepe thée fine and brave, as I am an honest man:

Then chide no more my déere, but all my faults remit,

And then as I am here, Ile mend my drunken fit.

Woman.

How many times hast thou this promised unto me,

And yet hast broke thy vow the more's the shame for thée

And therefore Ile be wise, and take your word no more,

But scratch out both your eyes if you goe out of dore;

And therefore sit you still and stirre not for your life,

I once will have my will, although I am your wife,

[Page]

The second part,

to the same tunes.

But I know what, &c.

Man.

WEll, do what thou wilt, I am thine at command,

But let not my neighbours of this understand;

For that if thou dost, I know it will be

A shame to thy selfe, disgrace unto me.

Woman.

No matter for that, Ile make you to know,

What 'tis for to iniure a loving wife so,

In pawning her goods, and making her be,

A scorne to her neighbours, and all long of thée.

Captaine, &c.
Man.
Come 
Joane, be satisfied I pray,
forgive me what is past,
And I will thée never offend,
whilst life and breath doth last:
My pots and my Tobacco too,
Ile turne, for to be briefe,
Into a dainty house-hold loafe,
and lusty powder-beefe.
Woman.
Well, if I thought all this were true,
and that thou didst intend
To doe as thou relates to me,
I then should be thy friend;
But I am 
Jacke so fearefull growne,
of thy relaps againe,
That I can little credite give,
to what you now maintaine.

Gilty Coate Peggy, &c.

Man.

Here's my hand swéet Ducke, what I have said to thée,

Ile kéepe, if I have lucke▪ till such time that I dye,

And fore that I am dead my love I will unfold

To helpe thee in thy néed, if that thou wilt not scould,

I will not cossened be, I tell thée gentle Joane,

But I will bring to thée my shéete, and Ile have none.

Woman.

Why then swéet-heart forgive the words that I have said,

For surely while I live, Ile never thee upbraid,

I will not scould nor brawle, but keepe my clapper still

And come when thou dost call do all things to thy will,

Then Jacke, forgive thy Joane, that is to thee so kinde,

Or else as hard as stone I surely shall thee finde.

But I know, &c.

Man.

Why, here is my hand, I am pacified Joane,

And as I will live with thée never lived none,

Then be but as kind as I carefull to thee,

And then none new married shall better agree,

For thou with thy Kitchin-stuffe I with my toyes

My Hammer and Kittle, will make such a noyse,

That all that does heare me shall tell it for true,

I mend well their worke and pleasure um too.

Captaine, &c.

Woman.

Then Jacke take up thy budget straight,

thy kettles brasse enough,

And I will follow thee and cry.

Maides have you any Kitchin-stuffe;

And then the neighbours séeing us

so fri [...]ndly for to goe▪

Will say that they are loving growne,

who thought it would be so.

Gilty Coate, &c.

Man.

Then to the Ale-house we will go with mighty spéed

And seale up presently what we h [...]ve now decreed,

A full pot of the best, a crust, and so away,

And then we will protest we can no longer stay:

This is a thriving course, if I do not mistake,

I am sure I have done worse but now amends Ile m [...]

Woman.

Well say no more, swéet-heart but let us both away

For friends you know must part, t [...]ough ne're so lon [...]

Go thou through Canon-stréet. Ile take the laines a [...]

And then at night we'le méet at home for ought we kn [...]

But if I be not Jacke, at home so soone as you,

It shall but little lacke: and so swéet-heart adieu.

But I know, &c.

And thus you have heard an end of my song,
Which I would be loath that any should wrong,
But if that you do, I tell you but so,
I little will say, but I know what I know.

FINIS.

Ed. Ford.

Printed at London for F. Coules.

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