The Lamentation of a new married man, briefely declaring the sorrow and grief that comes by marrying a young wanton wife
To the tune of, Where is my true Loue,
YOu Batchelors that braue it
So gallant in the stréet,
With Muske & with Rose water,
Smelling all so sweet:
With shooes of Spanish leather,
So f [...]a [...]ely to your feet,
Behold me a married man.
Before that I was wedded,
I liued in delight,
I went unto the dancing schoole,
I learnd at Fence to fight:
With twenty other pleasures,
That now are banisht quite,
I being a &c.
When I liued single,
I knew no cause of strife,
I had my heart in quiet,
I led a pleasant life-
But now my chiefest study
Is how to please my Wife,
I being a married man.
Quoth she, You do not loue me,
To leaue me all alone,
You must goe a gadding,
And I must bide at home,
While you among your minions,
Spend more then is your owne:
This life leads a &c.
Do you think to keep me
So like a drudge each day,
To toile and moile so sadly
And lame me euery way?
Ile haue a Maid, by Lady,
Shall work while I do play,
This life &c,
Then must I giue attendance
Upon my Mistris heeles,
I must wait before her,
While she doth walk the Fields,
Shee [...]l eat no meat but Lobsters,
And pretty Girgs and Eeles,
This life &c
Then must I get her Cherries,
And dainty Rathern Peares,
And then longs for Codlings,
She breedeth Childe she sweares
When God knowes tis a cushion
That she about her beares,
This life &c.
She must haue Rabbet suckers,
Without spot or specke,
I must buy her Pescods
At sixteen groats the Pecke
She must haue Egs & white wine
To wash her face and neck:
This life &c.
If once to passe it commeth,
That she is brought to bed,
Why then with many dainties
She must be dayly fed,
A hundred toyes and trifles
Comes then within her head:
This life &c.
Against that she is churched,
A new Gowne she must haue:
A daintie fine Rebato
About her neck so braue:
Frēch bōdies, with a Farthingale
She neuer linnes to craue
This life &c.
Abroad among her Gossips
Then must she daily go:
Requesting of this fauour
A man must not say no,
Lest that an unkinde [...]uarrell
About this matter grow
This life &c.
To offerings and to Wedings:
Abroad that she must prance,
Whereas with lusty youngsters
This gallant dame must dance:
Her husband must say nothing,
What hap soeuer chance:
This life &c.
And then there is no remedy,
She must go to a play,
To purge abounding Choller,
And driue sad dumps away:
She tarries out till midnight,
She sweates she will not stay,
This life &c.
When home at last she commeth,
To bed she gets her soone,
And there she sleeps full soundly,
Till the next day at noon,
Then must she eat a Cawdle
With a siluer spoone
This life &c.
Therefore my friends be warned,
You that unwedded be,
The troubles of a married man
You do most plainly see,
Who likes not of his liuing,
Would he would change with me,
That now am a &c.
Where I was wont full often
Good companie to keepe.
Now I must rocke the Cradle,
And hush the childe asleep,
I had no time nor leasure
Out of my doores to peep.
Since I was a married man,
The Second part. To the same Tune.
An answer sent to the young married man.
Written most friendly by his gentle Wife Nan.
ALacke wherefore lament you,
your happy wedded state:
Therein you shew great folly,
repentance come to late
To make your self a mocking stock
with euery scoffing mate
Now you are a married yoūg mā.
In youth, do well remember,
Your minde was all on pride:
Deceiuing sport and pleasure,
Your lauish thoughts did guide,
'Tis time such foolish fancies
should now be laid aside,
Now you are &c,
When you liued single,
Your time, you vainely spent:
Unto unlawfull pastime.
Your youngling wits were bent
But now you must learn wisedōe,
discredit to preuent,
Sith you are &c,
An alas to estimation,
Longs to a single life,
What were you but skip Iacke,
Before you had a wife,
A ma [...]e for euery madcap,
a stirrer up of strife,
Till you were &c,
A Wife hath won you credit,
A Wife makes you esteem'd
An honest man through marriage
Now are you surely deem [...]d.
And you shall finde at all times;
A wife your dearest friend,
Now you are &c.
Then is it right and reason,
Your wife should pleased be,
It is a happy houshold
Where couples do agree,
It hath delight the Angels,
such Concord for to see,
Then blest is the &c.
If I do blame your gadding
It is for loue, be sure,
Bad company doth alwaies
Ill counsell still procure
The man that will be thrifty,
must at his worke endure,
While he is &c.
This works his commendations
Amongst the very best.
The chiefe men of the Parish,
his quaintance will request,
And then he shall be called
To office with the rest
When he is a &c.
He shall be made a Head [...]orough
Unto his credit great,
At what time all the neighbours,
His friendship will entreat,
And then it is most decent,
he should goe fine and neat.
UUhē he is a married yoūg mā,
Then bareheaded unto him,
A number daily flocks:
To help him by his office,
from many stumbling blocks:
Then comes he to be Constable,
and set knaues in the stocks:
Thus riseth a &c.
His wife shall then be seated
in Church at her desire,
Her husband he is sideman,
and sits within the Quire,
Then he is made Churchwarden
and placed somewhat hier,
Great ioy to a &c.
Then seeing all this credit
by marriage you do finde,
Unto your wife tis reason,
you should be good and kinde
And sometimes wait upon her
according to her minde
As best fits a &c.
If friendly you go with her
to walke out of the Towne,
Why thē you may haue pleasure.
to giue her a green Gowne.
To haue so great a fauour,
some m [...] would giue a crowne
UUhich [...] &c.
As for the Peares and Apples,
you giue me in the stréet.
The Cherries or the Codlings,
for prety women meet,
At night I giue you kindely
a thousand kisses sweet
Great ioy to a &c.
A hundred other pleasures.
I do you then beside,
In bringing forth your Children
great sorrow I doe bide.
For twentie Gownes & Kirtles,
the like would not be tride,
By any fine young married men.
Why should your scorn the Cradle
I tell you sir most plaine,
There is not any pleasure.
but sometimes breedeth paine,
If you will not be troubled.
why then good sir refraine
to play like a married young man
FINIS.