A merry Iest of Iohn Tomson, and Iakaman his VVife:
VVhose Iealousie was justly, the cause all their strife.
To the Tune of Pegge of Ramsey.
WHen I was a Batchelour
I liu'd a merry life:
But now I am a married man,
and troubled with a wife,
I cannot doe as I haue done,
because I liue in feare:
If I goe but to Islington,
my wife is watching there.
Give me my yellow Hose againe,
give me my yellow hose:
For now my wife she watcheth me,
see yonder where she goes.
But when I was a prentice bound,
and my Indentures made:
In many faults I haue beene found,
yet neuer thus afraid.
For if I chance now by the way,
a woman for to kisse:
The rest are ready for to say,
thy wife shall know of this.
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
Thus when I come in company,
I passe my mirth in feare:
For one or other merrily,
will say my wife is there.
And then my look dooth make them laugh,
to see my wofull case:
How I stand like Iohn hold my staffe,
and dare not shew my face.
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
Then comes a handsome woman in,
and shakes me by the hand:
But how my wife she did begin,
now you shall vnderstand.
Faire dame (quoth she) why dost thou so,
he gaue his hand to me:
And thou shalt know before thou goe,
he is no man for thee.
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
Good wife (quoth she) now doe not scould,
I will doe so no more:
I thought I might haue beene so bolde,
I knowing him before,
With that my wife was almost mad,
yet many did intreat her:
And I, God knowes, was very sad,
for feare she would haue beat her.
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
Thus marriage is an enterprise,
Experience doth show:
But scolding is an exercise,
that married men doe know.
For all this while there was no blowes,
yet still their tongues was talking:
And very faine would yellow hose,
haue had her fists a walking.
Give me my yellow, &c.
In comes a neighbour of our towne,
an honest man, God woe:
And he must needes goe sit him downe,
and call in for his pot.
And said to me, I am the man,
which gaue to you your wife:
And I will doe the best I can,
to mend this wicked life.
Give me my yellow hose againe,
give me my yellow hose:
For now my wife she watcheth me,
see yonder where she goes,
The second Part,
to the same Tune.
I Gaue him thankes, and had him goe,
and so he did indeed:
And told my wife she was a shrow,
but that was more then need.
Saith he thou hast an honest man,
and one that loues thee well:
Said she you are a foole good sir,
Its more then you can tell.
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
And yet in truth he loueth me,
but many more beside:
And I may say good sir to thee,
that cannot I abide.
For though he loues me as his life,
yet now sir wot you what:
They say he loues his neighbours wife,
I pray you how like you that
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
Saith he I hope I neuer shall,
seeke fancy fond to follow:
For loue is lawfull vnto all,
except it be too yellow.
Which lyeth like the Iaundies so,
In these our womens faces:
That w [...]tch their husbands where they go,
and hunt them out in places.
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
Now comes my Neighbours wife apace,
to talke a wo [...]d or two:
My wife then meets her face to face,
and saith dame is it you,
That makes so much of my good man,
as if he were your owne?
Then clamp as closely as you can,
I know it will be knowne.
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
Now when I saw the woman gone,
I call'd my wife aside,
And said why art thou such a one,
that thou canst not abide
A woman for to talke with mée,
this is a wofull case:
That I must ke [...]pe no company,
except you be in place.
This maketh Batchelers to wooe,
so long before they wed:
Because they heare that women now,
will be their Husbands head,
And seuen yeare long I taried,
for lakaman my wife:
But now that I am married,
I am weary of my life.
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
For yellow loue is too too bad,
without all w [...]e or pollicie:
And too much loue hath made her mad,
and fill'd her full of Ielousie.
Shee thinkes I am in loue with those,
I [...]peake to passing by:
That makes her weare the yellow hose,
I gaue her for to dye.
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
But now I sée shee is so hot,
and liues so much at ease:
I will goe get a Souldiers coate,
and sayle beyond the Seas:
To s [...]rue my Captaine where and whan,
though it be to my paine:
Thus farewell gentle Iakaman,
till we two méet againe.
Giue me my yellow hose, &c.
Quoth she good husband doe not deale,
thus hardly now with me,
And of a truth I will reveale,
my cause of jealousie:
You know I alwaies paid the score,
you put me still in trust:
I saued twenty pound and more,
confesse it needes I must.
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
But now my saving of the same,
For ought that I doe know:
Made Ielousie to fixe her frame,
to weaue this web of woe:
And thus this foolish loue of mine,
was very fondly bent:
But now my gold and goods are thine,
good husband be content.
Give me my yellow hose, &c.
And thus to leade my life a new,
I finly now purpose:
That thou maist change thy coat of blew,
and I my yellow hose.
This being done our Countrey wiues
may warning take by me,
How they doe liue such jealous liues,
as I haue done with thee.
Give me my yellow hose againe,
give me my yellow hose:
For now my wise shee watcheth me,
see yonder where she goes.
M. L.
FINIS.
Imprinted at London for Edward Wright.