A dainty new Dialogue between HENRY and ELIZABETH. Being the good Wives Vindication, and the bad Husbands Reformation.
This new composed gallant Ditty, is to be sung in Town and City.
This Ballad is both compriz'd and penn'd
To teach bad Husbands how their lives to mend:
All you good Wives, the which bad Husbands have,
For your own good, let me this favour crave,
One Penny on this Ditty to bestow,
And carry it to your Husbands for to show;
It may in time make you twice over glad,
When as you see him good that was so bad.
The Tune is, The Tyrant.
Bess.
COme hither sweet Husband
and listen to me,
Thou know'st I have alwayes
been faithful to thée;
A noble minde to thée,
I ever did carry,
Since first I came acquainted
with my loving Harry:
Moreover thou know'st,
I lov'd of my life,
To keep thée alive,
since thou mad'st me thy Wife.
Harry.
Me thinks Bess your tongue runs
a little too large,
That you should lay such
bitter things to my charge;
As to say that my life,
you did preserve and save,
Or else I had been dead,
and so laid in my grave;
Pray tell me the reason,
why you did say so,
That people may hear it,
before we do go.
Bess.
Then in the first place,
I will tell thée my mind;
To me and my Children,
thou hast been unkind:
And what should have serv'd us.
at home to maintain,
Thou hast in the Alehouse
wasted in vain:
Amongst merry fellows,
and such as thou art,
Whilest I sat at home
with a sorrowful heart,
Harry.
Why, this of a truth Bess
is far and near known,
I never spént any mans
Goods, but mine own;
Nor are they alive,
that of me can say,
That I have took from them
one penny away:
I never did stranger,
nor neighbour no wrong,
With thought of my heart,
or with word of my tongue.
Bess.
In spending thy own Goods,
thou also spend'st mine,
Which has done much injury
to thee and mine;
Thou hast pawn'd our best clothes
when thou money didst lack,
The Cloak from thy shoulders,
and the Gown from my back:
Thou hast spent all thy money
thou getst, in excess,
In Dicing and Drabbing,
and foul Drunkenness.
Harry.
Indeed it is true, I have
sometimes been drunk,
Amongst honest good fellows,
but I never lov'd Punk
Though my credit be crackt,
and my Garments be poor,
It came not with spending
my means on a Whore:
Therefore speak the best,
and the worst that you can,
I have been, and will be
a true honest man.
Bess.
WHen as in the Counter
for Dept thou did'st lye,
Thy friends all forsook thee,
save onely I;
Thou know'st I took pains,
and did every day strive,
To comfort my Harry,
and keep him alive:
And now let the world judge
between you and me,
If I was not faithful
and honest to thee.
Harry.
VVhy now loving VVife,
I am forc'd to confess,
VVhen I was in prison,
in woe and distress;
Thou didst work to maintain me
like a true hearted VVife,
Thou wrought'st my redemption
and so sav'd my life:
And now demand of me
what ever thou will,
Ile do my endeavour,
thy mind to fulfill.
Bess.
Then thus I would have thee,
where ever you be,
Remember your Children,
and think upon me;
Look well to thy business,
take heed what you spend,
And have a care how you
do borrow or lend:
At no time be idle,
but follow thy labour,
And so thou shalt see,
God will bless thy endeavour.
Harry.
Thy counsel is good wife,
a course I will take,
All kind of good fellowship
quite to forsake;
If I by chance péep in
at the Alehouse door,
VVhen I have spent two pence,
I will spend no more:
I know this, that alewives
like Bees will suck honey;
But they shall henceforth have
but little of my money.
Bess.
Keep promise sweet Harry,
and see to thy self,
VVhen poor men spend all,
alewives get the more wealth:
But if all good fellows,
will be ruled by me,
Some alewives should not go
so fine as they be:
They should work for their liveings,
as other folks do,
Both knit, sowe, and spin,
and do other things too.
Harry.
Indeed some proud Hoastesses
wears Gay gold Rings,
Their Gowns lac'd with silver,
and other rare things;
VVhilst honest pain-takers
do travel about,
VVith the knees of their breeches
and elbows worn out:
But to conclude, Betty,
to make thee amends.
Ile be a good Husband,
let's kiss and be friends