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