Well met Neighbour:
OR,
A dainty discourse betwixt Nell and Sisse,
of men that doe use their wives amisse:
Then all you good women their cases pitty,
the cause you shall heare if you list to this ditty.
To the tune of Ragged and Torne.
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WHither away good neighbour,
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what makes you to trudge so fast?
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Im going to Margeryes Labour,
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Im sent for in very great hast:
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Yet for all this your speed,
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I pray you goe softly a while,
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For I have a thing in my head
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that will hold us talking a mile:
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Heard you not lately of Hugh,
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how soundly his wife he bangd,
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He beat her black and blew
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O such a Rogue would be hangd.
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Ist possible neighbour Sisse,
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that they doe no better agree?
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Nay I have more newes then this
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of others as bad as he:
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And seeing wee both goe one way,
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weel give to our hast some scope,
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Though you from the labour doe stay
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sheel doe well enough I hope:
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Know you not Laurence the Miller,
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O he is as good as ere twangd,
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His wife sayes he threatens to kill her,
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O such a Rogue would be hangd.
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O fye on these dastardly Knaves,
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for those that will beate their wives
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They dare not with swords or staves
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meet men in the field for their lives:
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But if that my husband should
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not use mee so well as he ought;
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My hands I should hardly hold
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for ide give him as good as he brought:
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But know you not Kett the Baker
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o he is as good as ere twangd,
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Hee threatens his wife to forsake her
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O such a Rogue would be hangd.
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Why what is his reason for that?
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in troth neighbour I doe not know,
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But when hees as drunke as a Rat,
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then sheel act the part of a shrow:
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Tush, thats such a catching disease
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few women their silence can keepe,
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Let every one say what they please
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but a shrews better then a sheepe:
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But know you not Ralph the plummer,
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I hee is as good as ere twangd:
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He walkes with a wench every summer
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O such a Rogue would be hangd.
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What does his poore wife the meane while?
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at home she doth sadly remaine,
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And at his returne she will smile,
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and lovingly him entertaine:
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In troth then he serves her but right,
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but if that it were my case,
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The wench that hee kept but one night,
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should goe with no nose on her face:
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But know you not Sam the Turner,
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o hee is as good as ere twangd,
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He throws his wife ith fire to burn her
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O such a Rogue would be hangd.
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The second part, To the same tune.
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I Pray you how happened that,
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what should be the cause of this strife?
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A man brought a new Beaver hat,
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unto his next neighbours wife,
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And she spoke unto her good man,
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to buy such another for her,
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Which made him to curse and to ban,
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and thus began all the stir.
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But know you not Franke the Glover,
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o he is as good as ere twangd,
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His wife sayes he doth not love her,
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O such a Rogue would be hangd.
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But what doe you thinkes the occasion
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that separates them in affection?
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Hees led by a queanes perswasion
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to bring his poore wife in subjection,
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Should my good man use me thus
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Ide feritt both him and his minion,
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To love them that love not us
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is folly in my opinion:
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But know you not Ned the painter?
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o he is as good as ere twangd,
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Hee[]s turnd a great Tavern haunter
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O such a Rogue would be hangd.
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This seemes a great wonder to mee,
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and a thing which I hardly can think
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For lately so strict was he,
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that you hardly could get him to drink
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Tush, thats a thing commonly seene,
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theres many that seeme so civill:
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In a place convenient have beene
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as bad as whos most evill:
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But know you not Stephen the weaver
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o he is as good as ere twangd,
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Has deceivd my maide, now heel leave her
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O such a Rogue would be hangd.
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Why neighbour I hope you but jest,
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has he your maid Nan beguild?
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Tis true neighbour Nell I protest,
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and I doubt now she will run wild:
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Tis pitty that maids are so kind
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to trust them that are so fickle,
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For now you may well understand,
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she is left in a very bad pickle:
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But know you not George the felmon-ger
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o he is as good as ere twangd,
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He let his first wife dye for hunger,
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O such a Rogue would be hangd.
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In sadnesse neighbour Sisse
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you have made me my time oreslip,
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If Margery should doe amisse
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twould make mee to bite my lip:
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And therefore in hast farewell,
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o Margery now I come,
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Adiew sweet neighbour Nell,
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hush, say no more but mum.
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For staying from Madge tis true,
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I confesse I deserve to be bangd:
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And this is all long of Hugh,
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O such a Rogue would be hangd.
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