Hold your hands honest Men,
FOR
Heres a good wife hath a Husband that likes her,
In every respect, but onely he strikes her,
Then if you desire to be held men compleat,
What ever you doe your wives doe not beat.
To the tune of, Keepe a good tongue etc.
|
I Have as compleat a man,
|
as any poore woman can,
|
He makes my heart to leap,
|
His company to keepe,
|
it comforts me now and than:Theres few exercises,
|
That man enterprises,
|
but he well understands,
|
Yet like a dart,
|
He wounds my heart,
|
I for my part,
|
Must beare the smart
|
For he cannot rule his hands.
|
His body is straight and tall,
|
proportioned well withall,
|
You may admire at him,
|
To see how every limbe,
|
doth in a due order stand:
|
In every respect,
|
Hees void of defect,
|
his legs are straight as wands,
|
His back is strong,
|
His armes are long,
|
Hees fresh and yong,
|
Theres nothing wrong,
|
If he could but rule his hands.
|
He hath a grave aspect,
|
his forehead heel seldome deject
|
His eyes cleere and bright,
|
Like stars doe give a light,
|
not squinting but just direct,
|
His haires very big,
|
Like a Perywig,
|
in comely sort it stands,
|
So curiously,
|
It passeth my
|
Capacity
|
To specifie
|
O that he could rule his hands.
|
For his activity
|
all love his company
|
Hees nimble and quick,
|
Performing many a trick,
|
which other men dare not try.
|
To vault ore a table,
|
Few men are so able,
|
his joynts he so well commands
|
None in this towne
|
Can put him down,
|
His great renowne
|
should be my crown
|
If that he could rule his hands.
|
Heel bravely pitch the Bar,
|
I neare knew none so far,
|
For throwing the stone
|
Hees equald by none,
|
which many times breeds a jar
|
But if they will quarrel,
|
Tis at their owne perill,
|
for he on his credit stands,
|
The proudest he
|
What ere he be,
|
Hee makes him flee,
|
But woe is me,
|
he cannot rule his hands.
|
|
|
|
|
The second part, To the same tune.
|
HEel wrastle with the best
|
thats either for north or west
|
When he comes ith field
|
The stoutest will yeeld,
|
for he exceeds all the rest:For leaping and running,
|
His wonderfull cunning,
|
is spread through divers lands,
|
Heel dance, heel sing,
|
With art heel ring,
|
Yet for nothing
|
Heel throw and fling,
|
and cannot rule his hands.
|
Hees learnd in many arts,
|
he traveld in many parts,
|
His pleasant discourse
|
Makes many perforce,
|
to yeild to him their hearts,
|
He is no way vicious,
|
Hees very judicious,
|
and many things understands,
|
I dare to tell
|
He loves me well,
|
If drinke him quel
|
Hees fierce and fel,
|
and cannot rule his hands.
|
For Martiall discipline,
|
whose Husband passeth mine
|
Im proud in good troth,
|
To see how he doth
|
like Mars in his armour shine,
|
He tosseth a Pike,
|
You nere saw the like,
|
he learnd it ith Nether-lands
|
For Musket shot,
|
His equalls not,
|
Alas God wot,
|
Hees too too hot,
|
and cannot rule his hands.
|
Heel draw the long bow as wel
|
as ever did Adam Bell,
|
Theres no man of strength,
|
Exceeds him in length,
|
as all that know him can tel.
|
I speake without lying,
|
Heel hit a bird flying,
|
and shoot through hazle wands
|
But few men dare
|
With him compare,
|
I would not care,
|
So me heed spare,
|
on whom he did use his hands.
|
As he is wel qualifide,
|
which no way can be denide,
|
So I with my heart,
|
Doe honor his desart,
|
he hath my affection tyd:Though sometimes I speake,
|
My sex being weake,
|
a man that understands
|
So much as he,
|
Should patient be,
|
And beare with me,
|
How well were we
|
if he could but rule his hands.
|
|
|
|
|