%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> Halfe a dozen of good VVives. / All for a penny. / Kind Cozens or Country-men what ere you be, / If you want a good penny-worth, come buy it of me, / Sixe Wives for a penny, a young one or old, / A cleanely good huswife, a Slut or a Scold. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1624-1624 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/19/2011 30096

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

S102210 6 UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN The cleane contraryway Clean Contrary Way, The The Cleane Contraryway the same Tune Clean Contrary Way, The The Same Tune IF any standers by / that leads a single life, BUt yet she had skill in spinning, / with her the world runs on wheeles: For in my time I have / made proofe of half a dozen, / And if thou hast a mind unto't, / come take one honest Cozen, / oh come take her honest Cozen. [with variation] Oh this was my good wife, / the best of the halfe dozen, And if th'art wearie of a single life, / then take her honest cosen, / oh then take her honest cosen. [with variation] Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 152 1: 153 Halfe a dozen of good VVives. / All for a penny. / Kind Cozens or Country-men what ere you be, / If you want a good penny-worth, come buy it of me, / Sixe Wives for a penny, a young one or old, / A cleanely good huswife, a Slut or a Scold. Halfe a dozen of good Wives. All for a penny. Kind Cozens or Country-men what ere you be, If you want a good penny-worth, come buy it of me, Sixe Wives for a penny, a young one or old, A cleanely good huswife, a Slut or a Scold. Half a dozen of good Wives. All for a penny. Kind Cozens or Country-men what ere you be, If you want a good pennyworth, come buy it of me, Six Wives for a penny, a young one or old, A cleanly good housewife, a Slut or a Scold. 1624-1624 F.C.

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic The New World travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/ crass humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 4/19/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America gender marriage Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/19/2011 11:58:04 AM XBallad Meyer, Shannon Created XML Version of Ballad 4/19/2011 11:58:04 AM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/19/2011 11:58:04 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Zusky, Catherine Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/19/2011 11:58:04 AM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/19/2011 11:58:04 AM Transcriptionist One Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 9/8/2010 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 9/8/2010 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 9/8/2010 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 7/7/2008 Bibliographer Giles Bergel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 4/18/2011 Transcriber Becker, Charlotte Created Ballad XML 4/18/2011 Transcriber Meyer, Shannon Created Ballad XML 4/18/2011 Double-Key Transcription Merger Zusky, Catherine Created Ballad XML 4/18/2011 Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Created Ballad XML 4/18/2011 XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created Ballad XML 4/15/2011 Transcriber Becker, Charlotte Created Ballad XML 4/15/2011 Transcriber Meyer, Shannon Created Ballad XML 4/15/2011 Double-Key Transcription Merger Zusky, Catherine Created Ballad XML 4/15/2011 Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Created Ballad XML 4/15/2011 XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created Ballad XML 11/5/2008 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/19/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Halfe a dozen of good Wives.</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">All for a penny.</hi></hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Kind Cozens or Country-men what ere you be,</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">If you want a good penny-worth, come buy it of me,</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Sixe Wives for a penny, a young one or old,</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">A cleanely good huswife, a Slut or a Scold.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="7" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the tune of, <hi rend="bold">The cleane contraryway.</hi></hi></seg>
IF any standers by that leads a single life, Desirous be of marriage, and faine would have a Wife, Unto the signe of Fortune, let him forthwith repaire, And either she or I will helpe such customers to ware; For in my time I have made proofe of halfe a dozen, And if thou hast a mind untot, come take one honest Cozen, oh come take her honest Cozen. The first of all my Wives did prove so crosse a Dame. What ere I said she still would doe contrary to the same, She is so obstinate, that she must have her will. And let me doe the best I can, she will be Master still: Oh this was my good Wife, the best, etc. Besides all these good parts, shas humours five or sixe, Though I please her nere so well at home, shel play the meretrixe, For if my backe be turnd, abroad she straight must gad, And to be briefe she is so crosse, as I am ene horne-mad: O this was my first Wife, the best, etc.
The second wife I had, was not so light as she, But yet she had I speake to her praise, as rare a quality. A thrifty Dame she was, which provd her greatest fault, She let the Maggots crawle ith meat, to save the charge of Salt: Oh this was my good Wife, the best of the halfe dozen, etc. And when she went to Market, good penny worths she bought, The cheapst she laid her hands upon, she alwayes with her brought, But if that I dislikd what she had done that day, Sheed keepe the best untill it stunke, and throw the rest away: O this was my good Wife, the best, etc. The third was some what cleanely, but yet a drunken Sot, Sheed pawne all things for Ale and Beere, what ever she had got, Shee scarce would leave a smocke, or shooe unto her foot, But at the Alehouse all these went, and some what else to boot: O this was my good Wife, the best of the halfe dozen, And if thourt weary of a single life, Then take her honest Cozen, O then take her honest Cozen.
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The second part. To the same Tune.</hi></seg>
BUt yet she had skill in spinning, with her the world runs on wheeles: On any ground where ere she comes, she cannot stand, but reeles: And yet but once a weeke with drinke shees overtaine, Which lasteth still from Sunday night, till Sunday come againe. Oh this was my good wife, the best of the halfe dozen, And if thart wearie of a single life, then take her honest cosen, oh then take her honest cosen. The fourth good Wife of mine was wondrous carefull bent, She had a care of the maine-chance, to see how all things went: She never would be quiet, if from her sight I were, For feare lest I should spend it all, and she not have a share. Oh this was my good wife, the best, etc. And if unto a Taverne without her I had gone, She would be there as soone as I, Oh twas a loving one. And for my ill husbandry sheed keepe a pittious coyle, And call me Rogue and Cuckold too: but what was she the while? I thinke one of my Aunts, the best, etc. The fifth was a good old woman, and had great care of mee: How could she chuse? for by her age she might my Grandham bee,
And though I say it my selfe, she stood me in great stead, I durst trust her in any place, and never feare my head: O this was one of my wives, the best, etc. Yet if I chancd to kisse, or on a young wench lookt; You would not thinke poore harmles soule, how pitiously she tookt: For often times shed blame me, that I abroad should rome, And love another, when I had, so good a piece at home: O this was my good wife, the best, etc. But oh the last of all, she had an excellent tongue, Which is the rarest property, that does to a woman belong: And if I had but vext her, she usd her tongue so well, As when she to the purpose spake, it sounded like a Bell: O this was my good Wife, the best, etc. She was so good a wife, I must praise her againe; For she excelled all the Scolds, that dwell in Turne-agen Lane: I speake as I have felt her, for shee bangd me once so sore, As I have vowd ere since that time, never to marry more. But here doe leave my wives, in number halfe a dozen, And for a penny will sell all, then take them honest cozen, oh then take them honest cozen. And now good women all, whosoever heares this Song, I doe no private person taxe, to doe them any wrong. But if you take exceptions, the thorne you know will pricke, And if you touch a galld Horse backe, the Proverbe sayes heel kicke. For I make mention of no lesse than halfe a dozen: Then whosoere is angry now, will prove my honest cozen, oh will prove my honest cozen.
FINIS. Printed at London for F.C. dwelling in the Old-Bayly.