%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> Mans Felicity and Misery: / Which is, a good Wife and a bad: or the best and the / worst, discoursed in a Dialogue betweene / Edmund and Dauid. Parker, Martin 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 04/18/2011 30194

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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

S103582 2 I have for all good wives a Song UNKNOWN I Have for All Good Wives a Song the same tune UNKNOWN The Same Tune KInd Couzen Dauid prithee stay, / Good newes to thee I will bewray, My wife so cleanely is and neate, / She adds a goodnesse to my meate, I haue the best Wife that euer had man. [with variation] | I haue the worst Wife that euer had man. [with variation] For she's the best Wife that euer had man. [with variation] | O she's the worst Wife, &c. [with variation] Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 274 1: 275 Mans Felicity and Misery: / Which is, a good Wife and a bad: or the best and the / worst, discoursed in a Dialogue betweene / Edmund and Dauid. Mans Felicity and Misery: Which is, a good Wife and a bad: or the best and the worst, discoursed in a Dialogue betweene Edmund and Dauid. Man's Felicity and Misery: Which is, a good Wife and a bad: or the best and the worst, discoursed in a Dialogue between Edmund and David. Parker, Martin 1624-1624 Francis Groue

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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 4/18/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America family gender marriage Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/18/2011 5:18:01 PM XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created XML Version of Ballad 4/18/2011 5:18:01 PM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/18/2011 5:18:01 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Mann, Rachel Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/18/2011 5:18:01 PM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/18/2011 5:18:01 PM Transcriptionist One Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/10/2008 Bibliographer Giles Bergel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 11/24/2010 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/24/2010 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/24/2010 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/10/2008 Checker Meghan Fadel Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/27/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/27/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/27/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/27/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/27/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Mans Felicity and Misery:</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Which is, a good Wife and a bad: or the best and the</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">worst, discoursed in a Dialogue betweene</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">Edmund</hi> and <hi rend="bold">David.</hi></hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the tune of <hi rend="bold">I have for all good wives a Song.</hi></hi></seg>
Edmund. KInd Couzen David prethee stay, Good newes to thee I will bewray, Since last I saw thee I am married, Now things with me are better carryed, I dare say that which few men can, I have the best Wife that ever had man. David. I am right joyfull Couzen Ned, To heare that thou so well art sped: As thou mayst thy good fortune blesse, I may curse my unhappinesse; My torments none on earth can scan, I have the worst Wife that ever had man. Edmund. My wife for beautie beares the name, From all ith towne from whence she came, For shape she might a Lady be, And so all say that doe her see: Her middle I can easily span, O shees the best Wife that ever had man. David. My wife so lothsome is to view, She every morning makes me spew, For person shees scarce good enough To cry, maids ha ye any Kitchin-stuffe: She shineth like a Dripping pan, O shes the worst Wife that ever had man. Edmund. My wife is affable and meeke, To please my fancy she doth seeke, My humour she will never thwart, But dee my will with all her heart, We use no words but Ned and Nan, She is the best Wife that ever had man.
David. My wife is obstinate and froward, Shees sullen, peevish, and untoward; Shees glad at heart when she can finde, Occasion to molest my minde: Sheel have her will doe what I can, O shes the worst Wife that ever had man. Edmund. My wife is carefull of her charge, She never comes abroad at large, Her businesse she will nere neglect, But brings all things to good effect: Shees to her Babes a Pelican, O shees the best Wife that ever had man. David. My wife among her Gossips doth gad, As though nothing to doe she had, The children goe undrest all day, Unlesse I put on their array: Ime faine to make what shift I can, For shes the worst wife that ever had man. Edmund. My wifes for constant chastity, Like Lucrece or Penelope: She is so wary in her carriage, That if a kisse would wrong her marriage, No one should get that favour than, For shees the best Wife that ever had man. David. My wife is full of merry tricks, She hath beene naught with five or sixe, If she can get me out oth doore, Ere I returne sheele play the whore, Sheel say though I cant others can, O shees the worst Wife that ever had man.
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The second part, To the same tune.</hi></seg>
Edmund. MY wife so cleanely is and neate, She adds a goodnesse to my meate, I eate when I no stomacke have, Because tis done as I doe crave, In sicknesse she is my Physician, For shes the best Wife that ever had man. David. My wife is such a beastly Slut, Unlesse it be an Egge or a Nut, I in the house dare nothing eat, For feare theres a poyson in the meate, The Dogs doe licke both Dish and Pan, O shes the worst Wife, etc. Edmund. My wife will weare no yellow hose, No wench can make her swell ith nose, She knowes that I to her am just, And in my faith she puts her trust; Sheele not be vext say what I can, For shes the best, etc. David. If I upon a woman looke, My wife will sweare upon a booke, That she is certainely a Whore, Though I nere saw the Woman before, Sheele claw her eyes out if she can, O shes the worst, etc. Edmund. My wife will never follow me, Goe where I will, at home stayes she, Though I from morne till night doe rome, She smiling bids me welcome home, This makes me haste home to my Nan, For shes the best, etc. David. If I unto the Ale-house goe, To drinke a Jugge of beere or so, Though nere so fast I thither hye, My wife is there as soone as I: At me and my friends shele curse and ban, For shes the worst, etc.
Edmund. If any friends come home to me, My wife gives entertainment free, But out oth doores she will not stirre Unlesse I goe along with her, She scrapes and saves what ere she can, O shes the best, etc. David. My wife will at the Ale-house sit, And waste away both money and wit, Nay rather then sheele liquor lacke, Sheel sell the smocke from off her backe, Sheel steale from me all that she can, O shes the worst Edmund. Kind Cousen David I am very sorry, To heare thee tell so sad a story, Marriage and hanging now I see, Goe as they say by destiny I would thou couldst say as I can, I have the best wife, etc. David. I thanke you Cousen for your good will, Long may your blessing continue still, My crosse I must with patience beare, Till God or the Devill end my care, And thus I end as I began, I have the worst Wife that ever had man. Author. You wives who have heard this discourse Now shew whos better and whos worse. The best will freely buy this Song, The worst will shew she hath a tongue. The heads soone broken that is scald, And Jades will kicke if they be galld.
FINIS. M.P. Printed at London for Francis Grove.