%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> My Wife will be my Master: / Or, The Married-mans Complaint against his unruly Wife. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 02/25/2016 34426

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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

R180814 1 A Taylor is a man Peggy, I Must Love Thee A Taylor is a man AS I was walking forth of late, / I heard a Man complaining, But if ever I am a Widdower, / and another wife do marry, / I mean to keep her poor and bare, / and the purse I mean to carry. Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 1 My Wife will be my Master: / Or, The Married-mans Complaint against his unruly Wife. My Wife will be my Master. Or, The Married-mans Complaint against his unruly Wife. My Wife will be my Master: Or, The Married man's Complaint against his unruly Wife. ?-? F. Coles, T. Vere, I. Wright, J. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passenger.

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol Americas animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family Featured 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 groups royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 2/25/2016 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America advice marriage Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 2/25/2016 4:35:56 PM XBallad Bell, Erik Created XML Version of Ballad 2/25/2016 4:35:56 PM Transcription Supervisor Palmer, Megan Transcription of ballad manuscript 2/25/2016 4:35:56 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Levinson-Emley, Rachel Transcription of ballad manuscript 2/25/2016 4:35:56 PM Transcriptionist Two Callies, Jonathan Transcription of ballad manuscript 2/25/2016 4:35:56 PM Transcriptionist One Adkison, Katie Transcription of ballad manuscript 2/3/2016 Checker Katie Adkison Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/25/2015 Checker Kristen McCants Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/3/2014 Checker Kristen McCants Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 10/9/2014 Bibliographer Kristen McCants Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
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AS I was walking forth of late, I heard a man complaining, With that I drew me near to him, to know the cause and meaning Of this his sorrow pain and grief, which bred him such disaster; Alas quoth he, what shall I do, my wife will be my master: But if ever I am a Widdower, and another wife do marry, I mean to keep her poor and bare, and the purse I mean to carry. If I should give her forty pound, within her apron folding, No longer then she's telling ont, her tongue would ne'r leave scolding As Esops Dog barkt at the Moon thinking for to distast her, So doth my wife scold without cause, and strives to be my Master; But if ever, etc.
Were I so strong as Hercules, or wiser then Apollo, Or had I Icarus wings to flye, my wife would after follow. Or should I live as many years, as ever did King Nestor, Yet I do greatly stand in fear, my wife would be my Master. But if ever, etc. I know no cause nor reason why, that she with me should jangle, I never gave her cause at all, to make her with me wrangle: I please her still in what I may, and do no jot distast her, Yet she doth strive both night and day, always to be my Master: But if ever I am a Widdower, and another wife do marry, I mean to keep her poor and bare, and the purse I mean to carry.
I Every morning make a fire, all which is done to ease her, I get a Nut-meg, make a toast, in hope therewith to please her: Of a Cup of nappy ale and spice, of which she is first taster, And yet this cros-grain'd quean will scold, and strive to be my master. But if ever, etc. I wash the dishes, sweep the house, I dress her wholsome dyet, I humour her in every thing, because I would be quiet: Of every several dish of meat, she'l surely be first taster, And I am glad to pick the bones, she is so much my master: But if ever, etc. Sometimes she'l sit while day gives light, in company with good fellows, In Taverns and in bowling Kens, or in some pimping Ale-house; And when she comes home drunk at night, though I do not distast her, She'l fling, she'l throw, she'l scratch and bite, and strive to be my Master: But if ever, etc. Her bed I make both soft and fine, and put on smock compleatly, Her shooes and stockings I pull off, and lay her down most neatly: I cover her and keep her warm for fear I should distast her, I hug her kindly in my arms, yet still She'l be my Master, [But i]f ever, etc.
And when I am with her in bed, she doth not use me well sir, She'l wring my nose, and pull my ears, a pittiful case to tell sir: And when I am with her in bed, not meaning to molest her, She'l kick me out at the bedsfeet, and so become my master: But if ever, etc. And thus you hear how cruelly my wife doth still abuse me; At bed at board at noon and night she always doth misuse me: But if I were a lusty Man, and able for to baste her, Then would I surely use some means, that she should not be my master. But if I were, etc. You Batchelors that sweet-hearts have, when as you are a Wooing, Be sure you look before you leap, for fear of your undoing, The after wit is not the best, and he that weds in hast sir, May like to me bewail his case: if his wife do prove his Master. But if ever, etc. You Married Men that have good wives, I wish you deal well by them, For they more precious are then Gold, if once you come to try them: A good wife makes a husband glad, then let him not distast her, But a scold will make a Man run mad; if once she proves his Master, But if ever, etc.
Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, J. Wright, J. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passenger.