For if I chance now by the way A woman for to kiss, Give me my yellow hose, &c. Thus when I come in company, For one or other merrily Will say my wife is there; And then my look doth make them laugh, And dare not shew my face. Give me my yellow hose, &c. Then comes a handsome woman in, But how my wife she did begin, you Fair dame (quoth she) why dost thou so, And thou shalt know, before thou go, He is no man for thee. Give me, &c. Good wife (quoth she) now do not scold, I will do so no more, I thought I might have been so bold, I knowing him before. With that my wife was almost mad, And I, God knows, was very sad For fear she would have beat her. Give me my yellow hose, &c. Thus marriage is an enterprise, But scolding is an exercise, That married men do know; For all this while there were no blows, And very fain would yellow hose In comes a neighbour of our town, And said to me, I am the man Which gave to you your wife, And I will do the best I can To mend this wicked life. Give me my yellow hose again, For now my wife she watcheth me, SECOND PART. I gave him thanks and bad him go, And told my wife she was a shrew, Give me my yellow hose, &c. And yet in truth he loveth me, And I may say, good"Sir, to thee, That cannot I abide. For though he loves me as his life, Yet now, Sir, wot you what, They say he loves his neighbour's wife, 1 pray you how like you that? Give me, &c. Saith he, I hope I never shall Seek fancy fond to follow, For love is lawful unto all, Except it be too yellow. Which lieth like the jaundice so, In these our women's faces, That watch their husbands where they go, And haunt them out in places. Give me my yellow hose, &c. Now comes my neighbour's wife apace, My wife then meets her face to face, That makes so much of my good man, As if he were your own, Then clamp as closely as you can? I know it will be known. Give me, &c. Now when I saw the woman gone, And said, why art thou such a one, A woman for to talk with me, This is a woeful case, That I must keep no company, This maketh bachelors to halt So long before they wed, Will be their husband's head. And seven long year I tarried For Jakaman my wife, But now that I am married, I'm weary of my life. Give me, &c. For yellow love is too too bad, And too much love hath made her mad, That makes her wear the yellow hose But now I see she is so hot, Thus farewell, gentle Jakaman, Till we two meet again. Give me, &c. |