〈…〉 OR  

A merry discourse, twixt him and his Joan,  
That sometimes did live as never did none,  
But now at the last she proves very kind,  
And doth what heed have her, as here you may find.   
To three several tunes, called, But I know what I know, Captain Ward, and Guilty Coat Peggy.  
 


The Tune, but I know, etc.  Man. 
●Ome Jo●●● by thy own déerest husband sit down  
And cast ●●ay from thee this impudent frown,  
know I 〈◊〉 ●ove thee as dear as I do,  
●e with a ●aylor that's honest and true.  Woman. 
●y thou dissembling varlet away,  
〈◊〉 leave this th● prating and cogging, I say,  
〈◊〉 whilst like a drunkard thou thus dost remain  
〈◊〉 ●●●er, shall lov● thee, I tell thee again.   

Captain Ward.  Man. 
〈◊〉 wife what wouldst thou have me do  
●ore than I now have done,  
〈◊〉 not I pawn●● my  for thee,  
〈◊〉 likewise soul● my shun,  
〈◊〉 my shirt in lavender,  
〈◊〉 cloak is likewise sold:  
●ost thou Joan for all this love,  
… in with Jack to scold.  Woman. 
Why, thou deboist and drunken sot,  
didst do all this for me,  
Or for the love you always bare,  
to evil company?  
And therefore hold thyself content,  
and leave this idle prate,  
Or as I am thy honest wife,  
I'll lay thee o'er the pate.   

Guilty Coat Peggy.  Man. 
Come chucke no more of this, but sit thee down by me,  
And then what is amiss, I'll mend in verity,  
My money I will save out of the Cup and Can,  
And keep thee fine and brave, as I am an honest man:  
Then chide no more my deer, but all my faults remit,  
And then as I am here, I'll mend my drunken fit.  Woman. 
How many times hast thou this promised unto me,  
And yet hast broke thy vow the more's the shame for thee  
And therefore I'll be wise, and take your word no more,  
But scratch out both your eyes if you go out of door;  
And therefore sit you still and stir not for your life,  
I once will have my will, although I am your wife,    

The second part,  
to the same tunes.  

But I know what, etc.  Man. 
WEll, do what thou wilt, I am thine at command,  
But let not my neighbours of this understand;  
For that if thou dost, I know it will be  
A shame to thyself, disgrace unto me.  Woman. 
No matter for that, I'll make you to know,  
What 'tis for to injure a loving wife so,  
In pawning her goods, and making her be,  
A scorn to her neighbours, and all long of thee.   

Captain, etc.  Man. 
Come Joan, be satisfied I pray,  
forgive me what is past,  
And I will thee never offend,  
whilst life and breath doth last:  
My pots and my Tobacco too,  
I'll turn, for to be brief,  
Into a dainty household loaf,  
and lusty powder-beefe.  Woman. 
Well, if I thought all this were true,  
and that thou didst intent  
To do as thou relates to me,  
I then should be thy friend;  
But I am Jack so fearful grown,  
of thy relapse again,  
That I can little credit give,  
to what you now maintain.   

Guilty Coat Peggy, etc.  Man. 
Here's my hand sweet Duck, what I have said to thee,  
I'll keep, if I have luck▪ till such time that I die,  
And fore that I am dead my love I will unfold  
To help thee in thy need, if that thou wilt not scold,  
I will not cozened be, I tell thee gentle Joan,  
But I will bring to thee my sheet, and I'll have none.  Woman. 
Why then swéet-heart forgive the words that I have said,  
For surely while I live, I'll never thee upbraid,  
I will not scold nor brawl, but keep my clapper still  
And come when thou dost call do all things to thy will,  
Then Jack, forgive thy Joan, that is to thee so kind,  
Or else as hard as stone I surely shall thee find.   

But I know, etc.  Man. 
Why, here is my hand, I am pacified Joan,  
And as I will live with thee never lived none,  
Then be but as kind as I careful to thee,  
And then none new married shall better agree,  
For thou with thy Kitchen-stuff I with my toys  
My Hammer and Kittle, will make such a noise,  
That all that does hear me shall tell it for true,  
I mend well their work and pleasure 'em too.   

Captain, etc.  Woman. 
Then Jack take up thy budget strait,  
thy kettles brass enough,  
And I will follow thee and cry.  
Maids have you any Kitchen-stuff;  
And then the neighbours seeing us  
so friendly for to go▪  
Will say that they are loving grown,  
who thought it would be so.   

Guilty Coat, etc.  Man. 
Then to the Alehouse we will go with mighty speed  
And seal up presently what we h●ve now decreed,  
A full pot of the best, a crust, and so away,  
And then we will protest we can no longer stay:  
This is a thriving course, if I do not mistake,  
I am sure I have done worse but now amends I'll m●●●  Woman. 
Well say no more, swéet-heart but let us both away  
For friends you know must part, t●ough ne'er so lon●  
Go thou through Canon-stréet. I'll take the laines a …  
And then at night we'll meet at home for aught we kn●●  
But if I be not Jack, at home so soon as you,  
It shall but little lack: and so swéet-heart adieu.   

But I know, etc.  

And thus you have heard an end of my song,  
Which I would be loath that any should wrong,  
But if that you do, I tell you but so,  
I little will say, but I know what I know.     
FINIS.  
Ed. Ford.   

Printed at London for F. Coules.