Broadside ballad entitled 'Bide Till You be Married Yet'

Transcription

An Excellent New Ballad,
INTITULED,
Bide till you be married yet.

To its own proper Tune.

WHen I was young, as you are now,
I could have done, as ye can do:
I could have carri'd as high a Brow;
As any other young Man, I trow
So bide you yet, so bide you yet,
So bide till you be marri'd yet,
The Half of that will serve you yet,
If once that you were marri'd yet.

But when that you buy the Cat's Salt,
And get a wicked Wife to prat.
It's right or wrong she ll on you chat;
I pray, young Man, take Care of chat.
So bide you yet, &c.

You have no Wife, nor Bairns to clash,
Nor yet you need, not spend your Cash,
The World and you did never clash,
Nor yet your Countenance to dash,
So bide you yet, &c.

Neither at home nor yet Abroad,
Of Burthens you ne're bore a Load;
The black Cow on your Foot ne're trode.
Which makes you sing alongst the Rod
So bide you yet, &c.

When you sit up late, and rise so soon,   
And hath nothing to eat at Noon,
To cut with Knife, or sup with Spoon,
I'm sure, Young Man you II change your Tune.
So bide you yet, &c.         

When Gold and Money doth you fail,
And can get none for Bond nor Bail,
Then all your Friends will change their Sail;
I'm sure, Young Man you'll change your Tale.
So bide you yet, &c.                  

I pray, young Man, take my Advice,
And don't you prove over nice,
Tho' you be favour'd with the Dice,
There may be Changes in a Trece,
So bide you yet, &c.

I was as brisk as you are now,
For Gold and Money I had too,
Of Joys and Friends I had enough,
Till Marriage did me all undo,
So bide you yet, &c.

And then the Bairns will call for Bread,
When you have none to serve their Need,
At you the Wife will shake her Head,
And then its Time that you were dead
So bide you yet &c.

If it fall out you have no Bairns,
For her to diddle in her Arms,
She will not stand when that it comes,
To set upon your Head two Horns.
so bide you yet, &c.

Then perhaps the Rock or else th' Reil,
Or some Peice of the Spining Wheel,
She will drive at you with her Will,
And then she'll send to the De'il.
So bide you yet, &c.   

And if your Wife prove good and kind,
If you want Money to serve her Mind,
Altho' to Hunger and Thirst inclin'd;
I'm sure, young Man, you ll change your Mind.
So bide you yet, &c.                  

If you'll remain a single Life,
I'm sure you re free from Care and Strief,
Not conjur'd with a wicked Wife,
That makes one weary of their Life.
So bide you yet, &c.

But if I can't with you prevail
But still you follow your wilful Will,
Lay by your Money, with Care and Skill,
For Marriage will from you it call.
So bide you yet, &c.

The Maid's Reply.

I Wonder Man's so void of Sence,
For to so many Lines commence,
Against what has been ever since
That Man was in his Innocence.
So bide you yet, &c.

If he were known, who made these Lines,
He would deserve some broken Bones:
Shall we starve, who to Meat incline?
I'm sure there's few that's of his Mind.
So bide you yet, &c.

You say, That Wives do scold their Men;
I find it is your Case at Home,
You give her Nought to eat or spend,
Must gain her Living at some Game.
So bide you yet, &c.

What makes you slight a married Life,
But loath to work for Bairns and Wife?
Where Sloath is, there is always Strife,
I doubt nothing, but that's your Life.
So bide you yet, &c.

But Neighbour Virgins do not fear,
There Grounds of Comforts, as I hear,
There few that to his Speech give Ear.
Because he's known to be a Lier.
So bide you yet, so bide you yet,
I hope you'll not miscarry yet,
So bide you yet, so bide you yet,
You'll get a Man to marry yet.

FINIS.

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