THE MINION WIFE

WHO SO to marry a minion wife

Hath had good chance and hap,
Must love her and cherish her all his life,
And dandle her in his lap.

If she will fare well, if she will go gay,
A good husband ever still,

What ever she list to do or to say,
Must let her have her own will.

About what affairs so ever he go,
He must show her all his mind,

None of his counsel she may be kept fro,
Else is he a man unkind.

Ralph Roister Doister.

PIPE, merry Annot;

Trilla, Trilla, Trillarie.

Work, Tibet; work, Annot; work, Margerie;
Sew, Tibet; knit, Annot; spin, Margerie,
Let us see who will win the victory.

Let

Pipe, merry Annot;

Trilla, Trilla, Trillarie,

What, Tibet! what, Annot! what, Margerie !
Ye sleep, but we do not, that shall we try;
Your fingers be numb, our work will not lie.

Pipe, merry Annot;

Trilla, Trilla, Trillarie.

1

Now, Tibet; now, Annot; now, Margerie ;
Now whippet apace for the maystrie :
But it will not be, our mouth is so dry.

Pipe, merry Annot ;

Trilla, Trilla, Trillarie.

When, Tibet? when, Annot? when, Margerie ?
I will not, I can not,- -no more can I ;
Then give we all over, and there let it lie!

Ralph Roister Doister.

I MUN BE MARRIED A SUNDAY

I MUN be married a Sunday;
I mun be married a Sunday;
Whosoever shall come that way,
I mun be married a Sunday.

Roister Doister is my name;
Roister Doister is my name;
A lusty brute I am the same;
I mun be married a Sunday.

Christian Custance have I found;
Christian Custance have I found;
A widow worth a thousand pound:
I mun be married a Sunday.

1 Mastery.

Custance is as sweet as honey;
Custance is as sweet as honey;
I her lamb, and she my coney;
I mun be married a Sunday.

When we shall make our wedding feast,
When we shall make our wedding feast,
There shall be cheer for man and beast,
I mun be married a Sunday.

I mun be married a Sunday.

Ralph Roister Doister.

THE PSALMODIE FOR THE REJECTED

LOVER

MAISTER ROISTER DOISTER will straight go home and die,

Our Lord Jesus Christ his soul have mercy upon : Thus you see to-day a man, to-morrow John.

Yet, saving for a woman's extreme cruelty,

He might have livèd yet a month, or two, or three ;
But, in spite of Custance, which hath him wearied,
His mashyp shall be worshipfully buried.

And while some piece of his soul is yet him within,
Some part of his funeral let us here begin.
Dirige. He will go darkling to his grave;
Neque lux, neque crux, nisi solum clink;
Never genman so went toward heaven, I think.
Yet, sirs, as ye will the bliss of heaven win,
When he cometh to the grave, lay him softly in;
And all men take heed, by this one gentleman,
How you set your love upon an unkind woman ;
For these women be all such mad peevish elves,
They will not be won, except it please themselves.

But, in faith, Custance, if ever ye come in hell,
Maister Roister Doister shall serve you as well.

Good night, Roger old knave; Farewell, Roger old knave;

Good night, Roger old knave; knave knap.

Nequando. Audivi vocem.

Requiem æternam.
Ralph Roister Doister.

AND to begin

At setting in:

First was her skin

White, smooth and thin,

And every vein

So blue seen plain ;

Her golden hair

To see her wear,

Her wearing gear,
Alas, I fear

To tell all to you,
I shall undo you.
Her eye so rolling
Each heart controlling ;

Her nose not long,

Her stode not wrong:

Her finger tips

So clean she clips;

Her rosy lips,

Her cheeks gossips

So fair, so ruddy,

It axeth study