Poor man's labour never done, or, The mother's advice/The Poor Man's Labour's never Done

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3278349Poor man's labour never done, or, The mother's advice — The Poor Man's Labour's never Done1802

The Poor Man's Labour's never Done.

WHen I was a batchelor I lived rarely,
and my mind it was content;
I married a wife for to lie by me,
which makes me now for to lament.

When I became a ſervant to her,
I milk'd her cow and black'd her ſhoon,
Womens' ways they muſt have pleaſure,
the poor man's labour's now begun.

In the morning when I do riſe,
for fear my work ſhould be behind,
My wife's in bed to twelve o'clock,
the ſhorteſt day in the winter time.

When I come in both wet and weary,
cold and wet I cannot ſhun,
My wife's in bed, has on no fire,
the poor man's labour's never done.

The firſt half year that we were married,
I could hardly take one night's ſleep,
She'd nip my ſhins till the blood did trinkle,
ſaying, huſband dear ſtreach down your feet.

When I aſk'd what was the reaſon,
ſhe cries husband, Come, come, come;
Womens' way they muſt have pleaſure,
the poor man's labour's never done.

The next half year that we were married,
ſhe bore to me a lovely babe,
She ſet me down to rock the cradle,
and give it caudle when it wak'd.

If it ſcreech'd, ſhe bitterly ſcolded,
then my, ſorrow was begun;
Womens' ways they muſt have pleaſure,
the poor man's labour's never done.

At twelve o'clock of the night,
ſhe would embrace me in my ſleep,
Take me in her infolded arms,
wanting what ſhe cannot get.

She bereaves me of the blankets,
if I ſpeak I'm forc'd to run,
Wanting breeches, wig and waiſtcoat,
the poor man's labour's never done.

All you that has a mind to marry,
I pray you marry a loving wife,
Do not marry my wife's ſiſter,
for ſhe will plague you all your life.

Do not marry her mother's daughter,
ſhe will plague you evermore;
Take from me my wife and welcome,
and then my care and trouble's o'er.

Out ſpoke my good old mother,
as ſhe ſat weeping all alone,
Son, ſhe ſaid, There's women plenty,
and why ſhould you be bound to one?

Take another one and try her,
if you find ſhe does not do,
Take the third one, and a fourth one,
then your pleaſure's always new.


This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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