# The Drunkard's Wive's RESOLUTION & ANSWER.

IT is seven long years I've been wedded,
And I withif I had it still been a n'ad,
For charges are faft coming on,
And my husband works none at his trade,
Befides I can ne'er give content,
Let me labour and toil as I can,
A woman can ne'er be at reft
When once she is join'd to a man.

Oh! he told me before I was wed,
He would keep me both gallant and gay,
He faid every night I should go,
Abroad to the ball or the play,
He promised I should keep a mard,
That my bufinefs it might be done,
But a woman can ne'er be at reft,
When once she is join'd to a man,

Inſtead of the gallant attire,
That which he us'd for me to buy,
My cloaths are pawn'd off my back,
The wants of the houſe to fupply ſ.
If to him do make a complaint,
In a paffion himſelf he does fling,
And thus unto me he does vaunt,
You ſpend all your money in gin,

I am ſorc'd to get up in the morn,
And labour and toil the whole day,
Then at night I have fupper to drefs,
And the bairns to get out of the way,
My husband to fetch from the alehouse,
And to put him to bed when I've done,
A woman, &c.

But if to the alehouse I go,
To fetch my love home to bed,
Then the landlady looks at my rags,
And diſdainfully toſes her head,
She calls me flovenly jade,
And fays I ſhall come no more there,
For I'm a disgrace to her houſe,
That my looks it will four her beer,

With a heart full of sorrow and woe,
Then home to my babies I go;
My ſot he comes flagging home,
Perhaps at the hour of two,
Then he vomits about the floor,
And in the fame all night doth lie,
For thus with a husband I am bleſt,
Maids will you come by and by,

But if men would be merry and wife,
And fave but the money they ſpend,
To make much of their children and wives,
They would find it the beſt in the end;
The alehouse wives would not be ſo great,
With their lockets and their rings,
It is the ſpending of many men;
Doth ſternſh them with much things.

They truſted my husband a ſcore,
And when that his work it came on,
All the wages he could get,
Unto the alehouse did run,
But when that his work it ſell ſhort,
And could get no money to pay,
They nabb'd him for what was behind,
And to prison they pack'd him ſtraightway

Then his harlots and jovial crew,
For look him in his diſtrels,
Unto his wife whom he had ſpurn'd,
He was ſorc'd to make his addrefs;
But tho' he had uſed me thus ill,
I will act the part of a wife,
A comfort I'll be to him ſtill,
And ſuccour him while I have life.

The Anſwer to the Drunkard's Wives
RESOLUTION.

You ſing about husbands hard drinking
Which keep their wifes wretched & poor
Yet few women I know who are thinking,
How to keep the wolf from the door,
The husband accus'd of all evils,
And the cock blam'd inſtead of the hen,
But I doubt there's as many ſhe devils,
Full as bad, or far worse than the men,

When I was a young man at twenty,
I thought man with woman was bleſt,
And of all the gay pleatures though plenty,
A handſome gay wife was the beſt;
Then fill'd up with this pretty fancy,
'Tis the only true bleſſing in life
I courted fweet pretty Nancy,
To be my fweet pretty wife.

I took her to church to be wedded,
My heart dance'd with joy and delight,
I long'd for the time to be bedded.
And withif for the coming at night;
I thought the time very long, fir;
And blam'd the flow moving hours,
But I found I had bought an old long, fir;
I found the houſe had play'd at all fours.

In the morning ſhe pouted at breakfast,
And quirre'd before it was noon,
With my ſelf ty'd by the neck,
E'er the end of the first bitter moon;
I did often moſt kindly entr at her,
And try'd with great mildneſs to rule,
For I ſcorn'd the the bafe action to beat her
Though ſhe was a moſt obſtinate mule.

Can hu bands be happy at home then,
If wifes make it hell upon earth,
For trif't unto alehouse they go then,
For quietneſs good fire, and clean hearth
Tis there they expect to find comfort
And call for a pot of good beer,
They know 'tis in vain to go home for it,
No peace, no good, no good cheer.

If wifes would be good natur'd ſpouses,
And keep all things tidy and right,
They would not go to the alehouse
But in their own homes their delight
Ye wifes then be kindly and loving,
Don't look like t' e black ace of ſpades,
Then husbands will leave ot their roving
Not be roguifh, and drinking ſad blades.

If the candle at both ends is lighted,
If good conduct you do not regard,
If management is totally flighted,
No wonder you cry times is haid,
It happy you'd be and reſpected,
Then both of you pull the right way,
But all good counſel's rejected.
I'm done and have no more to ſay.

Printed and fold by J. Pitts, No. 14, Great
Andrew-Fireet, Seyen-Diale,