The Scene Changed, or, Betty's ta'en the Gee/Chapter 1

My WIFE SHE'S ta'en the GEE.

WHen I was young and unmarry'd,
I liv'd a merry life.
But yet I could not be content,
until I got a wife:
She never did controul me,
nor raging, curse and ban.
For I was more than half goodwife,
so was I hale goodman.

My dear was loving all her life,
and she was good to me.
And I can swear, in all her life
she never took the gee.
If company had caused me
sometimes to stay from hame.
My dear would not blaspheming rail,
nor yet express my name,

But lovingly would me exhort,
such things for to let be,
And I am sure in all her life
she never took the gee.
But on a time my love fell sick,
alas! and she did die.
For her my heart was like to break,
she never took the gee.

For three long months and more, I'm sure,
I made a heavy moan.

My friends comforted me, and said,
I could not live alone;
They said, they knew a dainty lass
that would do well with me,
But oh, alas! she's dead and gone
that never took the gee.

With counsel and advice of them,
at length I went to see her,
But she appear'd so very nice,
that I thought shame to speir
At first, if she would marry me,
Till courage wan the day;
At last I fought and marry'd her,
she never said me nay.

She was so very fair and clear,
and comely for to see,
You would have thought in twenty years
she would not take the gee.
But or the was a month marry'd,
she paid me back and side.
And aff my face with her lang nails
she rave the very hide.
Chor. The gee wife, the gee wife,
Chor. my wife has ta'en the gee;
Chor. And by my sooth I canna guess,
Chor. how Betty's ta'en the gee.

⟨I⟩ ken not what to do with her,
I can find no remeed;
⟨she⟩ causes me aft times to pray,
and wish that I were dead;

Than live with her when she goes mad,
I rather far would die,
The devil take the roaring Jade
when she takes on the gee.
Chor. The gee wife, the gee wife, &c.

My wife and I went out to fight,
and she gave me my beats;
For all that I was fit to do,
my wife she wan the breeks.

She drave the piss-pot in my face,
and near dang oat my eye;
And by my sooth I canna guess,
how my wife's ta'en the gee.
Chor, The gee wife, the gee wife, &c.

She rave the hair out of my head,
and then she rave my cheeks;
And ay since that unhappy day,
my wife she wears the breeks.
I wish that she was sent abroad,
ten miles beyond the sea
I hope my wife should ne'er return,
for to take on the gee.
Chor. The gee wife, the gee wife, &c.