English song to the tune -- My joe Janet ----
1 She
Husband, husband, cease your strife,
Nor longer idly rave, Sir;
Tho' I am your wedded wife,
Yet I am not your slave, Sir. ----
He
? - One of two must still obey,
Nancy, Nancy;
Is it Man, or Woman, say,
My Spouse, Nancy. ----
2
She
If the word is still, "Obey!"
Always, "Love & fear you;"
I will take myself away,
And never more come near you. --
He
Sad will I be, so bereft,
Nancy, Nancy;
Yet I'll try to make a shift,
My Spouse, Nancy. ----
My
1 She
Husband, husband, cease your strife,
Nor longer idly rave, Sir;
Tho' I am your wedded wife,
Yet I am not your slave, Sir. ----
He
? - One of two must still obey,
Nancy, Nancy;
Is it Man, or Woman, say,
My Spouse, Nancy. ----
2
She
If the word is still, "Obey!"
Always, "Love & fear you;"
I will take myself away,
And never more come near you. --
He
Sad will I be, so bereft,
Nancy, Nancy;
Yet I'll try to make a shift,
My Spouse, Nancy. ----
My
3
She
My poor heart then break it must,
My last hour I'm near it:
When you lay me in the dust,
Think how you will bear it!
He
I will hope & trust in Heaven,
Nancy, Nancy,
Strength to bear it will be given,
My Spouse, Nancy. ----
4 She
Well then, from the silent Dead,
Sir, I'll try to daunt you;
Ever round your midnight bed
Horrid sprites shall haunt you! --
He
I'll wed another like My Dear,
Nancy, Nancy,
Then all Hell will fly for fear,
My spouse, Nancy. --------
___________________
She
My poor heart then break it must,
My last hour I'm near it:
When you lay me in the dust,
Think how you will bear it!
He
I will hope & trust in Heaven,
Nancy, Nancy,
Strength to bear it will be given,
My Spouse, Nancy. ----
4 She
Well then, from the silent Dead,
Sir, I'll try to daunt you;
Ever round your midnight bed
Horrid sprites shall haunt you! --
He
I'll wed another like My Dear,
Nancy, Nancy,
Then all Hell will fly for fear,
My spouse, Nancy. --------
___________________
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/02/96
- Alt. number
- 3.6254
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Thomson, George
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/02/96
- Alt. number
- 3.6254
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Recipient
- Thomson, George
Description
English song. One of three poems together. Begins: "Husband, husband, cease your strife". Suggested by MacKay as being "an Anglicisation of the traditional ballad 'My Jo Janet'. sent to Thomson in December 1793". 4 eight-line verses.
Archive information
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Robert Burns, collection of poems and songs
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- English song
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