Well met, well met, my friend,
All on the highway riding,
Though freely together here we stand.
I pray thou tell to me,
Of what gall and mist thou be,
And art thou not a serving man?
Oh no, my brother dear,
what makes thee to inquire
Of any such thing from my hand?
Indeed, I will not frain, but I will tell you plain,
I am a downright husbandman.
Indeed, I will not frain, but I will tell you plain,
I am a downright husbandman.
Well, if an husbandman you be,
will you walk along with me, though freely together here we stand?
For in a very short space I may take you to a place
where you may be a serving man.
As to thine diligence, I give thee many thanks,
but naught do I require from thine hand.
But I pray now to me show,
Wherefore that I may know
The pleasures of a serving man.
But I pray now to me show,
Wherefore that I may know
The pleasures of a serving man.
Well, isn't it a nice thing to ride
out with the king,
With lords, dukes, or any such men,
For to hear the horn, to blow
and see the hounds
All in a row, that's
pleasures of a serving man.
But my pleasure's more than that,
To see my oxen fanned,
And a good stock of hay by
them stand.
With my ploughing and my sowing,
My reaping and my mowing,
That's pleasures of an husband man.
With my ploughing and my sowing,
my reaping and my mowing,
That's pleasures of an
husband man.
But then we do wear the finest of grandeur,
My coat is trimmed with
fur all around,
Our shirts as white as milk, and my stocking's made of silk,
That's clothing for a serving man.
As to my grandeur,
give I the coat I wear,
Of some bushes to ramble among.
Give to me a good great coat,
And in my purse a garout,
That's clothing for an husband man.
Give to me a good great coat,
And in my purse a garout,
That's clothing for an husband man.
But then we do eat the most
delicate fine meat
Of goose and of capon and swan
Our pastries made so fine
We drink sugar in our wine
That's diet for a serving man
As do my ducks and capons
Give I my beans and bacon
An d a good drop of ale now and then
For in a farmer's house
You will find both brawn and sauce
And that's a livin' for an
husband -man
For in a farmer's house
You'll find both brawn and sauce
That's livin' for an husband -man
Kind sir, I must confess
Although it causes me distress
To grant you the uppermost hand
Although it is most painful
It is altogether gainful
And I wish I'd been an husband -man
So now, good people all,
both be you great and small,
Honour the
King of our land,
An d let us whatsoever to
do our best endeavour,
For to maintain a husband -man.
And let us whatsoever to
do our best endeavour,
For to maintain a husband -man.
you