Knaves Will Be Knaves

I went to the alehouse as an honest woman should
And a knave follow'd after as you know knaves wou'd,
Knaves will be knaves in every degree
I'll tell you by and by how this knave serv'd me.

I call'd for my pot as an honest woman shou'd
And the knave drank't up as you know knaves wou'd
Knaves will be knaves in every degree
I'll tell you by and by how this knave serv'd me.

I went into my bed as an honest woman shou'd
And the knave crept into't, as you know knaves wou'd
Knaves will be knaves in every degree
I'll tell you by and by how this knave serv'd me.

I proved with child as an honest woman shou'd
And the knave ran away as you know knaves wou'd
Knaves will be knaves in every degree
And thus I have told you how this knave serv'd me.

From Pills To Purge Melancholy vol III, D'Urfey
note: published in 1719-1720. A durable ditty, this was popular
at least through the late 1940s, as A Guy is a Guy or A
Gob's A Slob. Oscar Brand wrote a release part for it and (I
think) Doris Day made a pop hit of the ensuing mish-mash. RG
play.exe KNAVES
RG