Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

My Wife shall ha'e her will

Traditional

“My Wife shall ha'e her will” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 274 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

If my dear wife should chance to gang,

Wi' me, to Edinburgh toun,

Into a shop I will her tak',

And buy her a new goun.

But if my dear wife should hain the charge

As I expect she will,

And if she says, The auld will do,

By my word she shall ha'e her will.

If my dear wife should wish to gang,

To see a neebor or friend,

A horse or a chair I will provide,

And a servant to attend.

But if my dear wife shall hain the charge,

As I expect she will,

And if she says, I'll walk on foot,

By my word she shall lia'c her will.

If my dear wife shall bring me a son,

As I expect she will,

Cake and wine I will provide,

And a nurse to nurse the child.

But if my dear wife shall hain the charge,

As I expect she will,

And if she says, She'll nurs't hersel',

By my word she shall ha'e her will.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “My Wife shall ha'e her will”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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