---
title: "My Spouse Nancy"
author: "Robert Burns"
form: "Song"
year: "1793"
tune: "My Jo Janet"
location: "Dumfries"
source: "Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns"
source_url: "https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt"
canonical_url: "https://robert-burns.com/poems/my-spouse-nancy/"
---

# My Spouse Nancy

## Song
“Husband, husband, cease your strife,  
Nor longer idly rave, Sir;  
Tho’ I am your wedded wife  
Yet I am not your slave, Sir.”

“One of two must still obey,  
Nancy, Nancy;  
Is it Man or Woman, say,  
My spouse Nancy?’

“If ’tis still the lordly word,  
Service and obedience;  
I’ll desert my sov’reign lord,  
And so, good bye, allegiance!”

“Sad shall I be, so bereft,  
Nancy, Nancy;  
Yet I’ll try to make a shift,  
My spouse Nancy.”

“My poor heart, then break it must,  
My last hour I am near it:  
When you lay me in the dust,  
Think how you will bear it.”

“I will hope and trust in Heaven,  
Nancy, Nancy;  
Strength to bear it will be given,  
My spouse Nancy.”

“Well, Sir, from the silent dead,  
Still I’ll try to daunt you;  
Ever round your midnight bed  
Horrid sprites shall haunt you!”

“I’ll wed another like my dear  
Nancy, Nancy;  
Then all hell will fly for fear,  
My spouse Nancy.”

---

Source: [Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt)  
Canonical HTML: https://robert-burns.com/poems/my-spouse-nancy/