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EBBA 20080

Magdalene College - Pepys
Ballad XSLT Template
I would you never had said so,
To the tune of upon the Meddow brow.

TWo loving Friends once meeting
by chaunce upon the way:
In kindnesse gave each other,
the good time of the day:
And the one desir'd the other,
along with him to goe:
The other denayd, and to him said,
I would you had not said so.

Beeing demaunded why,
that he that wish desir'd?
Why sir quoth he my reason is,
because I am almost tyr'd:
And are you tyr'd quoth he,
tis more then I did know?
Then truely since with all my hart,
I would you had not said so.

But seeing you are weary,
now let us take repose:
Heere let us sit and rest us,
and to you Ile disclose:
Some Vices in the Country,
amongst us dayly grow:
If youle attend good Sir quoth hee,
I would you had not said so.

For truely in the Citty,
from whence I came are more:
More hatefull vices, name you one,
Ile name you halfe a score:

Ist possible (quoth he)
the Citty so should flow?
With Vice in such abundance,
I would you had not said so.

But now sir for the Country,
because I must begin:
Ile first speake of the Mizer,
that lump, that heape of sinne:
This urchin is a Farmer,
whom many men doe know:
He scrapes and hoards the Divell and all
I would you had not said so.

Though Barnes and Racks be full,
though Chists be cram'd with Coine:
And though he nothing wanteth,
yet must he needs purloyne:
His Tennants Rents heele raise,
his Neighbors heele undoe:
By removing of their Land markes,
I would you had not said so.

And if a Neighbour hath,
neere him a pee[ce of?] ground:
Heele never leave by right nor wrong,
till it to him be bound:
If true meanes cannot get it,
he then to Law will goe:
And wrong a poore man for his owne,
I would you had not said so.

The Second part. To the same Tune.

THere are some in our Parrish,
that too much are to blame:
For in a yeere scarse once,
they to the Church ere came:
But doth the Alehouse haunt,
and so themselves undoe:
O Lord sure quoth the other againe,
I would you had not said so.

O sir I could reveale quoth hee,
of truths a number more:
Which shame makes me conceale,
but yet I greeve therefore:
For many doe offend,
which heare I may not show:
Truely replide the other then,
I would you had not said so.

Then heare me (qd.) the Townesman
for fearelesse Ile begin:
Apparantly to tell you,
now of the Citties sinne:
There's all the acts of Rogarie,
or ought that longs thereto:
Fore tend it quoth the Countryman,
I would you had not said so.

The Courtiers proud, and Lawyers,
doth knavish cunning use:
The Trades man by his bying,
doth many men abuse:
All the Informers are turnd knaves,
they little good do do:
The Sargeants cruell, sir quoth he,
I would you had not said so.

The Broker in the Hundred takes:
good man but Foure score:
His Conscience is so upright,
he will not aske for more:
The Bawd she will turne honest,
when whores she doth forgoe:
That will be never, sir quoth hee,
I would you had not said so.

The Curtizans shall vertious proove,
when all their faults are fled:
And Punckes shall surely honest live,
when Panders all are dead:
The Taylour he [sha]ll steale no more,
when he hath no worke to doe:
He cannot then the other said,
I would you had not said so.

The Brother gainst his brother,
and Father gainst the Sonne:
The sonne against the Father goes,
till they are all undone:
And Wives against their Husbands,
doe make to much a doe:
Sir this quoth th'other grieves me most,
I would you had not said so.

Most men so impious are,
that they devise all evills:
And in their dealings worser proove,
then doe incarnate Divells,
The Citty Wives phantastick prove,
yet make a modest show:
Their wiles theyle have the other said,
I would you had not said so.

Their Scycephanting Parrazites,
their Mistris humours smooth,
And eke the cheating basse Decoy,
poore country men doe sooth:
Till by their Cheating tricks,
they quite doe them undoe:
Quoth he this case is pittifull,
I would you had not said so.

Thus have you heard what newes,
is now within the Citty:
How all doe practise villanie,
without remorse or pittie:
Let us now having rested,
upon our Jorney goe,
Where to, though loath hee greed, yet said
I would you had not said so.

Trust me it is great pitty,
to heare this bad report:
Of Country, and of Citty,
how all men doe extort:
I would they would reforme,
and thinke whats best to doe:
That Countryman nor Cittizen,
Might never gainst them say soe.

FINIS.

Printed at London for T.L.

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