The Beggers Intrusion,
Or the worlds Illusion.
To the tune of Sallingers Rownde.
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A Begger of late most poore in estate
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I truly will discover,
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In behaviour rude, yet he would intrude,
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no place he would passover,
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Conceite the meaning Gentlemen
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or else you doe me wrong:
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For the worlds Illusion, in the conclusion,
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is subject of my song.
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He meetes first with a Prodigall,
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and he shakes him by the clooke,
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Who indisgrace uppon the face
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did hit this Begger a strooke,
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The poore man answered only this,
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for ought that I can spy,
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Though blowes be rife & you lead a proud life
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yet a Begger you shall dy
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There meetes he with a Serving man,
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dect bravely in apparell,
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Who spying of this begger than
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made proffer for to quarrell,
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Pray leave your wordes, and keepe your sword,
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and live contentedly:
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Were you in feare or you casherd,
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then a Begger would you dy
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Then meetes he with a dainty Dame,
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a Courtier I do think,
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Who had a gowne most rich to see
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beset with many a pinck,
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Who spying of this Beggerman,
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thou smelst quoth she fi fi:
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Quoth the Begger aloude, be not to proude,
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for a Begger you must dy,
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Then meetes he with a Sergeant,
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and in his hand his Mase,
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The Begger then most lustily steps,
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and comes toward him a pase,
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What wouldst thou have thou arrant knave,
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thou comst to hastely,
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For to tell you this you live amisse,
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and a Begger you must dy.
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Then meetes he with a Lawyers Clarke,
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and he tels him boldly thus:
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Sir you are he or't dimmes my eye,
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that is the undoing of us.
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For when your Master gives a tester:
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you doe his guift deny,
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But for all your procolle, hell hath your soule
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and a Begger you wil dy.
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Then meets he with a Usurer,
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and he tels him to his teeth:
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That he hords up store, & gives nought to the poore,
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and clads himselfe with necke be[e]fe.
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But Userer stay, marke what I say,
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for in thy cares it'll cry:
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Thy conscience is large, and leese thy charge:
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yet a Begger thou shalt dye.
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Then meets he with a Broacker,
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and he tells him to his face:
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That often times he bought stole clothes,
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was not this a deepe disgrace.
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But though your conscience be ell longe,
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next bargaine you doe buy:
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Full well I know, will crosse you so,
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that a Begger you shall dy.
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The second part. To the same tune.
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THen meets hee with a Farmer,
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was pulling up his corne
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Who when he spyed this Begger,
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he made a shew of scorne,
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Scorn not a man in misery,
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for you so well as I
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If heaven should but crosse your store,
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a Begger sure would dy.
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Then meets he a Promoter,
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who lives by honest mens falles,
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But being little to farr of
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to him this Begger calles:
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Saying pray leave of your course of life,
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il'e show you a reason why,
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Would men live in awe and obey the law,
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then a Begger would you dye,
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Then meetes he with a horemaster,
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and he seekes by gentle Queanes,
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For to withdraw this young mans minde,
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from these abhored [q]eanes,
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O fly there baites my gentle youth,
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and live contentively,
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Least you to late lament your state,
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and so a begger dy.
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Then meetes he with a Drunkard
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and tels him of his vice,
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O friend (quoth he) leave of in time,
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and learne to be more wise,
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This drinck confounds your substance,
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like wash within it doth ly,
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When ye have spent your store ye can spend-no more
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then a Begger you must dy.
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Then meets he with a Gamster great,
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and intreats him to give ore
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Leave [nody] new cut and penicth,
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especially with a whore,
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Leave wid ruff tickle me quickly to,
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lay on and thereto by,
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Play but a game at ruff or twaine,
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least a begger you do dy,
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To all Estates to all degrees
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this begger bouldly went,
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No house where thriftles riot was kept,
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but he did it frequent,
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And when he spied a man that loved
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in the Alehouse for to ly,
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He'd say my friend thy life amend,
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least a Begger you doe dy,
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Thus have you heard this wordles bad corse,
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in living lives most rude,
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And how this begger bouldly doth,
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to all Estates intrude,
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Let man and woman night and day,
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pray to the Lord one hy:
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That he would send, we our lives might mend,
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that wee might not beggers dy.
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