The Country Travellers Advice.
Being an Admonition to his Fellow-Travellers, perswading them to be
careful to avoid the sin of Drunkenness, which is the fore-runner of all
other evils, and learn to lead sober lives, that they may see Happy
Days, Peace and Plenty.
To the Tune of, Liggan Water. Licensed according to Order .
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K Ind Travellers, I pray attend,
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To you alone these Lines I send;
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Wherein I wholsome Counsel give,
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That you right sober lives may live.
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You know the Sin of Drunkenness,
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No Tongue is able to express
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What sorrows it will bring Men to,
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That eagerly the same pursue.
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I know you Travel up and down
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To ev'ry Fair and Market-Town,
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Far from the place of your abode,
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Thus while you travel on the Road,
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Unto the Ale-House you must go
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For Drink and Lodgings, this I know;
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Yet moderation always use,
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And don't Gods Creatures there abuse.
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Here is a Sin, the which I'll name,
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Now those that use it are to blame,
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That is when methods then devise,
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Their Friend with Liquor to disguise.
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Thus to impose upon your Friend,
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The Laws of God you do offend,
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And you are guilty of the sin,
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Because you thus betray'd him in.
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A Stumbling-Block we should not lay
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In any Friend or Neighbours way,
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To glory in his shame or fall,
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Such sins does for just Vengeance call.
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When sottish Men together meet,
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The Hostess she both kind and sweet,
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Will be deluding them to stay,
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Till what they have becomes the prey.
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In Liquors strong your Wits you drownd
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And all your sences quite confound,
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And being stript of all your store,
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You then may trot and sweat for more.
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At length with a sad akeing heart,
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These boon Companions often part;
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The Hostess will small kindness show,
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By sad experience this I know.
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We often do bad Husbands see
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Reduc'd to woful Poverty;
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From thence a thousand evils flows,
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It makes mens very Friends their Foes.
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The sin of Drunkenness I know
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Hath prov'd some young-mens overthrow
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It being the fore-runner still
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Of all that can be acted ill.
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Drink causes men to curse and swear,
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They in that humour do not care
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What crying sins they then commit,
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All fear of God they quite forget.
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Likewise a Harlots company,
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By them, alas! is thought to be
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Far better than a lawful Wife,
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Which often causes care and strife.
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From thence strange passions do arise,
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As cruel blows and frightful crys,
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While tears flow like a mighty flood,
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Those passions often end in blood.
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Now is not this a woful case,
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That men should run to loose a Race,
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And bring themselves to sad distress,
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And all by brutish Drunkenness.
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I fear the Ale-Wives I offend,
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Who does delight that men should spend
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And waste their substance day by day,
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That they may go both fine and gay.
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They flourish that strong Liquor brew,
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So does the gay Excise-man too;
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Nay many more both great and small,
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But the poor Drunkard pays for all.
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But let all men be rul'd by me,
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And likewise learn sobriety,
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That the fine Ale-wives lazy Crew,
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May work and sweat as well as you.
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Now to conclude, may Heavens bless
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King William still with good success,
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That all the War may ended be,
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Then happy days we soon shall see.
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FINIS .
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