The Poor Mans Comfort.
Being an Excellent new Composed Dialogue, between a Man and his Wife,
drawn up in a Coppy of Verses according to the Time, In which Ditty is con-
tained four special matters to be taken notice of, which is as followeth: A des-
pairing Husband a comfortable wife, the deadness of Trading, and a way to thrive
in hardness of Trading, and a way to thrive in hard Times.
The Tune is, Fair Angel of England.
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Man
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MY heart is oppressed with sorrow sweet wife,
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My mind and my sences are each one at strife
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To see what sad matters are now come to pass,
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For the World is grown harder then ever it was:
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The thought of which matter half kills me with care
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And makes me run frantick and ready to dispair.
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Wife.
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[I] pray you good husband that you'l patient be,
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[A]nd in a few matters be ruled by me;
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[I]'le find out such ways whereby we may live,
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[T]o have of our own and be able to give;
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[S]hear up thy heart therefore, though now we be poor
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[Y]ou know not what blessings the Lord hath in store
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Man.
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[M]ethinks wife your tongue runs a little too large,
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[Y]ou know that house-keeping requireth much charge
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[F]or Candle, for fireing for food and house-rent
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[A]ll these must be paid for, though money be scant:
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[T]his makes me lye waking while others do sleep,
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[W]hilst rich folks are merry, we poor folks may weep
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Wife.
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It grieves me most sharply to hear your sad moan,
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Yet if you'l be pleased to let me alone,
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I'le do my endeavour to ease your sad smart,
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To cherish and comfort your sorrowfull heart:
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If you'l have the patience my words for to hear
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Each thing in right order shall plainly appear.
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Man.
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Then speak thy mind freely (sweet wife) unto me,
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And I will hence-forward be ruled by thee:
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For this I have often-times heard it exprest,
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That womens wits they are accounted the best,
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Therefore whatsoever you wish me unto,
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I'le do my endeavour the same for to do.
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Wife.
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why thus I would have you keep God in your mind,
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And to be contented with such as you find:
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Though trading be dead now and money be scant,
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God will not long suffer his servants to want:
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Remember how Job for a season was poor,
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But God in due time did his Riches restore:
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Man.
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T[here] is an old saying, which some do observe,
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That while grass grows, horses may starve:
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So fares it with us now, that trading is dead,
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We cannot get Victuals to put in our head:
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The labours of poor men are lightly set by,
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Though rich men do flourish and live gallantly.
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Wife.
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But here is a comfort to help us this year,
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Bread corn it is cheap and good mault is not dear;
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A cup of good drink and a peice of good bread,
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Will serve us to sup with, before we go to bed:
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For Beef & for Mutton and roots and such stuff,
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Let's give God the praise there is plenty enough.
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Man.
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If a peck of wheat were sold for a penny,
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Yet if a man had neither Credit nor money;
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In midst of great plenty, he may live and lack,
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Both food for the belly, and cloaths to the back:
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As Tantalus starved amongst plenty of meat,
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So many folks do now for no meat they c[a]n get.
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Wife.
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Though money be short, yet if God lend us life,
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Seeing you are my husband and I am your Wife,
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We'l do like two Birds that are both of one feather
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Or draw like two Oxen in one yoak together:
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And by our endeavours I hope we shall thrive,
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And get means enough for to keep us alive.
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Man.
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Wife we have four Children that will cry for bread,
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We know this that every mouth must be fed:
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Our Labour is too little our Babes to maintain,
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Because for our work we receive so small gain,
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Now tell me how this gear may be canvast about
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And then we shall prosper we need not to doubt.
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Wife.
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though children be young they must bite no the bridle
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I'le teach them to work, for they shall not live idle:
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Two of them are able some goodness to do,
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When I have instructed and taught them thereto:
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I'le teach my Son Thomas if God give him grace
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To work at our Trade in a very short space.
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I'le teach pritty Nanny to Card and to Spin,
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Though she do but little, some gain will come in:
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And for my own part, I will work for the nonce,
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Whilst the skin of my fingers do stick to the bones:
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Now let all men judge if we may not live well,
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By taking of such courses of which I do tell.
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Man.
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Why now loving wife, I needs must confess,
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Your councel is good, I can speak of no less
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And for my own part I will use my best art,
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In weal and in woe, for to take my wifes part:
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And so to conclude and to finish the strife,
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Come kiss and be friends, god-a-mercy sweet wife
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