Make use of Time;
OR,
Time well made use of, redownds to the Parties content,
That hath not his Goods unlawfully spent:
But he that spends more than his need doth require,
Leaps out of the Frying-pan, into the fire.
Tune is, Behold the Man with a Cann in his hand.
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M Ark well my good instructions,
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and counsel which I give,
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By which you may enjoy content,
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and comfort whilst you live.
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From Malice, Hatred, and poverty,
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I'de have you firmly freed:
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And for to keep your money still
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to help in time of need:
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For when the Summer's past and gone,
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then enters winters cold:
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Provide you in your youthful dayes,
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to keep you when you'r old.
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You see how divers Prodigals
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profusely spend their means
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On Sharks, and Shabs and dirty Drabs,
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on Panders, Pimps, and Queans;
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But when their Lands and Livings fail,
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and quite consum'd their store,
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Their friends will prove their enemies
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and turn them out of door:
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For when the Summer's past and gone,
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then enters Winters cold, etc.
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Are there not many marryed men
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catch'd in their subtle snares?
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Whilst wife and children starve at home,
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and feed on grief and tears:
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They rant full high, and domineer
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divulging cursed Oaths,
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And sport so much until they spoil
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the fashion of their Nose.
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For when the summer's past and gone,
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then enters winters cold:
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Provide you in your youthful days
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to keep you when you'r old.
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T He richest wines, and daintiest cheer
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they glut themselves withal,
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Whilst divers women and their Babes,
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drink water, cold and small,
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Goods go to wrack cloaths from their back
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which is the Harlots gains;
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But when your means is spent and gone,
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they'l hate you for your pains;
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The summer time does passe away,
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then enters winters cold:
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Provide you in your youthful daies,
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to keep you when you'r old.
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How many have been thrown in Gaol?
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by their excessive rates,
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Where no release could be ay all,
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but Iron Bars and Grates:
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They want what they have spent in vain,
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but little bread to eat:
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And those that were professed friends
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did flatter with deceit.
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The Summer time doth, etc.
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A many servants wrong themselves
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and Masters in estate;
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By which they come to poverty,
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and pine when 'tis too late.
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For if that mony once grow scant
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your friends will quickly fail,
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And cares not if you hang or drown,
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or perish in a Gaol.
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The Summer time, etc.
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And Children from their Parents dear,
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do cunningly contrive
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To cheat and gull them of their goods
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whilst yet they are alive:
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But such we see in misery,
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are quickly brought to thrall,
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And so the Proverb's verifi'd,
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that pride will have a fall:
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The summer time, etc.
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But let me wish all married men
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that live such wicked lives:
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To leave off Harlots, and be good
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and loving to their wives
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No sweeter life 'twixt man and wife:
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on earth, I'me sure can be,
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Than for to live in true content,
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Love, Peace and Unity.
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The summer time, etc.
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Consider in your strength and health,
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that sicknesse will attend
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Then if you want this thing cal'd wealth
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pray who will be your friend?
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Your Limbs they may be strucken lame
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and you made blinde and poor:
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And then be forc'd an alms to beg,
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each day from door to door:
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The summer time, etc.
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But charity you see is cold
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and peoples hearts are hard:
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The Gates of those that freely gave,
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are strongly shut and bard:
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There are no open Courts or Halls,
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as was in former time,
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But whip and hell, by which you know,
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how dogs do sup and dine.
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The summer time, etc.
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Remember how the painful Bee,
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for winter doth provide:
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His Comb, his Hony and his Wax,
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and every thing beside:
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The pretty Ant laies up her store,
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her young to cloathe and feed,
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By which we may example take,
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to save in time of need:
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The summer time, etc.
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Make use of time, whilst you have time,
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and do no time delay;
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For Time, nor Tyde, for none at all,
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one minutes space will stay:
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But he that runs an even pace,
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with Time, (I'me confident)
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Will finde the benifit of Time,
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unto his hearts content.
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The summer time doth pass away
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then enters winters cold;
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Provide then in your youthful days,
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to keep you when you're old.
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FINIS.
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