The Jolly PORTERS:
OR,
The Merry Lads of LONDON.
Whose kind Advice to their Fellow-Brethren is, That they should love Mirth bet-
ter than Money, and prize Strong Beer before Small.
To the Tune of an Orange. Licensed according to Order.
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I Pray now attend to what I have penn'd,
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It is a new Ditty, the which here I send
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To my Friends I hope, true Boys that can tope,
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I mean the stout Yeomen of Ticket and Rope,
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Bonny Porters.
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Hugh, Morgan, and Rice, Ralph, William, and Price,
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It is to you all that I give my Advice,
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Beware of Small Beer, 'twill hurt you I fear,
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Stout nappy Strong Liquor your Spirits will chear,
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merry Porters.
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But if you drink Small, 'twill ruine you all,
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You in a Consumption or Dropsie may fall;
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Take care what you do, my honest True Blue;
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For when you are Dead, all the Worlds gone with you,
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Bonny Porters.
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If you come in Place, where strong Beer is scarce,
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I know you will be in a sorrowful case;
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But if Beer you lack, make shift with good Sack,
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I know it is good for to strengthen the Back
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of a Porter.
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My Brothers ne'er stand to buy House or Land,
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But when a good Shilling comes first to your hand,
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[?]ure of the same, and follow the Game,
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Or else I must tell you, you are highly to blame,
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Bonny Porters,
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Be ruled by me, and then you shall see,
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You will be all merry, both frollick and free;
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Dear Friends, for my part, I never do start,
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But always do love for to chear up my Heart,
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like a Porter.
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I'll lay you a Crown, no Lord of Renown
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Dare do like my self, in Court, City, or Town
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One night I'll sit late, and spend my Estate,
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Come tell me what Noble dare spend at that rate
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like a Porter?
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Now with a good Will, my Host wash and fill,
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For why should the Tankards and Flaggons stand still?
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Your Friends don't offend, but pray now attend,
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There's more Money got, than we ever shall spend
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while we are Porters.
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Now we are well met, and merrily set,
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We reckon to drink our selves quite out of Debt;
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As you fill in more, still rub out the Score,
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And then we may merrily sing, rant and roar,
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like brave Porters.
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Should I be chose Sheriff I am apt to believe,
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I must upon force that great Office deceive,
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Because I wont Fine, since that Money thats [?]ine]
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Is hardly enough to buy Beer, Ale, and Wine
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for a Porter.
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High Honour I slight, I take more delight
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To meet with an honest good Fellow at Night,
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Who takes off his Can, like a right honest Man,
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And tipples as long as he's able to stand,
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like a Porter.
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With Liquor we're Crown'd, while Joys do's abound,
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And then the whole World it runs merrily round:
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We will not debate the high Matters of State,
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Nor trouble our Noddles with things at that rate,
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but be Porters.
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