The poor Peoples Complaint of the Unconscionable
Brokers and Talley-Men.
Extortioning Brokers gripe the poor,
Whilst sadly they complain,
But if the Rich would kinder be,
'Twould ease them of their pain.
Tune of, This is tho cause that the Land complains, or, Sawny will never be my love again.
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WIll you hear how the rich do oppress the poor
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Come listen a while unto this Song,
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And plainly to you now I will declare
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How the poor are the people that suffer wrong:
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The weakest to the wall do alwaies go,
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That this is the truth you very well know;
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And the more is the pitty it should be so,
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For this is the cause that the Poor complain.
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First, Trading is bad we do too well find.
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and many have little or nothing to do;
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[?] one in a thousand to the poor will be kind,
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[?] a great many people have found this true.
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But the rich shall find themselves great store,
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Who daily increase and grow more and more,
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But they never trouble their heads with the poor,
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And this is the cause that the poor complains.
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If a Weaver to Market with work he doth go,
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He often is forc'd for to sell without gain,
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And prizes of late they are brought down so low
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That he who works hard little hath for his pain.
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And sometimes he no work can sell,
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But this will not please his poor wife well;
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Then strait he doth hast where the Brokers dwel
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And this is the cause that the poor complains.
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The Second Part, to the same Tune.
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There he must surely extortion give,
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Or else there's no dealing with Brokers at all;
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They may cry, without profit they cannot live,
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But woe to the man that in their hands fall:
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20 shillings-worth of work he must leave for ten
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And extortion must pay e're he hath it agen:
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Oh! are not these a sort of unconscionable men?
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Yea, this is the cause that the poor complains.
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Poor Taylors and others their cruelty know,
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And all sorts of Tradesmen that with them deal
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But this is the way for to keep them low,
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That this is the right I do reason appeal:
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Methinks the rich should kind be to those
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To whom they daily appear as Foes,
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And make them to pay still thorow the nose:
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Oh! this is the cause that the poor complains
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Do but mind how the Brokers estates do increase
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While the poor that deal with them daily decline,
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They keep noble houses and live at their ease,
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No Tradesmen in London do go more fine:
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But out of the poor their estates they do grind,
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As many by wofull expepience find,
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But they will be just when the Devil is blind,
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And this is the cause that the poor complains
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Poor people had need of these men to beware,
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& I wish that they could but some other way find
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Before they have brought themselves into a snare
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Let them strive what they can to themselves to be kind
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If their goods do lie there a year & a day
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The Brokers will certainly make them away,
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Or else to the worth the right owners must pay,
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And this is the cause that the poor complains.
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Some people do talk of a Lumbar-house,
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That now is intended erected to be,
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Then a Broker will shite full as small as a mouse
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If we do but live such a thing for to see:
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It will certainly be a great help for the poor,
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And pittiless Brokers shall flourish no more,
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Who so many Families have eat out of door,
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And this is the cause that the poor complains
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Extortion you know is a crime full great,
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Which these greedy Misers do daily use,
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And all honest people do certainly hate,
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Whilst like wicked wretches their souls they a-buse.
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But 'tis to be fear'd when they come for to die,
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& the messenger of death doth begin to draw nigh
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Their Consciences then in their faces do fly,
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Since they'r the cause that the poor complains
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But since it is so that the poor they will wrong,
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Let them know they must answer for it one day,
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For vengeance alone unto God doth belong,
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And he without doubt will in Justice pay.
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Then Misers, & Usurers repent of your crime,
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And in griping the poor do not spend your time,
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Use Honesty & Conscience while you are in your prime
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And then will poor people etc.
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The Tally-men such strange Conscience use,
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And take double price for what they sell;
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The best of their Customers they'l abuse;
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I fear that this is the road to Hell:
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For if you go there a garment to buy,
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Their price it is great, but the reason why
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Is because the poor Customer dare not deny:
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And this is the cause that the poor complains.
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The poor man too often too late doth repent,
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For if of his payments he doth but fail,
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Then strait unto him a Bayliff is sent,
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And oft takes a poor man unto Goale.
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The Bayliff in a hole doth lurk,
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While the dog looks out to find him work;
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But the best of them all is as cruel as a shurk,
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And this is the cause that the poor complains.
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