Come worldling see what paines I here do take,
To gather gold while here on earth I rake.
What the Father gathereth by the Rake, the Sonne doth scatter with the Forke.
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COme, come my brave gold,
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Which I love to behold,
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come to me and Ile give you rest;
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Where as you may sleepe,
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And I safely will keepe
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you lockt in my yron bound chest;
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No thieves you shall feare,
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You in pieces to teare,
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such care of you still I will take,
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Come to me and flye
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Gold Angels I cry,
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And Ile gather you all with my Rake.
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Come silver and all,
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When as I doe call,
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your beauties to me are so bright
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I love you so deare,
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I pray you come neere,
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and be you not wavering or light,
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Your weight so you have,
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Come glistering and brave,
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then you I will never forsake,
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But heape you together,
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Against rainy weather,
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And gather you all with my Rake.
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Rich Jewels and plate,
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By no meanes I hate,
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with Diamonds, Saphirs, or rings;
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The Carbuncle red,
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Stands me in like stead,
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or any other rich things,
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The Emerold greene,
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Like the spring that is seene,
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gold chains, or the like I wil take,
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I have a kind heart,
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With my coyne I will part,
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so I may get all with my Rake.
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But yet here me, friend,
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No money Ile lend,
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without a good pawn you do bring,
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But Ile tell to thee,
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How a knave cheated me
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one time with a base copper Ring,
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With me it bred strife,
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It neere cost me my life,
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halfe a crowne on the same he did take
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But Ile have more care,
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Of such knaves to beware,
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how such copper together I rake.
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On leases or lands,
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On very good bands,
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good security likewise provide,
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If we can agree,
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Then my coyne it flyes free,
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if not, your could suit is denyd,
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To foe or to friend,
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No money Ile lend,
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as they brew, so let them bake,
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This rule I observe,
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Let them hang or starve,
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if I cannot get with my Rake.
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And those that doe lacke,
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To the highth I doe racke,
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I know that they money must have
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Some morgage their lands,
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Which fall in my hands,
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to domineere and to goe brave,
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If they faile of their day,
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And have not to pay,
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a seisure on all I doe make,
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Although I goe bare,
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Yet I have a care,
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my gold and my silver to Rake.
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Let the poore widdowes cry,
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Let their children dye,
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let their Father in prison goe rot,
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What is that to me,
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Their wealth is my fee,
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for I have their livings now got,
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Whole Lordships and Lands,
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Are falne to my hands,
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and use of them all I will make,
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My bags full of coyne,
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And my purse I doe lyne,
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with that which together I rake.
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Thus rich usury,
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Nere thinking to dye,
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nor on his poore soule have a care,
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With one foot in the grave,
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Yet more wealth he doth crave,
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and his backe and his belly doth spare;
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At whose cost he dine,
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With good cheere and wine,
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he cares not at whose hands he take,
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Not a penny heel spend,
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Nor without a pawne lend,
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The Divell and all he will Rake.
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But now comes grim death,
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And ceaseth his breath,
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his tree of life is wethered,
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This wretch so unkind,
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His wealth leaves behind,
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and is a poore worme being dead:
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But now pray give eare,
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To that you shall heare,
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his heire what a course he will take;
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That day he did dye,
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In his grave he did lye,
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And the Sexton the earth on him Rake.
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Come Prodigals, your selves that loves to flatter,
Behold my fall, that with the Forke doth scatter.
To the tune of, To drive the cold winter away.
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ROome, roome for a friend,
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That his money will spend,
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old Flatcap is laid in his grave,
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Hee kept me full poore,
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But now I will roare,
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his lands and his livings I have,
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The tide of gold flowes,
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And wealth on me growes,
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hees dead, and for that tis no matter,
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Great use he did take.
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And for me did rake,
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which now with the forke I will scatter.
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I now must turne gallant,
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That have such a talent,
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what need I to take any care,
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I tell thee good friend,
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Tis mine owne which I spend,
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for I was my Fathers owne heire:
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No Blade here shall lacke,
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Give us claret and sacke,
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hang pinching, it is against nature,
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Lets have all good cheere,
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Cost it never so deare,
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for I with my forke will scatter.
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Let me have a Lasse
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That faire Venus doth passe,
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give me all delights that I may,
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Ile make my gold fly
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Aloft in the skie,
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I thinke it will never be day:
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Let the welkin roare,
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Ile never give ore,
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Tobacco, and with it strong water,
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I meane for to drinke,
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Untill I doe sinke,
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for I with my forke will scatter.
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And let musicke play
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To me night and day,
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I scorne both my silver and gold,
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Brave gentlemen all,
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Ile pay what you call,
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with me I beseech you be bold:
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Dice run low or high,
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My Gold it shall fly,
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I meane for to keep a brave quarter,
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Let the Cards goe and come,
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I have a great sum,
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That I with my forke will scatter.
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Let Carouses goe round,
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Till some fall to the ground,
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and heres to my Mistresse her health
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Then lets take no care,
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For no cost weel spare,
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hang money, I have store of wealth,
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My Father it got.
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And now falne to my lot,
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I scorne it as I doe morter;
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For coyne was made round,
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To stand on no ground,
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And I with my forke will it scatter.
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My Lordships to sell,
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I thinke would doe well,
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ill gotten goods never doe thrive:
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Lets spend while we may,
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Each Dog hath his day,
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Ile want not while I am alive:
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Come Drawers, more sacke,
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And see what we lacke,
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for money Ile send a porter,
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Brave gallants nere feare
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For weel domineere,
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For I with my forke will scatter.
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Come, drinke to my friend,
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And let the health end,
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my Coffers and Pockets are empty,
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I now have no more,
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That had wont to have store,
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thers scarcity where there was plenty,
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My friends are all gone,
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And left me alone,
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I think I must now drink cold water:
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Theres nought but sad woe,
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Upon me doth grow,
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Because with my forke I did scatter.
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Now this is the story,
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Of prodigall glory,
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who thought that he never shold lack
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No drinke nor no meat,
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Now he hath to eate,
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nor cloathes for to put on his back:
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His friends they forsake him,
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And woe doth ore take him,
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because he was too free of nature,
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That never did mind,
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How time comes behind,
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who mows, though with fork he did scatter.
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His leaves they grew greene,
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But they were not seene,
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for Autumne them quickly did kill,
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Then let youth beware,
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And have a great care,
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and trust not too much to their will
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Least a prison them catch,
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Or a house without thatch,
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and glad of brown bread & cold water
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To God thanks lets give,
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And in a meane live,
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having a care how we doe scatter.
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