A New Ballad; declaring the Excellent Parable of the Prodigal Child,
To the Tune of, The wanton wife[.]
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THere was a grave man both wealthy and wise,
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two Sons had both proper and tall,
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The elder was very proper and very precise,
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The other to wildness did wholly encline,
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his Parents therefore was grieved full sore,
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And mighty displeasure against him they bore,
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Young Men remember delights are but vain,
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And after sweet pleasure comes sorrow & pain.
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This lusty brave youngster that lives at ease,
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and never had tasted the temper of care,
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Quoth he, if my doings your mind do displease,
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then give me my portion that falls to my share,
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then ye shall not be long troubled with me,
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Yet will I live gallant and pleasant, quoth he,
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Young Men, etc.
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Oh, quoth his Parents, you wicked lewd Lad,
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What will become of thee where thou shalt go;
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Seeing thy Government it is so bad,
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But misery and beggery upon thee shall grow,
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Quoth he, if I knew that this would be true,
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Be sure i would never make moan unto you,
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Young Men, etc.
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His Parents that saw him put him to flight,
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Paid him his Portion without all delay:
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Saying, Good Sir, I pray take your flight.
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I mean not, quoth he, in your presence to stay,
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But now I will see each Foreign Country,
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And view the world what fashions there be,
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Young Men, etc.
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Thus in his jollity he rides along,
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and in his apparel most sumptuous and brave,
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To view this brave Gallant much people did throng
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where he like a Prince himself did behave,
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Yea honoured was he, with cap and with knee,
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And at his command the proudest now be,
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Young Men, etc.
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With musick each morning his ears they fed,
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of Gold and Silver he maketh no spare,
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With flattering Speeches away he was led,
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his body is fed with delicate fare:What he doth require he hath at his desire,
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But such as want money may lie in the mire,
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Young Men, etc.
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Proper fine women of beauty most bright,
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do strive for his favour and friendship each day,
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They call him their honey, their joy and delight,
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they kiss him, they cull him, and wantonly play,
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They swear till they die tho falsly they lie,
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He shall be their Sweet-heart & pritty Pigs-nie,
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Young Men, etc.
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Some gave him Handkerchiefs, some gave Rings,
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Some strewd hi[s] windows with flowers so sweet,
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Some to delight him both dances and sings,
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Some with Rose water doth wash his feet,
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And what shall I say they took him away,
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They woo him, & do him what Kindness they may,
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Young Men, etc.
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Thus with their allurements, their winks & their wiles
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they used to bewitch this Prodigal Boy,
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He buys with gold angels their Kisses & Smiles,
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And stores them with every new fangle and toy,
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He buys them new Gowns and many fair pounds
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In white-wine & sugar amongst them he drowns,
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Young Men, etc.
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When he had upon them thus wasted his wealth,
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Consumed his substance, his treasure and store,
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Yea, crackt all his credit with hazard of health,
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That he could banquet these minions no more,
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With words of despight, they fly from his sight,
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They call him base Rascal forsaking him quite,
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Young Men remember delights are but vain,
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& after sweet pleasure comes sorrow and pain,
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The Second Part, shewing the great Misery he endured, being constrained thro hunger
to Eat with the Hogs, and how his merciful Father received him again. To the same Tune.
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THen was he brought to misery great,
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His garments all ragged and torn you might see
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His body near starved for want of good meat
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his Cloaths out at elbows, his hose broke at knee,
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And in his distress he knew no redress,
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His Harlots spit at him in his heaviness,
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Young Men remember delights are but vain,
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And after sweet pleasure comes sorrow and pain,
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Then bitterly mourning he went up and down,
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to get him a Master that he might dine:At length a Rich Citizen dwelling in town,
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sends him to the country to keep all his Swine,
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Whose hunger was great, for want of good meat
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He sat him down by the hogs husks for to eat:
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Young Men, etc.
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And as by the hogs he was feeding apace,
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with many a sigh and sob he did say,
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Now I am brought to a pittiful case,
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alack that my Parents I did disobey,
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their servants at home, the very worst Groom,
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Have meat & drink plenty & here I have none,
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Young Men, etc.
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Wherefore to my father again I will go,
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asking him forgiveness for my lewd life,
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Shewing to him my grief and my woe,
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Reputing my folly that it set at strife:
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Then straight the same day, he taketh his way,
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And came to his fathers in Ragged array.
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Young Men, etc.
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With bitter mourning he falls on his knee,
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saying, Dear Father, forgive what is done,
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For I have offended Christ Jesus and thee,
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Unworthy I am to be called thy Son:Yet do not disdain to take me again.
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As one of thy servants to take any pain;
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Young Men, etc.
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with that the tears sell from his fathers eyes,
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with joy and gladness they flew full fast,
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He Kissed his Son, and bid him arise,
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saying, I have found my child that was lost,
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with Garments full gay he did him array,
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and killed a fat Calf to honour that day,
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Young Men, etc.
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And gently led him by the hand,
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great joy and melody there was made,
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But when his eldest brother did understand
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the truth of every thing that hath been said,
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Full angry was he when this he did see.
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His prodigal brother thus honoured would be,
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Young Men, etc.
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And to his Father thus he did speak,
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Long have I served thee and many a day,
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And thy Commandments never did break,
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but all my life long I did thee obey;
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Yet never found I such great Courtesie
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as this wretched Unthrift that let his wealth flye
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Young Men, etc.
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O, quoth his Father, consider my Son,
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All that I have one day shall be thine,
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then do not grudge at what I have done,
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Nor at thy poor Brother do thou repine;
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For he was lost plain, but is found again,
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He was dead, but now is risen again,
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Young Men, etc.
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this worthy Parable Christ he did tell,
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Unto the Comforters of Christians each one,
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Altho by our wickedness we do rebel,
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Yet by true Repentance our Father of Heaven,
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Doth pitty our case, receiving us to grace,
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In joys everlasting with him to take place,
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Young men remember delights are but vain,
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And after sweet pleasures come sorrow and pain.
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