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EBBA 30689

British Library - Roxburghe
Ballad XSLT Template
Jack Had-Lands Lamentation,
That sold and made away his State,
And spent his Money early and late;
And let his Wife and Children want,
Now he makes great moan and does repent;
And desires all good-fellows where ere they be,
To take warning of his poverty.
He was cast in Prison at that bout,
His poor Wife she helpt him out;
She had small reason to do that thing
But true love is a gallant thing;
There is scarce a Tap-house in London town
Will help a Man when he is cast down.
To the Tune of, It is Old Ale that has undone me.
This may be Printed, R.P.

TO all Good-fellows ile declare,
To take Example and have a care.
And do not spend your Means in waste,
For you will repent it at the last:
For I my self was blindly led,
And made all away, I was so bad;
Let all I say be warnd by me,
Of drinking and bad company.

I had Land and Living of my own,
And a fine Estate, it was well known;
It was worth threescore pound a year,
And I spent it all in Ale and Beer,
My Hostess was all my delight,
And I sat up swilling day and night.
Let all I say, etc.

I never took no care at all,
God knows I had a sudden fall;
I sold my State then all away,
To maintain the Ale-house night and day.
My Wife and Children was so poor,
Neighbours cryd shame at me therefore,
Let all I say, etc.

I would come home drunk unto my Wife,
And lead her such a weary life,
And she would speak me then so fair,
And intreat me with a lovely ca[r]e;
And say, good Husband be content,
Alas! you will these things repent:
Let all I say be warnd by me,
Of drinking and bad company.

My little naked Children, they
Were almost pind, as Neighbours say,
And starvd so sore for want of Close,
I had no care of them God knows;
Now all is gone, and nothing left,
I may say, farewel Dagger with dudgeon and Hast:
Let all I say, etc.

I cast my self into some Debt,
And was Arrested then for it;
Because that I could get no Bail,
They cast me in a nasty Gaile;
And there I lay from my poor Wife,
She relievd me or I had lost my life:
Let all I say, etc.

When I was in that misery,
Ner an Ale-wife that would come to me;
For all I had spent my State away,
I had no help of them I say:
But my poor wife was my best friend,
And succoured me unto the end:
Let all I say, etc.

Then my poor wife she sought about,
And she made a friend and got me out;
She sold her Wedding-Ring away,
To pay my Fees without delay;
And did so rejoyce at my release,
And brought me home agen in peace:
Let all I say, etc.

Now all is spent I plainly see
There is no help nor no remedy,
But labour hard and work full sore,
That money will be better then all before;
And bring it home unto my Wife,
And love her as I love my life:
Let all I say, etc,

A man that has a state or has good means
Ner use so much these tippling Queans
They drown your money so very sore,
And make you at the last be poor;
I am sure that I may say the same,
But alas, alas, I was to blame:
Let all I say, etc.

Let every one that goes along,
Take notice of this new-made Song,
And take examble now by me,
That am fallen into this Poverty;
I wish that I might be the last,
But alack-aday, I am not the first:
Let all I say, etc.

So to conclude to end the strife,
Let every man love his own Wife;
And save his money, and keep his store,
Drink not too much to make you poor,
A man that has Grace will then repent,
To see his Wife and Children live in want.
Let all I say, be warnd be me,
Of Drinking and lewd Company,


Printed for P. Brooksby, at the Golden-Ball in Pye-Corner.

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