A Song in Praise of the Leather Bottle.
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GOD above that made all Things,
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The Heaven and Earth, and all therein,
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The Ships that on the Sea do swim,
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For to keep the Enemies out, that none come in;
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And let them all do what they can,
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It is for the use and praise of Men.
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And I wish in Heaven his Soul may dwell,
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Who first devisd the Leather Bottle.
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Then what do you say to those cans of Wood?
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In faith they are not, and cannot be good;
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For when a Man he doth them send,
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For to be filld with Ale, he doth intend,
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The Bearer falls down by the Way,
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And on the Ground the Liquor doth lie.
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And then the Bearer begins to ban,
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And swears its along of the wooden Can;
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But had it been a Leather Bottle,
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Altho it had fallen, yet all had been well.
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And I wish, etc.
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Then what do you say to these Glasses fine?
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Yet they shall have no praise of mine:
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For when in a Company they are set,
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For to be merry as we are met;
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But if you chance to touch the brim,
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Down falls the Liquor, and all therein.
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If your Table-Cloth be ever so fine,
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Down lies your Beer, Ale, or Wine;
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It may be for a small Abuse,
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A young Man may his service lose;
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But had it been the Leather Bottle,
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And the Staple in, then all had been well.
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And I wish, etc.
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Then what do you say to these black Pots three?
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Why they shall have no Praise from me;
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For when a man and his wife falls at strife,
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(As many have done I have known in my life)
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They lay their hand on the Pot both,
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And loth they are to spill the broth;
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The one doth tug, the other doth ill,
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Betwixt them both the Liquor they spill;
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But they shall answer another day,
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For casting the Liquor so vainly away;
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But had it been in the Leather Bottle,
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They might have tuggd till their hearts did ake,
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And yet the Liquor no harm could take,
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And I wish, etc.
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Then what do you say to these silver Flaggons fine?
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Why, they shall have no Praise of mine;
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For when a Lord he doth them send,
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For to be filld with Wine as he doth intend,
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The Man with his Flaggon runs away,
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Because it is Silver so gallant and gay,
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O then the Lord begins to ban,
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And swears he has lost both Flaggon and Man;
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Theres never a Lord, Serving-Man, or Groom,
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But with his Leather Bottle will come,
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Then I wish, etc.
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A Leather Bottle we know is good,
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Far better than Glasses, or Cans of Wood;
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For when a Man is at work in the field,
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Your Glasses and Pots no comfort will yield,
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But a good Leather Bottle standing him by.
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He may drink always when he is dry;
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It will revive his spirits and comfort his brain,
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Wherefore let none this Bottle refrain.
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For I wish, etc.
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And so the honest Scytheman too,
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He knew not very well for to do,
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But for his Bottle standing him near,
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Which is filled with good houshold Beer,
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At Dinner he sits him down to eat,
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With good hard cheese, and bread or meat,
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Then his Bottle he takes up amain,
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And drinks, and sits it down again;
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Saying, Good Bottle stand my friend,
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And hold till this Day doth end.
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For I wish, etc.
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And likewise the Hay-makers they,
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When as they were turning and making their hay,
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In Summer Weather, when it is warm,
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A good Bottle full will do us no harm:
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And at noon-time when they set them down,
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For to drink of their Bottle and Ale so brown:
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When the Lads and the Lasses begin to tattle,
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What should we do but for the Leather Bottle?
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For they could not work if the Bottle was done,
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Since the Day is so hot with the heat of the Sun.
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Then I wish, etc.
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Also the Leader, Loader, and Pitcher,
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The Reaper, Hedger, and the Ditcher,
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The Binder, and the Raker, and all,
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About the Bottles ears do fall:
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And if the Liquor be almost gone,
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His Bottle he will patr with to none;
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But says, My Bottle is but small,
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One Drop I will not part withal;
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You must go drink at some spring or Well,
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For I will keep my Leather Bottle.
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Then I wish, etc.
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Thus you may hear of a Leather Bottle,
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When it is filld with good Liquor well,
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Altho the substance be but small,
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Yet the Name of it is all in all;
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For theres never a Lord, a Duke, nor Knight,
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But in a Bottle doth take great delight;
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For when he is hunting of the Deer,
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He often doth wish for a Bottle of Beer;
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Likewise the man that works io the Wood,
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A Bottle of Beer doth oft do him good.
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Then I wish, etc.
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Then when this Bottle doth grow old,
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And will no longer good Liquor hold,
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Out of the side you may take a Clout,
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Will mend your shoes when they are worn out;
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Else take it and hang it upon a pin,
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It will serve to put odd triffles in,
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As Hinges, Awls, and Candle-Ends,
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For young Beginners must have such Things.
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