A CHOICE
Pennyworth of WIT.
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HERE is a Penny-worth of Wit,
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for those that ever went astray
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It warning they will take by it,
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I will do them good another day.
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It is a Touch-stone of true Love,
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Betwixt a Harlot and a Wife,
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The former does destructive prove,
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The latter yeilds the Joys of Life.
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As in this Book you may behold,
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Set forth by Mr. William Lane,
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A wealthy Marchant brave and bold,
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Who did a Harlot long maintain.
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Although a Virtuous Wife he had,
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Likewise a youthful Daughter dear,
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which might have made his heart ful glad
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Yet them he never would come near.
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The Traffick which he Traded for
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On the tempestuous Ocean wide,
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His Harlot had it brought to her,
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But nothing to his Virtuous Bride.
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The finest Silks that could be bought
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Nay Jewels, Rubies & Dimond Rings,
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He to his wanton Harlot brought,
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With many other costly things.
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She still receivd them with a smile
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When he came from the roaring Seas,
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And said with words as smooth as Oil,
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My dearest come and take thy ease.
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To thy soft Bed and Linnen fine,
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Thou art right welcome, Love said she,
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Both I and all that here is mine,
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Shall still at thy Devotion be.
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He brought 200 l. in Gold,
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And after that 300 more,
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Rich Chains and Jewels manyfold,
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And bid her lay them up in store.
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Aye that I will thou needst not fear,
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And so embracd him with a kiss,
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Then took the wealth and said my dear,
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Ill have a special care of this.
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Then did they banquet many days:
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Feasting on Delicious Fare,
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Thus by her false deluding ways,
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She drew him in a fatal Snare.
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When he had livd sometime on shore
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He must go to the Seas again,
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With Traffick to encrease his store,
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The wanton Harlot to Maintain.
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To whom he said, My Joy and Dear,
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What Venture will you send.
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A good return thou needst not fear,
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Ill be thy Factor & thy Friend.
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In Goods my dear Ill send above,
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Ten Pounds thou shalt take on Board
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I know that unto me my dear,
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A trible gain thou wilt afford.
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This said next to his wife he goes,
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And askd her in a scornful wise
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What Venture she would then propose
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To send by him for Merchandize.
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Ill send a Penny love by thee,
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Be sure yon take great care of it;
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When youre in Foreign Parts said she,
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Pray Buy a Penny-worth of Wit.
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She laid the Penny in his Hand,
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And said I pray now dont forget;
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When you are in another Land,
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To Buy a Penny-worth of Wit.
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He put the Penny up secure,
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And said Ill take a special care,
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To lay it out you may be sure:
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So to his Miss he did repair.
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And told her what he was to Buy,
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At which she laughd his Wife to scorn
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On Board he went immediately
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And so to Sea that very Morn.
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PART II.
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NOw they are gone with merry hearts
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The Merchant and his jovial Crew
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From Port to Port in Foreign Parts
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TO Trade as they were wont to do.
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At length when he had well bestowd
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The Cargo which was outward-bound,
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He did his Trading vessel Load
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With the Rich Treasure which he found.
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As he his Merchandize still sent,
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They turnd to Gems and Golden Oar,
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Which crownd his labour with content,
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He never was so Rich before.
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The wanton Harlots venture then
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Did turn to great Account likewise
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For eery Pound she should have Ten,
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Such was his lucky Merchandize.
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For joy of which the Merchant cry
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One merry bout my Lads shall have
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A splendid supper Ill provide,
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Of all the Dainties you can crave
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Before we set to Sea again.
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Which said they to a Tavern went,
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Where they did drink and feast amain,
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Till Crowns and Pounds were spent.
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The Merchant then with laughter movd,
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Said he for Wit had never thought,
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My Harlots venture is improvd,
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But of my Wifes I never thought.
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One single Penny, and no more
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She has a venture sent by me,
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I was to lay it out therefore
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In what you think a Rarity.
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She bid me use my utmost Skill
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To Buy a Penny-worth of Wit,
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But I have kept the Penny still,
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And neer so much as thought of it.
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Where shall I go to lay it out
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True Wit is hard and scarse to find
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But come my Lads lets Drink about,
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My Wifes small venture Ill not mind.
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There is a Proverb often usd,
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Wits never good till bought full dear,
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Therefore I well may be excusd
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Theres little for a Penny here.
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An Aged Father sitting by
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Whose venerable Locks were Grey
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Strait made the Merchant this reply,
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Hear me a word or two I pray.
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Thy Harlot in Prosperity,
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She will embrace thee for thy Gold,
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But when in want or poverty
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youll nought from her but frowns behold.
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And ready to betray thy Life,
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When Wretched, Naked, Poor and Low;
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But thy true Hearted Faithful Wife,
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Will stand by thee in Wealth or Woe.
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If thou wilt prove the truth of this,
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Stript off thy Gudy Gay Array
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And so return to thy Lewd Miss!
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Declare that thou wast Cast away.
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Thy Riches buried in the Main,
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Besides as you past thought the wood
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One of your Servants you have Slain
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For which your Life in danger stood.
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Beseech her for to Shelter thee
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Declare on her you do depend,
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And then alas! Full soon youll see,
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How far shell prove a Faithful Friend.
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Then if she frowns go thy wife
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Tell her this Melancholly Theam
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who labours most to save thy Life,
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Let them be most in thy Esteem.
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Father the Merchant then replyd,
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you must this single Penny take,
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And when Ive past the Ocean wide,
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A proof of it i mean to make.
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So loving Friend, for ought I know,
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may this single Penny prize,
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It may be the best I do bestow
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In my fine wealthy Merchandize.
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So taking Leave, away they went,
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Both he and his fine Hearts of Gold,
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Unto them he said, I must prove the same,
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When I my native Land behold.
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WIth full spread Sails away they went,
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Neptune the Golden Cargo bore,
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Thro roaring waves to their content
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At length they reach the British Shore,
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The Merchant put on poor array
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The very worst of ragged Cloaths
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And then without the least delay
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He to his wanton Harlot goes.
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When she beheld him in Distress
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She cryd what is the matter now
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Said he Im poor and penny-less
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With that he made a courtious Bow.
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Crying no Man was neer so crost
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As I have been sweet Hearts delight
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My Ship and all my Cargo lost
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Without thy help Im Ruind quite.
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My loss is great yet thats not all
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One of my Servants I have Slain
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as we did both at Variance fall,
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Some Shelter let me here obtain.
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I dare not go anear my wife
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whom I have worngd many Years
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Into thy Hands I put my Life
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Take pitty of my melting tears.
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You bloody Villian she replyd
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Dont in the least on me depend
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Begone or as I live she cryd
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I for an Officer will send.
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Ill give you neither Bread nor Drink
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Nor any shelter shall you have
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Of Nasty Lousy Rags you stink
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Begone you base Pernicious Slave.
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Dont think that Ill your counse keep
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Or harbour any such as you
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He turnd aside and seemd to weep
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and bid the wanton Jilt adieu.
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Then to his loving wife he came
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Both Poor and Naked in Distress
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He told her all the very same,
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Yet she recievd him neer the less.
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My Dear she cryd since it is so,
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Take comfort in thy loving wife,
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All that I have shall freely go
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To gain a Pardon for thy Life.
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Ill lodge thee in a Place secure,
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Where I will daily Nourish thee,
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Believe me Love thou mayst be sure
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To find a constant Friend in me.
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When he this perfect Proof had made.
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Which of them two did Love him best,
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Unto his vertuous Wife he said,
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My Jewel set thy Heart at Rest.
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Behold no Servant have I Slain.
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Nor have I sufferd any Loss;
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Enough I have us to Maintain,
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The Ocean Seas no more Ill cross.
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My Leading Ship lies near the Shore
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With Gold and Jewels Richly frought
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So much I never had before
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Thy Penny-worth of Wit Ive bought.
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Once more he to his Harlot goes.
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With Fourteen Sailors brave and bold,
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All Cloathd in new and Costly Cloaths
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Of Silk and Rich Embroiderd Gold.
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The Miss when she his Pomp beheld
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Did offer him a kind Embrace
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But he with wrath and anger filld,
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Did strait upbraid her to her Face.
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But she with smiles these words exprest,
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I have a faithful love for thee
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What eer I said was but in Jest
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Why didst thou go so soon from me.
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Twas time to go for as Im told
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You have another Love in store
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Whom you have furnnishd with my Go[ld]
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And Jewels which I brought on Shore.
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Its false she said I have them all
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With that the Merchant soon replyd
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Lay them down before me then I shall
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Be soon convincd and satisfyd.
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Then up she run and fetchd then down
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His Jewels Gold and Rubies bright
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He seizd them all then with a Frown.
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He bid wanton Jilt good Night.
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When he had took the Golden Purse
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and swept up eery Precious Stone
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She cryd what will you Rob me thus
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Yes that I will of whats my own.
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You wanted to betray my Life
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But thankd be God theres no such fear
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Those Jewels shall adorn my Wife
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Henceforth your House Ill neer come nea[r]
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Home he returnd to his sweet Wife,
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and told her all that he had done
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Eer since they lead a happy Life
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and hell no more to Harlots run.
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Thus he the wanton Harlot bit,
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That long had his Destruction sought,
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This is a Pennyworth of Wit,
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The best that ever Merchant bought.
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