Room for a Jovial Tinker, Old Brass to mend.
OR, Here is a Tinker full of Mettle,
The which can mend, pot, pan, or Kettle;
For stopping of holes is his delight,
His work goes forward day and night:
If there be any Woman brave,
Whose Couldrons need of mending have;
Send for this Tinker, ne'r deny him,
He'l do your work well if you try him:
A proof of him, i'le forthwith show,
'Cause you his workmanship may know.
The Tune is, Behold the man, etc.
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IT was a Lady of the North,
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she lov'd a Gentleman,
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And knew not well what course to take,
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to use him now and then;
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Wherefore she writ a Letter,
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and seal'd it with her hand,
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And bid him be a Tinker,
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to mend both pot and Pan:
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With a hey ho hey derry derry down,
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with hey trey down down derry,
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And when this merry Gentleman,
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the Letter he did read,
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He got a Budget on his back,
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and Apron with all speed:
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His pretty shears and pincers,
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so well they did agree,
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With a long Pike staff upon his neck,
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came triping o're the Lee:
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With a hey, etc.
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When he came to the Ladies house,
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he knocked at the gate,
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Then answered this Lady gay,
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who knocketh there so late?
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'Tis I Madam the Tinker said,
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I work for Gold and Fee,
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If y'have any broken Pots and Pans,
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then bring them all to me:
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With a hey, etc.
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I Am the bravest Tinker,
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that liveth beneath the Sun
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If you have any Work to do,
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you shall have it well done:
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I have brass within my Budget,
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and punching under my Apron,
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I'm come unto your Ladyship,
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and mean to mend your Cauldron.
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With a hey ho hey derry derry down,
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with a hey trey down down derry,
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I prithee said the Lady gay,
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bring now thy Budget in,
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I have store of work for thee to do,
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if thou wilt once begin.
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Now when the Tinker he came in,
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that did the Budget bear,
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God bless, quoth he, your Ladyship,
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God bless you Madam fair,
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With a hey, etc.
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But when the Lady knew his face,
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she then began to wink,
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Hast lusty Butler then, quoth she,
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to fetch the man some drink,
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Give him some meat as we do eat,
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and drink as we do use,
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It is not for a Tinkers trade,
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good liquor to refuse.
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With a hey, etc.
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But when that he had eat and drunk,
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the truth of all is so,
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The Lady took, him by the sleeve,
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her Work to him to show,
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Set up thy tools Tinker, quoth she,
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and see there be none lost,
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And mend the Kettle handsomely,
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what e're it doth me cost,
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With a hey, etc.
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Your Work Madam shall be well done,
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if you will pay me for't,
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For every nail that I do drive,
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you shall give me a mark:
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If I do not drive the nail to' th head,
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I'le have nothing for my pain,
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And what I receive of you,
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shall be return'd again.
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With a hey, etc.
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At last being come into the room,
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where he the Work should do,
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The Lady lay down on the bed,
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so did the Tinker too.
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The Tinker did his work full well,
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the Lady was not offended,
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But before that she rose from the bed,
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her Cauldron was well mended.
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With a hey, etc.
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But when his Work was at an end,
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which he did in the dark,
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She put her hand into her purse,
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and gave him twenty mark,
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Here's mony for thy Word, said e,
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and I thank thee for thy pain:
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And when my Cauldron mending lacks,
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I'le send for thee again.
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With a hey, etc.
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The Tinker he was well content,
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for that which he had done,
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So took his Budget on his back,
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and quickly he was gone,
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Then the Lady to her Husband went,
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O my dear quoth she,
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I have set the bravest Tinker at Work,
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that ever you did see.
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With a hey, etc.
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No fault at all this Tinker hath
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but he takes dear for his Work:
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That little time that he wrought here
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it cost me twenty mark.
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If you had been so wise quoth he,
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for to have held your own,
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Before you set him to his Work,
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the price you might have known.
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With a hey, etc.
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Pray hold your peace my Lord, qd. she,
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I think it not to dear,
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If you coold do 't so well, twould save
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you forty pound a year,
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With that the Lord most lovingly,
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to make all things amends,
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He kindly kist his Lady gay,
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and so they both were friends,
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With a hey, etc.
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You merry Tinkers every one,
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that hear this new made Sonnet,
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When as you do a Ladies Work,
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be sure you think upon tt.
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Drive home your nails unto the head,
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and do your Work profoundly
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And then no doubt your Mistresses,
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will pay you for it soundly,
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With a hey, etc.
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