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EBBA 34006

National Library of Scotland - Crawford
Ballad XSLT Template
The Naked-Truth;
OR, A
New Song without a Lye
Tune of, Old Simon the King: Or, The Character of sundry Trades and Callings.

THo' Trading we find in the City,
and many more places, is bad,
Yet here I will sing a fine Ditty,
we'd as good be merry as sad:
Of several Trades I will treat,
and will with the Butcher begin,

With what kind of Trade shall he meet,
if he has neither Carcass nor Skin?
All you that are now in this Throng,
I reckon to do you no wrong,
Believe me, I pray, by yea and by nay,
there is not a lye in this Song.

A Weaver without Loom or Shuttle,
like one out of use, may lye by,
A Tinker without any Mettal,
no woman will ever imploy:
A Cobler without St. Hugh's bones,
he cannot mend Old, or make New,
A Pavier without any Stones.
Oh, what is he able to do?
All you that are now in this Throng, etc.

A Man that is quite Moneyless,
thro' Crowds he in safety may pass,
A Cook that hath no meet to Dress,
he need not stand making of Sawce.
A Taylor without e're a Yard,
his bodkin, goose, thimble and sheers,
You'll find that he is as much Marr'd,
as if he had lost both his Ears:
All you that are now, etc.

A Fisher-man without a Net,
you know he can catch but a few,
But yet his good wife she will fret,
when ever she wants of her due:
The jolly brisk Baker is one,
to whom the young Lasses do troule,
So that he is clearly undone,
if he has not a Rusling-Pole:
All you that are now, etc.

The Millers for taking to task
the Mistress or Gillian the Maid,
The Cooper without Hoops or Cask,
he cannot well follow his Trade:
The Poet without e're a Muse,
can never make Sonnets compleat,
A Foot-man without Pumps or Shoes,
will certainly blister his feet:
All you that are now, etc.

A Scrivener without Ink or Pen,
his bonds and his Letters can't write,

A Captain that lost all his men,
will have but small stomach to fight:
The man that shall marry for Gold,
and brings home a Shrew to his bed,
Both Morning, Noon, Night she will scold,
and still have a Noise in her head,
All you that are now, etc.

The Chimney-Sweeper pray don't scoff,
for if he hath Shackles and Poles,
He'll call to the Maids each morn,
to scoure and cleanse their black holes:
That man that is naked indeed,
he is not like Taylors, and those,
For tho' he has ne're so much need,
he is not for pawning his Cloaths:
All you that are now, etc.

A Gallant that has a good Coat,
help him out at a dead lift,
A Sculler that has ne'r a boat,
he fears not Running a Drift;
Some Sharpers a Calling does use,
Robbing Rich Men of their store,
But he that has nothing to loose,
he needs not a watch at his door.
All you that are now, etc.

I ne'r was brought up for to Lye,
and therefore I tell you the truth,
My ballads I'd have you to buy,
they're fit for Diversion of Youth:
My Pocket with Cole to encrease,
let every young-man and maid,
Now lay out a penny a piece,
and then I shall have a good trade.
All you that are now in this Throng,
I'll do you no manner of wrong,
Believe me, I pray, by yea and by nay,
there is not a lye in this Song.


FINIS.
Printed for J. Blare at the Looking-glass on London-Bridge.

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