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By the directions of the Scriptures, and the examples of our blessed Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ. Written for the good of all sorts of peo-
ple, both rich and poore, in this miserable time of necessity.
To the Tune of Ayme not too high.
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YOu that the Lord have blest with riches store,
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Slight not Gods word, but thinke upon the poor.
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Bow down your eares of pitty to the plaints,
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Of them which now for want of succour faints.
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Let charity be dealt abroad with speed,
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amongst such people as are in great need,
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Whose hunger starved soules are like to perish.
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Through want of food, their children for to cherish.
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The Scriptures bids us daily to take heed,
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And have a care the hungry for to feed,
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To cloath the naked in their deep distresse,
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And to give harbour to the harbourlesse.
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But rich mens hearts of late are grown so hard,
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That poore folkes wants they never a jot regard:
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Nor will they listen to the wofull cry,
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Of them that are through hunger like to dye.
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Do not we see poore aged men complaine.
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For want of food their hunger to sustain,
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Begging of bread of everyone they meet,
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Till some have fallen down dead in open street,
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Do we not see poor widowes in distresse,
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Who through bad times are now made husbanlesse,
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Their outward sorrows and heart-breaking moan,
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Is powred out, and to the world made known.
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And do not many friendlesse children lye:
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I'th fields and under stalls in misery,
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Each night being ready to be starv'd with cold,
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And hunger which is worse a thousand fold.
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There are but few regards the prisoners greif,
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And fewer that gives almes for their releife,
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Altho tis known there can no means be wrought
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They can have nothing but whats to them brought
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Yet many men heaven knows, that have too much,
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Whose humours and whose qualities are such,
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Rather then to helpe poore folke to broken meate,
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Theyle cast it under feet for dogs to eate.
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Some servants also are so extreame proud,
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Though by their mastres daily are allou'd,
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Some certaine scraps to give unto the poore,
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Theyle rather tak't and cast it out o'th door.
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BY this we see, Gods word is disobey'd,
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Conscience is dead, and charity is decay'd
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Rich men that should the poor mans wants releive,
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Will sooner from them take then to them give,
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This sin, all other sinnes on earth controles,
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When men are so regardlesse of their soules,
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They will not deale according to Gods word,
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Nor yet take counsell of the living Lord.
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Wherefore deare Christians: you that are in health
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Having your limbs, your liberty and wealth,
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I do desire you all for Christ his sake,
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Some pitty on poor people for to take.
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Christ came into the world to do us good,
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And shed as many drops of precious blood
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even for the poorest wretch that goes oth ground,
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as for the richest man that can be found,
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Whilst in this world our Saviour did remain,
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He never spent one houres time in vaine-
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He preacht the Gospell freely unto all,
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That would give eare and hearken to his call,
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The tydings of salvation sweet he taught,
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And many miracles to passe he brought:
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His bounty still he gave unto the poor,
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And did releive the needy more and more.
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Five thousand poor folks on one day he fed,
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With five small fishes and two loaves of bread,
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Whereby that all the world might truly know,
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None but himselfe such miracles could do.
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The poor man that was born blind likewise,
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When once our Saviour had but toucht his eyes,
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Immediately he did receive his sight,
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which wonder strange was don by Christ his might
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He made the deafe to hear, the dumb to talke,
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Hee made the sick take up his bed and walk,
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He cur[']d the lame, and heal'd the Leapers evills,
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And by his heavenly power he cast out devills.
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Poore Lazarus when he had lain four dayes in grave
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Whom no man could from death preserve or save,
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Our Saviour did restore his life againe,
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The holy Gospell doth expresse it plaine.
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This was our blessed Saviours charity,
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Bestowed upon the poore continually,
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A sweet example he hath left behinde,
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That rich folks should have poore folks still in mind
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And thus the word of God hath been decreed.
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How they that help poore people at their need.
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Shall live in blisse, after this earthly trouble,
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And be with heavenly joyes rewarded double
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