A Balade declaryng how neybourhed
love, and trew dealyng is gone.
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NOw straunge it is, to men of age
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the which they se, before their face.
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This world to be, in such outrage,
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It was never sene, in so bad case,
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Neibourhed nor love is none
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trew dealyng now is fled & gone
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Where shall one fynde, a man to trust,
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Alwaye to stande, in tyme of neede.
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The most parte now, they are unjust
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Fayre in wordes, but false in deede:
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Neybourhed, nor love is none
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True dealyng now is fled and gone.
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who can flatter, now best shall speede,
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who can deceyve, is gaynes well won
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Of deceytfull tongues, who can take hede
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Many a man, they have undone,
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Neibourhed, nor love is none, etc,
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The wickednesse, that doth abounde,
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More then I can, with tongue expresse,
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To see unfaithfull men are founde,
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of frendship there was neverlesse:
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Neiborhed, nor love is none. etc,
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On covetousnesse, most men desyre,
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Their neibours house, some doth procure.
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And over his hed, they wyll it hyre,
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Or bye a leace, to make it sure,
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Neiborhed, nor love is none. etc.
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To pourchace and bye, for lucre & gaine
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Both leace & house, both wood & grounde,
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Thei double the rent, to poore mens payne
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of landlordes nowe, fewe good are founde
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Neiborhed, nor love is none. etc.
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This is used now everywhere,
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And wyll be tyll we have redresse,
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with them I thought, the Lorde dyd fere
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Because his worde they doo professe:
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neiborhed, nor love is none. etc.
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what neiborhed is this you call,
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That one another doth backbite
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And daily wyll both skolde and brall,
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with slaunderous wordes, in most despite:
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neyborhed, nor love is none. etc.
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For matters small, some suffre wronge,
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Upon displeasure, in prison cast,
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And there shall lye, without pitie long
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tyll that his goodes are spent and wast:
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neyborhed nor love is none. etc,
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Th ungodly riche, the poore oppresse
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On them few have compassion,
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Their cause is here, remedilesse
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without all consolacion:
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neyborhed nor love is none. etc.
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If any membre be hurte in man,
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The whole body lamentes therfore:
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the poore oppprest, who cureth than
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Or helpes him for to salve his sore:
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neiborhed nor love is none, etc.
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The percialnesse that now doth raigne,
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with some that have, suche cause in hande
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The riche men doth, the poore disdayne
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And sekes the meanes, to make them band
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neyborhed nor love is none, etc,
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Truly to deale one with another,
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In these dayes now ar very fewe,
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the Sister wyll begyle the brother,
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the brother agayne, deceyte wyll shewe
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neyborhed nor love is none. etc.
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The father wyll deceyve the chylde,
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the chylde the father likewise agayne,
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thus one another dothe begylde
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By false deceyt, that now doth raigne:
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neyborhed nor love is none. etc.
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To speake somwhat of usurye,
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the whiche the Lorde doth daily curse
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yet some doo use it prively
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to fyll their uncontented purse,
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neyborhed nor love is none. etc.
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To strive or speake, it is no boote,
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In covetousnesse, there is no order
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of mischiefe it is the very roote,
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All thinges it spoyles, in every border:
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neyborhed nor love is none. etc,
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Our Preachers with gods word doth cry
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on covetous men, that wyll not cesse,
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their wordes are herde, with yeres so slye,
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their filthy gaynes, they styll encresse:
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neybourhed nor love is none. etc.
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How many doth their rentes abate,
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or nowadayes, their tenentes ease,
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they set their rentes, at a new rate
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Both fines and leasses, they daily rease,
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Neybourhed nor love is none. etc.
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Covetousnesse hathe now the way
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wronge & briberye dothe not refrayne,
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In every cost, pride bereth the sway,
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Amonges the whole. now it doth raygne
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Neybourhed nor love is none. etc.
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What is the cause, neibourhed is gone,
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which here hath reigned many a daye
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I heare the poore men make great mone,
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And sayth hit is, falne in decaye:
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Neibourhed nor love is none, etc,
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True dealyng dare not once appeare
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Deceit hath put him out of place,
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Everywhere both farre and nere,
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He raigneth now in most mens face:
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Neibourhed nor love is none. etc.
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Graunt oh God, for thy mercyes sake
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That neigbourhed, and dealyng trewe
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May once agayne, our sprites awake,
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That we our lyves may chaunge anew
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that neybourhed and love alone
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may come agayne to every one.
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