[Bagford Collection, I. 46.]

Poor Robin's Dream;
Commonly called, Poor Charity.

I know no Reason, but this harmless Riddle
May as well be Printed, as Sung to a Fiddle.

To a compleat Tune, well known by Musitians, and many others; Or, [A] Game at Cards.

[The cuts are intentionally transposed. Compare Troilus and Cressida, iii. 3: "Time hath, my Lord, a wallet at his back, Wherein he puts alms for oblivion."]

Ow

How now, good fellow, what, all amort?

pray thee, tell me what is the News ?

Trading is dead, and I am sorry for't,

which makes me look worse then I use.

If a man hath no imployment, whereby to get a penny,
He hath no enjoyment if that he wanteth money;
And Charity is not used by any.

I have nothing to spend, nor I've nothing to lend,
i've nothing to do, I tarry at home.

Sitting in my Chair, drawing near to the fire,
I fell into a sleep, like an idle drone;

And as I slept I fell into a dream:

I see a play acted without e're a Theam,
But I could not tell what the Play did mean.

But afterwards I did perceive,

and something more I did understand;

14

The Stage was the World wherein we live,

the Actors they were all mankind.

[As You Like It, ii. 7.]

And when the Play's ended, the Stage down they fling,
Then there will be no difference in this thing,
Between a Beggar and a King.

The first that Acted, I protest,

was Time, with a Glass and Sithe in his hand, With the Globe of the World upon his breast, to shew that he could the same command: There's a time for to work, and a time for to play, A time for to borrow, and a time for to pay, And a time to call us all away.

[Eccles. iii.] 28

Co

Onscience in order takes his

place,

and very gallantly plays his part;

He fears not to flie in a Rulers face,
although it cuts him to the heart:
He tells him that all this is the latter Age,
Which put the Actors into such a rage,
That they kick'd poor Conscience off the stage.
Plainly Dealing presently appears,

in habit like a simple man:
The Actors at him mocks and jears,
pointing their fingers as they ran :

How came this fellow into our company?
Away with him, many a Gallant did cry,
For Plain-Dealing will a Beggar dye.
Dissimulation mounted the Stage,

but he was cloathed in Gallant attire ; He was acquainted with Youth and Age; many his company did desire;

They entertain'd him in their very breast;
There he could have harbor, and quietly rest,
For Dissemblers and Turn-coats fare the best.
Then cometh in poor Charity,

methinks she looked wondrous old;

She quiver'd and she quak'd most piteously,

it griev'd me to think she was grown so cold: She had been i' th' City, and in the Country, Amongst the Lawyers and Nobility,

But there was no room for poor Charity.

42

49

56

but like unto Youth in his white Laun sleeves,

Then comes in Truth, well cloathed in Wool,

And says, the Land it is full, full, full,

too full of Rebels, worse than Thieves.

The City's full of Poverty, the French are full of pride,
Fanaticks full of Envy, which order can't abide;
And the Usurers bags are full beside.

Hark, how Bellona's Drums they do beat,

methinks they go rattling through the Town,

Hark, how they thunder through the street,

as though they would shake the Chimneys down.
Then comes in Mars, the great God of War,
And bids us face about, and be as we were;
But when I awak'd, I sat in my Chair.

63

70

Printed by and for a. M. and sold by the Booksellers of

London.

[In Black-letter. Date of print about 1670; ballad much older. A copy, "Printed by J. Lock for J. Clark at the Harp and Bible in West-Smithfield. With Allowance," Ouvry Coll., i. 67; Roxb. Coll., iii. 70. The other Roxb. copy, iii. 472, is a modern Bow Church-yard reprint, with three different woodcuts: to left, a figure of Old Time; to right, a skeleton-Death; in centre, a female Good-Genius, draped.]

1 Roxb. Coll., iii. 70, reads "it goes ratling."

Page 439. The tune named is "When Covetousness out of England will run." This line is the burden of a ballad in Wood's Coll., E 25, fol. 81 (where, on fol. 117, is a copy of our Protestant's Prophesie, marked as purchased "in Jan. or Feb. 1688"). It is entitled, "The Ploughman's Prophecie; or, the Countryman's Calculation." It was licensed by Roger L'Estrange, therefore is of date before (or early in) 1685. Printed for J. Hose, over against the King's Arms on Holbourne-Bridge. It begins,

Come listen all you that to mirth are inclined,
And freely I'll tell you a piece of my mind;
You'll find it as true, and as clear as the Sun,
When Covetousness out of England will run.

Many impossibilities are first to happen. Four cuts (ours on p. 431, and 401 R). We gain a certainty as to the tune: viz. “of Cook Laurel or the Country Miss." See our p. 970, 3rd note.

66

Page 439. The centre cut, reduced in size on our page, originally belonged to an edition of the old poem The Friar and the Boy"; where Jack pipes and makes the Friar dance amid the briars. See Ritson's Pieces of Ancient Popular Poetry, 1791, p. 35. It is also in the Percy Folio MS., Extra Part of Loose Songs, p. 9.

Page 442, 444. The heraldic title of the black tear-drops is Gutte de Poix. There are also Gutte d'Or, Gutte de Sang (gules), Gutte de Larmes (argent), &c.

Pages 449, 450. "A Job for a Journeyman Shoemaker" is in Douce Coll., ii. 170, entitled, "The Old Maid Mad for a Husband; or, The Journeyman Shooemakers favours turn'd to Misfortunes." Tune, Touch of the Times. Licensed by Robt. Pocock, 1685-88. Printed for J. Blare, on London-Bridge. It begins, "All you that are willing right merry to be, I pray you come hither and listen to me." One burden is, "A Husband is better than Money to me;" the other, "Because like a Rascal he did kiss and tell." He is punished for blabbing by her dismissing him, and giving herself to a Stonemason. Also in the same Collection, i. 106, is "A Job for a Journeyman Joyner," beginning, "Did you not hear of a Bricklayer of late." It was printed for J. Deacon, licensed by R. Pocock, Another "A Job for a Joyner; or, a good workman well imployed," begins, "Come and attend, young Virgins all." It goes to the tune "Over the Water fain would I pass," or (its own, named from the burden), Jig a Jog-goo. Printed for F. Coles, Vere, and Wright. Wood's Coll., E 25, fol. 34.

Page 458. "Butter-boxes curse the day" we have long sought. It must have been a satirical ballad upon the Dutch, written and popular during the time of the first Dutch war, if not so early as the Commonwealth sea-fights. Butter-boxes, like Hoegan-Mogans, was a cant term for a Dutchman or LowCountry German. Thus in "Sack for my Money," Roxb. Coll., ii. 408, fourth verse, of sack it is declared,

It is more fine then Brandewine,

the Butterboxes potion,

Who drinking dares in Neptunes wars

reign master of the ocean.

Hoegan Mogans (High and Mighty) is of more frequent occurrence. We have it in line 65 of the Poem "England's Plague from Holland," Van Helmont, on our page 40; "this Hoegan Mogan Lord." Thus in Luttrell Collection, iii. 98, Mrs. E. P.'s Verses begin,

Proud Hogen Mogens, we will make you bow.

Have at your greasy Butter-boxes now!

Again, in our Bagford Collection, ii. 39, a long poem dated 1672, printed for Robert Clavill in Cross-key Court in Little Britain, begins

Low-Countrey Provinces, United Bogs,

Once Distress'd States, now Hogen Mogen Frogs, &c.

It is by J. O., and is entitled "The Holland Nightingale: or, the Sweet Singers of Amsterdam; being a Paraphrase upon the fable of the Frogs hearing that the Sun would marry." Possibly "Then Butter-boxes all lament!" may be (misquoted) what we seek. It is the burden of Wood's Coll., E 25, fol. 56. To the tune, A Fig for France and Holland too; or, Round about the Hollow Tree. It begins, "Rejoyce, Rejoyce, brave English boys." J. O. John Ogilby? "A Fig for France" belonged to England's Royal Conquest," also to England's Triumph, and Holland's Downfall: " both dated 1666.

66

66

66

=

Page 471. Another copy of "The Two Faithful Lovers" is in Douce Coll., ii. 223 verso.

Page 475. In

4to. Rawl. Coll.,
566, fol. 170, is
another copy of
The Two Con-
stant Lovers.
We here add the
woodcut men-
tioned as be-
longing to this
ballad. It is
rough in execu-
tion, but has
character of its
own. In other
woodcuts we see
the employment
of these weapons.
"Three to One," 1625.