A Messe of good Fellows: OR,
The generous spark who roundly,
doth call, and sayes for his part,
Tush, we have and shall have abundance,
come fill us the other od quart.
To the tune of, Ragged and torne.
WEll met my iouiall blades,
Tom, Anthony, Dick, & James
We haue béen all merry Comrades,
as all our acquaintance proclaims:
Now sith we are all met here,
Wée'l be merry before we goe,
For paying let's neuer feare,
our credit is good we know.
Here's 4 or fiue shillings good round ones
ile spend them before we part,
Tush, we have & shal have abundance
come fill us the other od quart.
Wée'l laugh and make good sport,
and cry a fig for care,
What though our means grows short,
the world has enough to spare:
When either of us was borne,
we had as much wealth about us
As those that are rich (Ile be sworne)
why then should they ieer and flout vs?
& though they haue since got ground on's
it doth nor much grieue my heart:
Tush, we have &c.
Let's sing and make a noise,
as best the time befits,
Wee shew our selues merry good boyes,
when the world is beside her wits:
The Usurer with all his bags,
is not so content in mind,
As honest good fellows in rags,
that are to each other kind.
Our hearts are all perfect & sound ones,
we scorn from our friends to start,
Tush, we have and shall have abundance;
come fill us the other od quart.
The Mizer doth daily plod
how he may his riches increase,
He maketh his gold his God,
but we liue at better hearts ease:
Let fortune frowne or smile,
we do not for that much passe.
The world shall not vs beguile,
with her prospectiue glasse,
If pouerty séeke to wound vs,
wée'l cure't with the Uintners art,
Tush, we have &c.
He that doth inioy his health,
and a competent means withall,
What need he to pine for wealth,
but take what to him doth befall?
A contented mind is worth gold,
it is but a folly to striue,
We all were at first of one mould,
yet all are not borne to thriue,
Then let no ill thoughts confound vs,
let euery one bear a good heart,
Tush, we have and shall have abundance,
come fill us the other od quart.
The second part, To the same tune.
WE scorn to spend mony on queanes,
though sometimes we hunt the fox,
For he that so wasteth his means,
at last will be paid with a p —
No surgeon nor any Physitian,
for mony their aid shall lend vs,
When drinking hath chang'd our condition
a hair o'th old dog will mend vs.
Grim sorrow can neuer wound vs,
which maketh curmudgeans to smart,
Tush, we have, and shall have abundance,
Come fill us the tother odd quart.
Tis better far to be poore,
and haue a contented mind,
Then to haue abundance of store,
and with it no rest can find:
The couetous man is not rich,
he neuer is satisfide,
His mony doth him bewitch,
he thinks vpon nothing beside:
Such puddles shall neuer drowne vs,
wéel be well content with our part,
Tush, we have &c.
Some idle companions there be,
that rather then they will worke,
Upon such good fellows as we,
the Rascals will liue by the shirk,
At last they are tane in the nick,
(for cheating can nere come to good)
And then they are taught a fine trick,
to look through a peece of wood:
And oftentimes when they are found thus
with pain they do follow the cart
Tush, we have &c.
He that hath a generous mind,
will take any laudable course,
What fortune to him hath assignd,
he takes it for better for worse:
And to recreate his senses,
when labour hath tane off the edge,
They weigh not a little expences.
each other like us they will pledge.
Let our hearts be true and sound ones,
tho fortune our meanings doth thwart,
Tush, we have, &c.
Such merry vaga
[...]ies wéel play,
when liquor hath captiv'd our wits,
We thinke not how hard the next day
we must work for these mad mery fits:
Yet wéel neyther quarrell nor chide,
as fools in these humours do use,
Such folly wée cannot abide,
if any way we can chuse.
And if any man séek to wrong us,
wéel one take anothers part.
Tush we have, &c.
But amongst all our mery cheare,
- twere pity of all our lives,
If all the while wée are here,
wée neglect to drink to our wives.
Faith that was remembred well,
tis better at last then never,
Though my share doe the rest excell,
it shall go about howsoever.
Now left too much liquor shold drown us
let's know what's oth score & depart,
Tush we have, and shall have abundance,
come give us the other odd quart.
FINIS.
Printed for Thomas Lambert neare the Hospitall-gate in Smithfield.