The three merry Coblers,
Who tell how the case with them doth stand,
How they are still on the mending hand.
To the tune of The Spanish Gipsie.
to th' Alehouse weele march all thrée,
Leaue Aule Last Threed, and Lether,
And let's goe altogether.
Our trade excells most trades ith'land,
For we are st
[...]ll on the mending hand.
Come Tapster fill vs some ale,
Then hearken to our tale,
And try what can be made
Of our renowned trade;
We haue Aule at our command,
And still we are on the mending hand.
Though Shoomakers vs disdaine,
Yet tis approued plaine,
Our trade cannot be mist,
Let them say what they list,
Though all grow worse quite through the land,
Yet we are still on the mending hand.
When Shoomakers are decayed:
Then doe they fall to our trade,
And glad their mindes they giue
By mending Shooes to liue,
When in necessity they stand,
They striue to be on the mending hand.
Although there's but few of us rich,
Yet brauely we go thorow stich.
Were't not for this barley broth
(Which is meat, drinke and cloth)
We sure should purchase house and land,
At worst we are still on the mending hand.
We deale most vprightly,
Our neighbours that goe awry
We easily set vpright,
The broken we vnite,
When all men out of order stand;
Then we are most on the mending hand:
We cannot dissemble for treasure,
But giue euery one iust measure,
If Bakers kept size like vs,
They need not be frighted thus,
We feare not to haue our doings scann'd,
For we are still on the mending hand.
What euer we doe intend
We bring to a perfect end.
If any offence be past,
We make all well at last,
We sit at worke when others stand,
And still we are on the mending hand.
We bristle as well as the best,
All knauery we doe detest,
What we haue promised
Weele doe vnto a thred,
We use waxe but to seale no Band,
And still we are on the mending hand.
Our wiues doe sit at the wheele,
They spin, and we doe reele,
Although we take no Farmes,
Yet we can show our armes,
And spread them at our owne command.
Thus still we are on the mending hand.
The second Part.
To the same Tune.
Whose case the body condoles,
We for a little gaine
Can set on foot againe.
We make the falling stedfast stand,
And still we are on the mending hand.
You'd thinke we were past sence,
For we giue pieces for pence,
Iudge, is't not very strange
We should make such exchange,
Yet so weele doe at your command,
And yet weele be on the mending hand.
Our hands doe show that we
Liue not by taking a Fee,
We pull a liuing forth
Of things but little worth,
Our worke doth th'owners vnderstand,
Thus still we are on the mending hand.
All day we merrily sing,
And Customers doe bring,
Or vnto vs doe send,
Their Boots and Shooes to mend,
We haue our money at first demand,
Thus still we are on the mending hand.
When all our money is spent,
We are not discontent,
For we can worke for more,
And then pay off our score,
We drinke without either bill or band,
Because we are still on the mending hand.
While other Callings great,
For fraud and foule deceit,
Are lookt vnto by Law,
We need not weigh't a straw,
Our honesty spreads through the land,
For we are still on the mending hand.
Therefore let's be of good chéere,
Though Lether be something deare,
The Law some course will take
Amends for all to make,
And by their care we vnderstand,
the world is now on the mending hand,
We pray for durty weather,
And money to pay for Lether,
Which if we haue, and health,
A fig for worldly wealth,
Till men vpon their heads doe stand,
We shall be still on the mending hand.
FINIS.
M.F
Printed at London for F. Groue.