The Farmers Reformation:
OR, a Pattern for all Bad Husbands to Amend their Lives.
When all is spent, there's no content,
but Sorrow will attend:
Before too late, renew thy State,
and learn thy Life to mend.
Tune of, the
Ladyes of London.
This may be printed,
R. P.
I Have been such a bad Husband of late,
that trouble and sorrow's ensuing
Having consumed a worthy Estate,
which almost has proved my Ruine.
Now I resolve to alter my Life,
that Comforts I may be possessing,
And will be loving and kind to my Wife;
there can be no greater a blessing.
How like a sorrowful Man do I look;
I troubled am out of measure;
When I consider'd the courses I took,
while I was consuming my treasure:
Every Day I wasted my store,
and call'd a good Husband a Miser;
But I resolve I will do so no more,
but leave off, and learn to be wiser.
When to the Market I went with my Corn,
as soon as I sold it, to Gaming:
I spent more free than a Gentleman born;
yet thought I wan't worthy of blaming.
Some I would lend, to others I'de give,
and they'd be as commonly craving:
But I will do so no more while I live,
I'll learn to be Thrifty and saving.
I from the Ale-house to the Tavern wou'd come,
with those that wou'd call me their honey:
All the long night I would seldom come home,
as long as I had any Money,
While my poor Wife shed many a Tear,
to see how I dayly did use her:
But I will now be more kind to my Dear,
and never no more will abuse her.
By this my Gaming I soon made a hand
of what my old Father did leave me,
As being forced to Morgage my Land;
this did of all Comfort bereave me:
So that I then was near to despair,
and gave my self to melancholly:
But at length I resolv'd to take care,
now, now, I have seen my own folly.
While to that ruinous rate I did run,
I seldom or never repented,
Till I perceived that I was undone,
and then I was griev
[...]d and lamented;
Yet I resolv
[...]d this course I would take,
for the future time that's ensuing,
All my bay Company I would forsake;
I found they had proved my Ruine.
My Goods and Comforts doth daily increase,
by Labour I this have obtained,
And my kind Wife has the blessing of peace,
since Company I have refrained:
Yet my old Cronys flout me each day,
and count me no more than a Miser;
Yet I'll not value what ever they say,
I mean to grow older and wiser,
E'ry bad Husband take warning by this,
and count it not as a dead Letter:
Though by your Folly you have done amiss,
'tis never too late to grow better:
If thou hast got a loving kind wife,
then, then, thou hast reason to prize her;
Ay and to Love her as dear as thy Life,
and always grow older and wiser.
London, Printed for R. Kell, at the Blew Anchor near Pye-Corner.