The Poets Dream: OR, The Great Out-cry and Lamentable Complaint of the LAND against BAYLIFFS and their DOGS.
Wherein is Expressed their Villanous Out-rages to poor Men. With a True Description of their Knavery and their Debuac'h Actions; Prescribed and Presented to the view of all People.
To the tune of,
Sawny, &c.
AS I lay Slumbering in a Dream,
methought the world most strangely went;
The Bayliffs on High Seats was seen,
which caused the Poor's great Discontent.
They pluckt true Iustice from the Throne,
Erecting Laws was made of their own,
And burthen'd the Poor till they made them groan,
And that's the cause that the Land Complains.
Their Meeting House was an Ale-wives Bench,
fix'd in a Street that is termed Old;
Their Speaker was an a Play-house-Wench,
both Whore and Thief, and a Devilish Scold.
She'd Guzzel Brandy, Wine, or Ale,
And then she'd at her Neighbours Rail,
And send for the Bayliffs to have them to Iayl,
And that's the cause that the Land Complains.
Methoughts a mighty Hunting-match,
was made by Bayliffs and their Currs:
Poor men was the Deer they strove to catch,
the Houses plac'd in the Room of Furrs:
The Suburbs-Round it was their Park:
The Bayliffs Yell, the Dogs did Bark,
The Poor kept as close as
Noah in the Ark;
And that's the cause that the Land Complains,
Then
Shephard and his Dog wheel'd up toth' right,
and thunder'd by a Cursed Lane,
And there the Villains wrought their Spight,
for by them once was a Poor Man slain:
They Swear before they'l ever lack,
They'l go to Hell a Pick-a-Pack,
And thus poor Debters they go to rack,
And that's the cause that the Land complains.
There's Cursing
Will and Damme-
Jack,
and Robbin
Turner's alive agen;
And Paunchgut-
Tom, (a Hellish Pack,)
with perjur'd-
Dick and Bawdy
Ben:
Which formerly on Earth did Dwell,
And now they are return'd from Hell,
And doth against our Laws Rebell,
And that's the cause that the Land complains.
When I awaked from my Dream,
Methoughts the World turn'd upside down,
And in great haste▪ I Writ this Theam,
for the Bayliffs Dogs of our Town:
Who for their prey each hour do wait,
Like death at every poor Man's Gate,
And brings the Realm to a Dismal fate,
And that's the cause that the Land complains.
When Poor men are out of Employ,
and have not a Farthing in the World;
The while there Wives and Children Cry,
there's many are in a Prison hurl'd.
Men are Enticed by the Bumms,
Who swear they ne'r will pay their Summs,
Thus Poor in Flocks to the Iaylor comes;
And that's the cause that the Land complains.
The Tally-man, Curmudgeon keeps
a Baylif and his Dog to Bite;
If in their Books men ever Creeps,
they quickly swear they'l have their Right;
So soon as e're they do Back-slide,
The Torturing Iale they must abide,
Then
Toby and Dog's Employ'd;
And that's the cause that the Land complains.
When Rogues are at the
Old-Bayly Burn'd,
and that their Pilfering Trades do fail;
From Thieves to Bayliffs-Dogs have turn'd,
to plague and hurry the Poor to Iayl:
How like Kid-Nappers all the Day,
In every Corner they Survey,
And quaff whole Bowls when they get the
[...]
And that's the cause that the Land comp
[...].
Ten Groat's the Fees, and a Crown the
[...]
and three Round 000's for a Writ besid
[...]
Thus Laws are broken, and poor men O
[...]
such Racking Torments they must abid
[...]
And while the Prisoner sends for Bail,
They Tope the Brandy, Beer, and Ale,
And makes him pay, or they have him to I
[...]
And that's the cause that the Land comp
[...]
For Twenty Shillings, Ten, or Five,
they'l put a man to a Cursed Charge;
Or run him to Iayl they'l soon contrive,
where other Bills are exprest at Large:
The Iayl-Fees many are bound to Rue,
The Garnish, Bed and Turn-Key too,
Expects an unexpected Due;
And that's the cause that the Land compl
[...]
Your
Moore-field Mobbs, and
Whetstone-W
[...]
has Bayliffs and their Dogs for Friends;
When Lustful Youth pays
Venus Scores,
those Spunging Pimps the House attends
If Cullies fight in a Drunken fit,
Away goes
Toby's Dog for a Writ,
Thus many falls in the Bayliffs pit;
And that's the cause that the Land compla
[...]
'Tis seldom a Bayliff or his Dog,
is ever known for to go to Church;
As soon as they here the Word of god,
they leave the Parson in the lurch:
They swear they'l come to church no more,
They lay their Sins to
Adams Score,
And jaunts to
Moorfields to a Whore:
And that's the cause that the Land complain
[...]
Thus I conclude and end my Song,
desiring that you wou'd be content:
There's Christian-Peers that may right our wr
[...]
when Heaven yields up a Parliament:
I hope true Reason will plead our cause,
While they'r erecting wholesome Laws,
They'l keep us from the
Crocodils paws;
And cease the Poor of the Lands complaints.
FINIS.
Printed for P. Brooksby at the Golden Ball near the Bear Tavern.