<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2008-06-03</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Mona Logarbo</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B080515.pdcc.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
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<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B06749">
<STC T="W">W77A</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">52529357</BIBNO>
<VID>179218</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 18 -->
<HEAD>All things be dear but poor Mens Labour;<LB> Or, The &s;ad Complaint of Poor People.</HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P>Being a true Relation of the dearne&s;s of all kind of Food, to the great Grief and Sorrow of many Thou&s;ands in this Nation.</P>
<P>Likewi&s;e, the uncharitablene&s;s of Rich Men to the Poor. This Song was begun at <HI>Worce&s;ter,</HI> the midle at <HI>Shrewsbury,</HI> the end at <HI>Coventry.</HI></P>
</ARGUMENT>
<BYLINE>By <HI>L. W.</HI></BYLINE>
<OPENER>To the Tune of, <HI>Hold Buckle and Thong together.</HI></OPENER>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<LG>
<L>KInd Country-men li&s;&s;en I pray</L>
<L>unto this my harmle&s;s Ditty,</L>
<L>Ob&s;erve the&s;e words which I &s;hall &s;ay</L>
<L>for it is true the mores the pitty;</L>
<L>But chief to tho&s;e that &s;tand me by,</L>
<L>whether &s;tranger, or my neighbour</L>
<L>I think here's none that can deny.</L>
</LG>
<LG TYPE="refrain">
<L><HI>all things are dear but poor man's labour,</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>We find that Bread-Corn now is dear,</L>
<L>in every Town throughout this Nation,</L>
<L>The Rich now poor men will not bear</L>
<L>becau&s;e Charity's out of fa&s;hion,</L>
<L>Poor men do work all day and night</L>
<L>for that which in it hath &s;mall &s;auour</L>
<L>A Lo&s;s of &s;ix pence is but <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word">.</L>
</LG>
<LG TYPE="refrain">
<L><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="damage" EXTENT="1 line"></HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>B&eacute;ef and Mutton is &s;o dear</L>
<L>a mans weeks wages cannot buy it,</L>
<L>There's great complaints in every place,</L>
<L>all things are dear who can deny it,</L>
<L>But poor mens labour is too cheap,</L>
<L>and Trading's dead which makes times har|der</L>
<L>That all their pains wont find them meat</L>
</LG>
<LG TYPE="refrain">
<L><HI>all things, &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Ch&eacute;e&s;e and Butter is &s;o dear</L>
<L>you know it better than I can tell ye</L>
<L>Twould grieve a &s;tony heart to hear</L>
<L>the poor complain thus for their belly.</L>
<L>And <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> dead,</L>
<L><GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span">t find them bread</L>
</LG>
<LG TYPE="refrain">
<L><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="damage" EXTENT="1 line"></HI></L>
</LG>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<LG>
<L>I'll makes my very heart to ake,</L>
<L>to hear poor people thus complaining,</L>
<L>For all their care and pains they take,</L>
<L>rich men the poor are &s;till di&s;daining,</L>
<L>But let Rich Mi&s;ers con&s;ider well</L>
<L>the poor, and &s;how to them &s;ome favour</L>
<L>Or el&s;e their Souls will hang in Hell,</L>
</LG>
<LG TYPE="refrain">
<L><HI>all things, &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>In it not &s;ad for Parents now,</L>
<L>to hear their Children for bread crying,</L>
<L>And has it not for them to give</L>
<L>although for food they lye a dying,</L>
<L>Poor little Babies they mu&s;t fa&s;t,</L>
<L>although it grieves Mother and Father,</L>
<L>A bit of bread they cannot ta&s;t,</L>
</LG>
<LG TYPE="refrain">
<L><HI>all things, &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>To hear the many &s;ad Complaints,</L>
<L>as I have heard in Town and City,</L>
<L>I think youd cry as well as I,</L>
<L>the Rich has for the Poor no pitty</L>
<L>For if they work now for Rich men,</L>
<L>theres &s;ome will k&eacute;ep their Wages from them</L>
<L>And make them run to and agen,</L>
<L>Which makes the Poor cry fye upon them.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Farmers &s;o covetous now they be,</L>
<L>their Corn they'l hoard for better profit</L>
<L>Although the Poor do fa&s;t we &s;&eacute;e,</L>
<L>their grain they'l keep what ere comes of it</L>
<L>Whole Ricks of Corn &s;tands in their yards</L>
<L>and &s;corns to &s;hew the Poor &s;ome favour</L>
<L>For &s;ome do &s;wear they do not care,</L>
</LG>
<LG TYPE="refrain">
<L><HI>if things be dear, but poor mans labour.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>A Rich man there was in <HI>Stafford-&s;hire,</HI></L>
<L>which is a Knave, i'me &s;ure no better</L>
<L>He hop'd to &s;ell his Corn &s;o dear</L>
<L>e're long as Grocers do their Pepper.</L>
<L>When Wheat was &s;old for &s;hillings ten</L>
<L>he would not Thra&s;h, Fan, nor yet rake it</L>
<L>Let poor de&s;pair, he oft did &s;wear.</L>
</LG>
<LG TYPE="refrain">
<L><HI>heed keep it for a better market.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Too many their is of &s;uch ba&s;e men,</L>
<L>all <HI>England</HI> round in Town and City,</L>
<L>They'l &s;ee the poor &s;tarve at their door</L>
<L>before they'l &s;hew them any pity;</L>
<L>For &s;ome will make poor men to work,</L>
<L>all day and night for little favour,</L>
<L>For Rich men be, cruel we &s;ee,</L>
</LG>
<LG TYPE="refrain">
<L><HI>all things be dear but poor mens labour.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But thanks to God' Corn falls apace,</L>
<L>and all things el&s;e that's for the belly,</L>
<L>Yet &s;till it doth go bad with &s;ome</L>
<L>although they work full hard I tell you,</L>
<L>Six-pence a day, is now the pay</L>
<L>for a days work, and held a favour,</L>
<L>This mu&s;t maintain Wife and Babes,</L>
</LG>
<LG TYPE="refrain">
<L><HI>all thing be dear, &amp;c.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>So to conclude, lets be content</L>
<L>with what the Lord doth plea&s;e to &s;end us,</L>
<L>Let us our evil lives repent,</L>
<L>then in our woes God will defend us:</L>
<L>And let rich men be merciful</L>
<L>unto the poor &s;tranger or neighbour,</L>
<L>For all do know, unto their woe</L>
</LG>
<LG TYPE="refrain">
<L><HI>all things be dear but poor mens labour.</HI></L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P><HI>Printed for <HI>J Clark</HI> at the <HI>Bible</HI> and <HI>Harp</HI> in We&s;t-&s;mithfield.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
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