The siluer Age, or, The VVorld turned backward. To a pleasant new Court tune.
MY Lady Pecunia
is a faire creature,
All cloathed in siluer,
according to nature:
She flieth most fréely,
none doth await her,
To wash off her pinions
by counterfeit water.
Oh this is a siluer age,
Oh this is a changing age.
The Lord and the Lady,
the Begger the Knight,
For Lady Pecunia
cares not a Doi [...]:
Redeemed from prison,
she taketh delight,
To goe to the Prodigall
spender aright.
Oh this is a siluer age,
Oh this is a wasting age.
Our lusty braue gallants
now walkes among clownes
With their full pockets
well stored with crownes,
To giue to poore people
the rents of their grounds,
Where almes of brasse forthings
are changed to pounds.
Oh this is a siluer age,
Oh this is a bountifull age.
The Merchant refuseth
is gaine by aduenture,
The Citizen leaueth
to lend by Indenture.
Young gallants grow carelesse
their titles to enter,
But put their whole liuings
to'th stretch of the tenter.
Oh this is a siluer age,
Oh this is a liberall age.
Rich mizers haue turned
their gold to good cheare,
And bids the poore begger
most kindly draw nears:
And with the fat gluttons,
they spend away sheere,
What greedinesse gained
by fraud in ten yeares.
Oh this is a siluer age,
Oh this is a spending age.
He that hath riches
lockt vp in his chest▪
With too man [...] crosses
himselfe he hath brest.
To raise vp the diuell,
His mind to molest,
But coniur'd by conscience,
in quiet doth r [...]st.
Oh this is a siluer age,
Oh this is a mending age.
Young women grow weary
of walking the street,
They scarce in a Tauerne,
will set in their feet,
Their husbands they feare not,
with whom they doe meet,
And like to good Angels
they neuer doe fleet,
Oh this is a siluer age,
Oh this is a vertuous age.
The bawd and the pander
are turned to grace,
And for a full pocket
they hold it but base.
A wench that is painted,
comes not into place,
For feare lest the beadle
her shoulders vncase.
Oh this is a siluer age,
Oh this an honest age.
The Tapster still liuing
by foame and by froth,
The [...]oc [...]er that eateth
most like to the moath,
Are no [...] turned honest
and vertuous both:
One penny ill gotten
to take they are loath
Oh this is a siluer age,
Oh this is an honest age.