Choice of Inuentions, Or
Seuerall sorts of the figure of three,
That are newly compos'd as here you may see,
Then lend your attention you shall heare anon
It goes to the tune of Rock the Cradle sweet Iohn.
THere were thrée men of Gotam,
as I haue heard men say,
That néeds would ride a hunting
vpon Saint Dauids day,
Though all the day they hunting were,
yet no sport could they sée,
Untill they spide an Owle
as she sate in a trée:
The first man said it twas a Goose,
the second man said nay,
The third man said it was a Hawke,
but his Bels were falne away.
There was an Ewe had three Lambes,
and one of them was blacke,
There was a man had three sonnes,
Ieffery, Iames and Iacke,
The one was hang'd, the other drown'd,
The third was lost and never found,
The old man he fell in a sownd,
come fill vs a cup of Sacke.
There were thrée London Lasses
did loue a bonney Lad,
And either of these Wenchs thought
this young man to haue had,
These Damsels all together met,
and wrought a strange deuice,
That she should haue the mā that could
throw most vpon thrée Dice,
Their maiden-heads must be the stake,
now marke what did befall,
The young man threw the greatest cast
and brauely wonne them all.
There was an Ewe, &c.
There were thrée good old women,
that would not be contrould,
And each of them must take her cup
to kéepe them from the cold,
The one of them a Taylors wife,
the other was a Weauer,
The third a merry Coblers wife,
that praid for dirty weather:
To sit and chat of this and that
it was then their hearts desire,
So long they staid till two were drunk,
the third fell in the fire.
There was an Ewe, &c.
The Piper pip't his wife a daunce,
and there sprung vp a Rose,
The Cobler drunke strong ale so long
till he had wrongd his Nose:
His wife came with a Broomstaffe,
and strooke him on the head,
That euery one did surely thinke
the Cobler had beene dead,
But being to his senses come,
swéet wife said he be quiet,
This twelue months day Ile take small Béere,
or water for my diet.
There was an Ewe, &c.
A man that hath a sluttish wife,
is in a beastly taking,
And he that hath a cleanly wife
is of another making:
He that hath a dogged wife,
my fancy cannot brooke,
But he that hath a vertuous wife
hath farre more better lucke:
He that hath a drunken wife
that spends all at the Alehouse,
Were better take a Cord in hand,
and hang himselfe at the Gallowes.
There was a Ewe had three Lambs,
the one of them was blacke,
There was a man had three sonnes,
Ieffery, Iames and Iacke,
The one was han [...]'d, the other drown'd,
The third was lost and neuer found,
The old man he fell in a sownd,
come fill vs a cup of Sacke.
The second part To the same tune.
THere was a [...]sse had thrée Louers
the one of them a Taylor,
[...]he second was a monied man,
the third a Iouiall Saylor,
The Taylor gaue his Loue a Gowne,
in loue and kinde good will,
The Usurer with his money bags
her purse did often fill,
The Saylor in the Euening came
vnto his hearts delight,
And brauely carried the wench away,
the childe and all by night.
There was a Ewe had three Lambes,
and one of them was blacke,
There was a man had three sonnes,
Ieffery, Iames and Iacke,
The one was hangd, the other drownd,
The third was lost and never found,
The old man he fell in a sownd,
come fill vs a cup of Sacke.
There were thrée roaring Fidlers
came lately out of France,
That light and nimbly can
'teach maidens how to daunce:
In Turnbull-stréet and Clarkenwell,
Pickt-hatch and faire Bloomsberry,
These fidlers taught their scholler there
to sing, daunce and be merry:
Yet bid all Fidlers haue a care
of dauncing in this kinde,
Lest they from Tiburne chance to fall,
and leaue their Crowd behinde.
There was, &c.
A man that hath a signe at his doore,
and kéeps good Ale to sell,
A comely wife to please his guests,
may thriue exceeding well,
But he that hath a scolding wife,
his fortune is the worse,
For shée'll not onely brawle and chide'
but picke her husbands purse,
And he that hath a foole to his wife,
her neighbours oft will [...]lout her,
But he that hath a Whore to his wife,
were better be without her.
There was, &c.
There were three lusty souldiers
went through a towne of late,
The one lou'd Besse, the other Sisse,
the third lou'd bouncing Kate,
These maidens were thrée Landresses,
to wash men shirts and bands,
And for their pains these souldiers gaue
them wages in their hands:
The Gallants are to Sweathland gone
all this is truth I tell yee,
And left these Lasses for to cry,
woe and alas my belly.
There was, &c.
Three Gallants in a Tauerne
did brauely call for Wine,
But he that loues those dainty Cates
is sure no friend of mine:
Giue me a cup of Barley broth,
for this of truth is spoke,
These gallants drunke so hard that each
was forct to pawne his Cloake:
The oyle of Barley neuer did
such iniury doe to none,
So that they drinke what may suffice,
and afterwards be gone.
There was a Ewe had three Lambes,
and one of them was blacke,
Th [...]re was a man had three sonnes,
Ieffery, Iames and Iacke.
The one was hangd, the other drownd,
The third was lost and never found,
The old man he fell in a sownd,
come fill vs a cup of Sacke.
Printed at London for F. Coles.