The Cuckowes Comendation: Or, the Cuckolds, Credit: Being a merry Maying Song in Praise of the Cuckow.
To the Tune of the Button'd Smocke.
OF all the Birds that haunts the woods,
The waters or the Plaine;
I like the Cuckows pleasant tunes,
though some his Notes disdaine:
For all the faire gréene Season,
most cheerfully he sings,
And with his double Ditties makes
the Hilles and Valleyes ring.
The Earth to entertaine him,
puts on her best array,
The lofty trees and lowly shrubs,
likewise are fresh and gay;
The Birds to bid him welcome in,
doe warble pleasant notes,
All Beasts in fields an [...] Forrests wild
cast off their winter coates.
And when he comes amongst them,
he chaunts his melody,
More freely then a [...]awyer,
that takes a double Fee:
He farre excells the Fiddler,
his melodie's more free,
As well vnto the poorest sort,
as to the highest degree.
The Citizens that heare him,
will walke to fetch [...] May;
Their wiues like [...] cheare them,
will dresse themsel [...]s most gaye
All for to heare the Cuckowsing,
and warble forth his [...]es,
The Maidens and the Prentises,
together goe in flockes.
He'll sing vnto the Courtier,
as well as to the the Clowne,
He su [...]eth not his musicke,
in City nor in Towne:
And many when they heare him,
will thinke this Prouerb true,
That Gold and Opportunity,
will make some Women doe.
The Lawyer when he heeres him,
his veluet Cap off sturres,
And feares whilo hee's at Westminster,
another Cause demurres:
Lest that some younger Student come
at home and in his place,
To haue the free soliciting
of his owne proper case.
The Merchant and the Marriner,
that forraigne Countries finde,
When they doe heare the Cuckow sing,
rest doubtfull in their mind:
While they strange traffickes take in hand
to load their Ships with wares,
Their Pinnace that they left at home
some other Burthen beares.
The Maidens when they heare him,
accuse him for a blab,
The iealous Doctor when he cries,
thinkes his young wife a Drab:
Captaines and wedded Martialists,
when they doe heare him cry,
Likewise mistrust their Wiues at home,
in others Armes doe lie.
The silken suted Citizens
which let their gorgeous Spouses
Goe frólicke in good company,
whilst they doe kéepe their houses:
If they doe blame the Cuckow sweet,
they doe the Bird abuse:
For wine and opportunity,
will make some women loose.
The second Part,
to the same Tune.
ANother takes a Garden,
to which in pleasant weather
The Mistris must a walking goe,
the Prentice brings her thither:
And then it so may fortune,
that walking on the way,
They fall into some dancing-Schools,
and there they both doe stay.
But then and if the Citizen
doth heare the Cuckowes sound,
He feares not but his Prentises,
from Venery are bound:
Suspecttly then he keepes his house,
and casteth vp his Booke,
Meane while the Mistris and her Man,
are doing what, goe looke.
And there he Knights and Gentlemen,
which gallant seeme and stout,
Doe let their wiues haue Coaches,
to whirle the streets about,
Man'd only by a Coachman,
an Vsher and a Page:
Yet when they heare the Cuckowes note,
they neither fume nor rage.
For if my Lady lighteth,
the Coachman must sit still,
The Lacquey he is then imployd,
to doe her worships will:
The Vsher for her Ladiship,
he well doth know his part,
And doth that which the Prentise did,
to please his Mistris heart.
The Taylor that so neatly
doth fit his Mistris wast,
And puts on her strait Bodies,
when Petticoats vnlac'd,
Whilst thus he fits his Mistris,
another is at home.
To ease his wiues strait Bodies,
which are to narrow growne.
The Butcher that for fat wars
full oft abroad doth ride,
And leaues his wife to sell the Ioynts,
that he doth well prouide:
While he from home is ranging,
his Wife a Friend may finde,
That of a Lambe may make a Ram,
and vse her very kinde.
The Smith which on his Anuill,
the Iron hard doth ding:
He cannot heare the Cuckow,
although he loud doth sing,
In poynting of Plow-Harnesse,
he labours till he sweat,
While another in his Forge at home,
may steale a priuate heat.
But to conclude of all sorts,
though high or low they be,
Theres many loose back-sliders,
would there were none for me:
And yet it grieues my Conscience,
that such a louely Game,
Should make the Cuckow hated,
and scandall his good name,
His body is as toothsome,
and pleasant as his voyce,
And vse him as a Dyet,
he is a food most choyse:
He fortifies the back part,
and freeth some Disease,
And therefore vse you all the Art,
may best the Cuckow please.
FINIS.
Printed for Mr. [...]