A Looking-Glass for a Bad Husband: Or, A Caveat for a Spend-thrist.
You that are guilty of that sinful Crime
Of Drunkenness, strive for to leave it off in time:
Lay up your Money, do not it vainly spend;
For in your greatest need, it will be your, best Friend.
Endeavour in your Youth, lest in old Age you want;
For when that Poverty doth come, Friends will be scant.
To the Tune of, The, Poor Man's Comfort: Or, Digby.
YOu that are bad Husbands
I pray you draw near,
Good Counsel here's for you,
If you will give ear:
Then observe it rightly,
and bear it in mind,
A great deal of Benefit
in it you'l find.
Here you may learn how
to live gallant and brave,
If you will endeavour
for to get and save.
Then take care how in idle
your mony you spend,
For in time of need
it will be your best Friend.
You see that the times
are very hard grown,
Trading it is dead both
in Country and Town:
If a Man he han't where withal
him to maintain,
To make his complaint
it is all but in vain.
For money is scarce,
and Charity's cold:
Then save some-thing in youth
against you are old,
Then take care, &c.
Now you that intend
good Husbands to be,
Observe well this Rule
in every degree:
If you do get money
don't spend it in wast,
For when it is gone,
you will want it last.
To be careful and loving,
you must always strive,
O that is the right ready
way for to thrive,
Then take care how in wast
thou dost thy money spend,
For in time of need
it will be thy best Friend.
FIrst at thy imployment
and work be not slack.
To get Food for the Belly,
and Cloaths for the Back.
When then thou half got money,
don't spend it in vain:
But keep it and save it,
thy Charge to maintain.
Take care and refrain
from all bad company:
For that is the high way
unto Poverty.
Then take care how in wast
thou dost thy mony spend,
For in time of need
it will be thy best Friend.
Refrain from the Ale-house,
and dont it frequent:
To be thrifty and careful
let thy mind be bent.
But if thou dost chance
with a Friend for to méet,
With a Flaggon or two
thou then maist him greet:
And when thou hast done,
then to work again fall:
Some thing hath some favour,
though it be but small.
Then take, &c.
If that thou art blest
with a good careful Wife,
Be loving unto her
all dayes of thy Life.
If she gives thee good counsel,
do not it refrain,
Thoult find at the last
it will be for thy gain.
Shun the company of Harlots,
for they'l thee betray,
And bring both thy Body
and Soul to decay.
Then take &c.
Also unto Gameing
do not thy self use,
To hazard thy money,
in danger to lose.
For many by gaming
confounds their Estate,
And then they repent it,
when it is too late.
Such idle course besure
always defye,
Endeavour for to follow
good Husbandry.
Then take &c.
But some there be that
will at an Ale-house sit,
And waste away credit,
doth money and wit:
Vntil they have spent all,
they will nere quiet rest,
But makes themselves
worser then is any Beast.
So they can have their
fill of strong drink, they don't care
Tho she belly and back
do go empty and bare.
Then take &c.
I heard of a Prodigal
swaggering young Heir,
Who spent six hundred pound
in less than two year:
He capor d and vapor'd,
and took his delight;
He ranted in Taverns
both day and night:
But when all his Gold
it was wasted and gone,
O then he was slighted
by every one.
Then take &c.
And thus you may see
that bad Husbandry
Will bring a Man at last
unto beggary.
For those that are Spend-thrifts,
alwayes thred-bare be,
VVith their cloaths all torn,
a sad fight for to see:
But those that are careful
their mony to save,
They doth maintain their
Family gallant and brave.
Then take &c.
To conclude, I advise
all good Fellows that are
In time, of the main chance
for to have a care.
Take heed, and be saving
of that which thou haft,
It is not good in plenty
for to make waste.
Remember this Proverb,
and bear it in mind,
VVhen Poverty comes,
Friendship is hard to find.
Then take care how in wast
thou dost thy money spend,
For in time of need
it will be thy best Friend.
FINIS.
London, Printed for VV. Thackeray, T. Passenger, and VV. VVhitwood.