Beds of roses/The reformed drunkard

The Reformed DRUNKARD.

AS I was a walking the streets up and down,
I saw my young landlady drest in a silk gown;
With my elbows all out, my breeches out at knee,
See how my young landlady frowns upon me.

⁠O then I stept to her, and told her my case,
She up with her hand and struck me on the face,
Saying, thou saucy fellow, do not prate to me,
Dost thou think that I mind such a drunkard as thee,

⁠See the impudent fellow and drunkard, said she,
Dost thou think that I mind such a drunkard as thee;
When you call'd for strong liquor, I gave you the dregs,
That bought me fine cloths and reduc'd thee to rags.

⁠But when I had silver and gold in any fist,
O then she would mcct me and give me a kiss,
But now my money's gone and my pocket's empty,
See how the dissembler frowns upon me.

⁠So now fellow-drunkards, you see how I'm us'd,
When my money's all gone, then I am abus'd,
But now for her sauce, I wiser shall be,
I will think on my wife and my family.

⁠I'll go home to my wife & children who are poor,
I us'd to abuse her, and call her a whore;
The more I said to her, the more she did cry,
O what a silly drunkard and blockhead was I.

⁠But if I had been rul'd by my wife at the first,
I might have had silver and gold in my purse,
For to maintain my wife and children so small,
But I prov'd a drunkard and ruin'd them all.

⁠But now I'll refrain, it's high time to amend,
My money I'll save it will be my best friend,
But to speak of the alc-wives, how oft I them fed,
Whilst my children & wife were starving for bread.

⁠Comc now all ye drunkards take warning by me,
Your folly in time I would have you to see,
And all in your youth have your time to begin,
Pray think on yourselves, let the landladies spin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~